Become a CmiA licensing partner

There is no minimum volume requirement. Whether you’re testing Cotton made in Africa through a small pilot project or rolling out a large-scale sourcing programme, our flexible licensing model allows you to start where it makes sense for your business and grow over time.

The licensing fees are based on your annual sourcing volume, with no additional membership or partnership fees. It covers access to verified CmiA cotton, communication rights, full traceability, marketing assets, and dedicated support throughout your partnership. Within the supply chain, we keep costs efficient and streamlined.

Both sourcing models create the same positive impact for smallholders. The right choice depends on your sustainability goals. CmiA Traceable provides physically traceable cotton for brands with transparency ambitions, whereas Mass Balance enables efficient implementation through existing supply chains.

No. The choice between Mass Balance and Traceable depends on your sourcing strategy, transparency requirements, and business objectives. You can adjust your approach over time or use both models for different products or collections, giving you the flexibility to meet changing customer and stakeholder expectations.

Yes, many partners begin with a single product, supplier, or market before gradually expanding their programme. A pilot project is an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the process, test supply chain integration, and build internal support before scaling up.

Yes. A licensing agreement is required to source verified Cotton made in Africa cotton, regardless of whether you communicate its source to consumers. The agreement provides access to our licensing and traceability system, ensures the integrity of the programme, and enables verified sourcing throughout the supply chain.

Absolutely. CmiA Organic is designed to complement internationally recognised organic standards, combining certified organic cotton production with Cotton made in Africa’s social and sustainability requirements. While most organic standards focus primarily on environmental criteria, CmiA Organic also promotes improved livelihoods, women’s empowerment, and responsible social practices at the ginnery level — a more holistic sustainability approach.

The cotton used in the CmiA programme originates exclusively from Africa South of the Sahara. It is grown by registered small-scale farmers who are participating in Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) by applying CmiA’s sustainability criteria for cotton production. The cotton is grown by approximately 715,000 small-scale farmers across ten African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

The fibre parameters of CmiA cotton, including staple length and other quality characteristics, vary depending on origin, cotton variety, and seasonal growing conditions as the cotton is sourced from different production regions south of the Sahara. Typically, CmiA cotton falls within the medium staple range, with staple lengths generally between 27 and 31 millimetres.