The Better Cotton Initiative confirmed Tuesday it now operates as a regenerative standards system, two years after starting the restructuring and one month after its updated Principles and Criteria version 3.2 took effect in April.

The shift matters commercially: BCI's standard covers more than one-fifth of cotton grown worldwide, so changes to its criteria flow directly into sourcing programs at hundreds of brands and retailers. The organization frames the move as a "triple win" for nature, farmers and industry, and says it will help "bridge the gap" between corporate ambitions and field-level realities.

"When nature thrives, farmers thrive," CEO Nick Weatherill said in a statement. "And when retailers and brands support those conditions through their sourcing and investment, they help build more resilient supply chains and future-proof the supply of cotton."

What changes for growers and buyers?

The new system stops short of banning synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Instead, farmers must phase out highly hazardous pesticides over time. The standard strengthens requirements for continuous improvement, with greater emphasis on regenerative agriculture when setting and meeting targets.

Mandatory elements now include:

• Integrated pest management
• Soil health measures
• Cover cropping
• Biodiversity requirements

Unlike organic cotton, which prohibits synthetic inputs and GMO seeds, regenerative cotton focuses on outcomes: rebuilding soil health, restoring biodiversity, capturing carbon and retaining water. Conventional farms can adopt regenerative practices while still spraying synthetic pesticides. "Regenerative" itself has no single legal definition or regulatory enforcement — a point buyers weighing claims should note.

What is behind the timing?

The overhaul arrives amid scrutiny of BCI's certification credibility. In April 2024, watchdog group Earthsight published an exposé criticizing BCI for certifying cotton linked to illegal deforestation, land-grabbing and environmental violations in Brazil's Cerrado region. H&M and Zara were implicated in the supply chains concerned.

BCI said a third-party audit found no breach of its standards at the investigated farms. It pledged expanded due diligence and greater collaboration across standards bodies. "We welcome the scrutiny of organizations such as Earthsight as they help to shine a spotlight on areas where both farm and regulatory oversight need to improve," then-CEO Alan McClay said at the time.

What does the Co:Farm deal deliver?

BCI acquired the team and technology behind Co:Farm from agritech company Materra. The deal, BCI says, creates digital infrastructure to simplify and speed up field-level data collection while cutting the administrative burden on growers and implementing partners — a direct answer to the traceability questions raised by the Cerrado findings.

"Co:Farm is more than a technology acquisition," chief commercial officer Alia Malik said in a statement. "Very few organizations can take an innovation proven with 10,000 farmers and scale it across one of the world's largest farmer networks."

Before finalizing the transition, BCI commissioned agritech consultancy SureHarvest to benchmark its framework against standards from RegenAgri, REEL and Textile Exchange. SureHarvest found strong alignment in Principles 2 (Natural Resources), 3 (Crop Protection), 5 (Decent Work) and 6 (Sustainable Livelihoods). BCI then closed the remaining gaps ahead of version 3.2.

Is there proof in the field?

One project already shows measured results. Launched with H&M in India in 2025, the Gujarat Regenerative Agriculture Project trains and supports more than 12,000 farmers adopting or expanding regenerative practices. To date, more than 1,760 growers have received incentive payments, and 1,700 metric tons of traceable BCI lint cotton have been linked to H&M's supply chain.

BCI also revamped its investment, capacity strengthening, assurance and impact measurement activities to prioritize regenerative farming — a signal that audit and data requirements for implementing partners will tighten alongside the new criteria.

The organization will formally launch the regenerative standards system at this week's Textile Exchange Conference in Vancouver, where sessions on industry readiness and the path to scale will indicate how quickly buyers can expect the new claims framework to reach their supply chains.