The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) was founded in 2005 by Prof. Dr Michael Otto, an entrepreneur from Hamburg, Germany. The aim of the foundation, which operates independently of the Otto Group, is to help people to help themselves through trade, thereby preserving vital natural resources and securing the livelihoods of future generations.
Cotton made in Africa® is an internationally recognised standard for sustainably produced cotton from Africa, connecting African smallscale farmers with trading companies and fashion brands throughout the global textile value chain. The initiative’s objective is to employ trade rather than donations to offer help for self-help in order to improve the living conditions of around one million cotton farmers and their families in Sub-Saharan Africa while protecting the environment. The small-scale farmers benefit from training and better working conditions, and additional social projects enable their children to attend school. Female small-scale farmers are supported in pursuing professional and social independence.
The Good Cashmere Standard® is an independent standard for sustainably produced cashmere wool. Developed in 2019 in close collaboration with animal-welfare specialists and independent cashmere-production experts, its goal is to improve the wellbeing of the cashmere goats and the working conditions of the farmers as well as the environment in which they live. The standard will begin by focussing on the framework conditions for cashmere production in Inner Mongolia.
The Regenerative Cotton Standard® (RCS) is a voluntary standard for cotton grown by small-scale farmers using regenerative farming methods. RCS aims to improve the overall resilience and productivity of small-scale farming while adding value to farmland, rural communities, the biosphere, and the quality of life of farm animals.To achieve these aims, RCS targets the entire production system rather than only the cotton itself.