Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) was founded in 2005 by entrepreneur Dr. Michael Otto as an independently operating initiative. CmiA is carried by the Hamburg-based Aid by Trade Foundation (ABTF). CmiA’s mission is to promote decent work for cotton farmers and cotton ginnery workers in Sub-Saharan Africa, to protect the environment and to create transparency in the textile supply chain. Instead of collecting donations, the initiative follows the principle of helping people to help themselves through trade. An international alliance of textile companies and brands demands for CmiA certified cotton, integrates it into their globally spanning supply chains and pays a license fee to the initiative for using the CmiA seal. Income from licensing fees is reinvested by CmiA to achieve its mission – enabling smallholder farmers to grow cotton in accordance with CmiA values, improving their living conditions and those of their families and securing the preservation of natural resources. For consumers, products supporting Cotton made in Africa can be recognized by a small product label.