The Sustainable Cotton Cluster (SCC) is planning to launch a sustainable and transparent cotton production pipeline in South Africa.The SCC was established in June 2014 and aims at establishing a strong momentum for the growth and development of the southern African cotton cluster. SCC has helped create 7000 additional jobs in the textile and retail industry and set up 1,240 small, medium size enterprises. For its ventures offshore, the cluster provides the technology for full traceability, from farm to retail, sustainability impact measurement and supply chain management. It also enables stakeholders to fulfill their social and environmental responsibility and contribute to a stronger economy in southern Africa. The cluster is working on building integrated supply chains. South Africa already produces high quality, exportable cotton and the GMO technology applied to seed improvement is delivering better crop yields.

The growth and sustainability of the cotton industry depend on integrated supply chain programs that are driven by retail demand and are built on virtual partnerships between supply chain stakeholders. SCC brings together the entire cotton value chain and was formed as a coordinated platform for cotton, textile and retail value chain stakeholders to formulate strategies which would ensure growth and stability in the sector. The cluster is made up of cotton farmers, ginners, spinners, fabric producers, manufacturers and retailers.