Organic Cotton Round Table (OCRT) is a global stakeholder platform that supports and brings together the organic cotton community to be inspired mobilized, and equipped to act. In 2012, after many years of steady growth, production of organic cotton began to decline. Yet demand for organic cotton fiber continued to grow. OCRT was incepted in response to the decline.

Growers, processors and vendors of organic cotton operate in a highly autonomous market environment. On one hand this autonomy allows independence and a market-driven approach to address sustainable development, but on the other hand there is no central structure to support the organic cotton community.

The primary objective of the OCRT is to find ways to collaborate in order to grow the sector, share best practices at every stage, build supportive partnerships, and improve supply and livelihood security. OCRT aims to eliminate the barriers to growth in organic cotton production and consequently enable the current growth in demand from consumers to be met and capitalized on.

Many individual efforts are being made to advance organic cotton, and the OCRT brings stakeholders together to grow the sector and create a result that is greater than the sum of its parts. The 2015 Organic Cotton Round Table was held in Mumbai. Almost 200 producers, manufacturers, brands, retailers, and support organizations came together to share news and views on organic cotton.

This year’s conference will be in Germany.