Objectives of the service
Cotton is a vital crop, but today’s global cotton supply chains are complex and opaque. Fashion brands are currently unable to trace the very first stages of cotton production (field – gin – mill) to verify whether it was grown sustainably, and if water resources were used responsibly. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to back up sustainability claims, putting brands at risk of reputational damage and regulatory fines.
By combining satellite data, DNA tagging, and water systems insights, CottonConscience traces cotton from farm to gin – giving fashion and textile brands transparent, verifiable data to support water wise decision making, and prove sustainability claims, promoting better water use, healthier soils, and stronger communities.
Users and their needs
Targeted user groups include:
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Fashion retailers and brands (UK, Europe)
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Supply chain partners (India, UK)
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Cotton farmers (India, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt)
User needs and challenges:
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Clear and credible proof of cotton origin.
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Independent verification of environmental impacts, especially water use.
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Practical tools for integrating farmer data with satellite and laboratory evidence.
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Simple reporting formats suitable for retailers and regulators.
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Building trust across a complex, fragmented supply chain.
Service/ system concept
CottonConscience uses data from EO Satellites, DNA Tags and known water sources to create an impact assessment of the cotton at field-level. This assessment is presented to the user (Fashion Buyer) via an integrated platform within their buying system helping ensure their buying decisions align with their company values, ESG targets and sustainability KPIs.
Space Added Value
CottonConscience uses Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data from the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, combined with tooling from OpenEO.
Unlike traditional audits or paper-based tracking, satellite data covers wide areas consistently and cannot easily be altered. This improves traceability and allows retailers to respond quickly to risks such as drought, water overuse, or illegal farmland expansion, offering a solution that can grow with the industry and support brands in meeting the highest data integrity, and sustainability standards.
Current Status
During June, the CottonConscience project entered an exciting new phase following approval of the Water Quality Contract Change Notice (CCN). The expanded project builds on the existing Farm Trace and Water Trace services by investigating how satellite Earth Observation can be used to monitor water quality, detect environmental anomalies, and strengthen supply chain transparency through integration with DNA-based traceability. Page 3 of 3
The Team holds its official Project Kick-OffMeeting, confirming the technical approach, pilot objectives, and user-focused service design. Development now focuses on creating a pilot-ready system that combines satellite monitoring, AI-supported insights, and traceability to help brands better understand environmental impacts, improve compliance, and support more informed sourcing decisions.
Prime Contractor(s)
