From Field to Fanshop

Cotton is the world’s most important natural fibre for textile production. Globally, most cotton is produced in India. Yet, even though this raw material is in such high demand, cotton farmers struggle to make a living from their income: low yields from conventional farming, high agricultural costs, and poor access to global supply chains make this nearly impossible. 

The production of fair-trade organic cotton could be a solution here – not only because organic farming offers greater yield security and thus more economic stability, but also because the criteria for organic certification include social benefits for producers and their families. The GIZ project “From field to fan shop,” initiated by the BMZ, therefore supports smallholder farmers in the Indian region of Gujarat in transitioning their production to organic farming. 

The aim is to establish transparent and fair supply chains in sports merchandising: The cotton produced in the project is processed by partners from the textile industry and used for fan merchandise of German football clubs – from the cotton field to the fan shop. So far, around one million fan articles have been made from the project cotton - by 2028 there are to be more than 1.5 million items. However, it is not only about jerseys and the like: the project also opens up sports opportunities and thus opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people from the region.

To ensure that the conversion from conventional to organic farming can really be successful, "From field to fan shop" not only provides the necessary seeds, but above all offers training courses to prepare the farmers appropriately for the conversion process and the new challenges. While 450 producers were already funded in the first project phase (2022-2025), there are already 1,650 in the second project phase (2025-2028) – a huge increase in just three years. But it is not only the more environmentally friendly organic cultivation that is in the foreground. In particular, the food security of cotton farmers is to be promoted. This is achieved through better market access and purchase guarantees for their product for the first few years. The demand from sports merchandising creates planning security and also makes sustainable cotton economically attractive. Already in the first funding period, the project participants were able to increase their average income by a whopping seven percent. In addition, 360 producers report that they have been able to better protect their cotton from climate challenges through new cultivation and adaptation methods – which benefits yields.

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But the project is not just about the now. In order for fair supply chains to exist in the long term, prospects for the next generation are needed in the growing regions. That's why "From field to fan shop" focuses specifically on children, adolescents, and young adults. Sports programmes serve as low-threshold access to reach disadvantaged young people, strengthen the community and impart educational content. In addition to these life skills, the trainers and mentors – trained by the project among the young people in Gujarat – themself also pass on the importance of resource and environmental protection. In this way, the project combines ecological sustainability in the supply chain with social development on the ground.

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The project is supported by the clothing manufacturer BRANDS Fashion and eight clubs in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga. BRANDS Fashion produces fan articles for the participating clubs from the organic cotton produced in Gujarat. These, in turn, guarantee the purchase of the fairly and environmentally friendly products. "If we want to have more organic cotton on the market, then you also have to get involved in supporting smallholder farmers in the Global South in the transition from conventional cotton to organic production," says BRANDS Fashion's sustainability department manager Rabea Schafrick, explaining the social responsibility that the project partners assume.

The participating companies and clubs combine responsible procurement with measurable impact along the supply chain via "From the field to the fan shop". Long-term purchase commitments, transparent origin routes and support for sustainable cultivation methods take both ecological and social aspects into account. Together, all participants prove that organizations can meet their social responsibility and at the same time make resilient contributions to sustainability and supply chain goals.

In the future, "From the field to the fan shop" will expand the project to other districts in the Gujarat region so that even more cotton farmers as well as children and young people can benefit from it.