Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) has received the highest “Excellent” rating from Siegelklarheit, the German sustainability label assessment platform operated by the Consumer Association of North Rhine-Westphalia (Verbraucherzentrale NRW). The recognition highlights CmiA’s strong performance in credibility, environmental responsibility, and social standards.

The latest assessment was carried out following a major update to the Siegelklarheit evaluation framework. Since reviewing sustainability labels for consumers in 2015, the platform has expanded its rating system from two to five levels to provide clearer distinctions between different sustainability standards. The updated approach aims to give consumers more reliable and detailed information by better reflecting differences in credibility, environmental performance, and social responsibility.

The evaluation was based on the Sustainability Standards Comparison Tool, a recognised methodology used to assess and compare sustainability certification schemes. More than 200 experts from government organisations, standard-setting bodies, academia, businesses, and civil society contributed to the development of the framework.

International organisations, including the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the ISEAL Alliance, also supported its creation. The assessment is based on internationally recognised agreements, including the standards of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

According to the evaluation, Cotton made in Africa met 100% of the minimum requirements for both credibility and social responsibility, while achieving 88% in the environmental category. The certification had previously received the “Very Good Choice” rating before the introduction of the updated evaluation system.