OVS Partners with Cotton Made in Africa to Promote Sustainable Fashion

OVS, one of Italy’s leading textile and fashion companies, has entered into a new partnership with Cotton made in Africa (CmiA). So far in 2025, OVS has introduced to the market nearly 2.5 million items made from CmiA-verified cotton, including children’s apparel. This partnership reinforces OVS’s commitment to verifiable transparency and full traceability from the cotton bale to the final product.

Simone Colombo, Head of Corporate Sustainability at OVS Group, stated:

“We chose Cotton made in Africa to further expand our commitment to source better the most important fiber for our collections. In addition, we can use the CmiA Inside label to ensure that only CmiA-verified cotton is used in our products. This creates transparency and trust, including for our customers.”

OVS products made with CmiA cotton carry the “Cotton made in Africa Inside” label, confirming that the cotton used is physically traceable throughout the entire value chain. To display this label, products must be verified to contain only CmiA-verified cotton. In 2025, OVS has already launched around 2.5 million textile items under the CmiA Inside label, with a primary focus on denim products such as jeans and jackets.

Tina Stridde, Managing Director of the Aid by Trade Foundation, expressed:

“We are pleased to welcome OVS as a new partner in our international demand alliance for Cotton made in Africa. OVS’s implementation of Cotton made in Africa Inside makes a strong statement about transparency and traceability—one we are very happy to see.”

The Hard Identity Preserved (HIP) system used for CmiA Inside products ensures that only CmiA-verified cotton is used throughout yarn and textile production, allowing products to bear the “Cotton made in Africa Inside” label.

Beyond environmental protection standards focusing on water, soil, and biodiversity, Cotton made in Africa also includes social sustainability criteria—promoting women’s empowerment, upholding human rights, prohibiting child labor, and supporting smallholder farming communities.