New York, U.S.: Soorty is proud to announce a significant milestone in its responsible cotton journey. The Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative (SOCI) has become the first private-sector textile manufacturer initiative in Pakistan to be recognized by the Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA) as a partner in the OCA Seed Commercialization Initiative — tackling the long-standing challenge of access to safe, non-GMO cotton seeds. As a partner in the project, SOCI provides farmers with a reliable source of high-quality, non-GMO seed — a critical breakthrough for organic cotton production.
"As we embrace project digitalization, we are revolutionizing farmer advisory with modern tools, ensuring traceability through the digital bale passport, and strengthening our initiatives with a dedicated seed laboratory. By launching the new ROC project, we are not just advancing sustainability—we are empowering farmers, enhancing transparency, and shaping the future of responsible agriculture." – Dr. Yousaf, Head of Agriculture Ventures and Traceability.
Soorty's Holistic Approach
Sustainable cotton sourcing is a multi-faceted journey at Soorty, from regenerative and organic farming initiatives to advanced recycling, traceability, and ethical production. By combining responsible sourcing, innovative mindset, social impact, and digital transparency, Soorty is proving denim production can be better not just for the planet but for the people in the supply chain.
Additional key sustainability initiatives include:
- Driving Social Uplift and Transforming The Cotton Landscape of Pakistan Through Sustainable Cotton: Soorty’s commitment to responsible cotton is deeply rooted in working closely with farmers. It is creating a trustable, transparent supply chain while uplifting communities. Through the Soorty Organic Cotton Initiative SOCI and Soorty Regenagri Initiative SRI, the company is ensuring non-GMO, ethically grown cotton that regenerates the land while empowering farmers with financial security, training, and long-term support. By integrating traceability solutions and securing fair market access for growers, Soorty is fostering a resilient, future-focused cotton ecosystem
- Closing the Loop with Second Life: Second Life transforms post-consumer and post-industrial waste into new, high-quality, traceable denim. By collecting, sorting, and repurposing worn-out garments and production defects, Soorty is reducing landfill waste and producing fibers that maintain yarn strength, allowing for high-quality fabrics. This commitment to circularity ensures a lower environmental footprint and a more responsible future for denim.
- Regenerative Organic Certification in Progress: Soorty is actively working towards Regenerative Organic certification by the end of the year. The initiative builds upon Soorty’s existing organic programs to promote soil health and biodiversity.
- Enhancing Cotton Traceability with Geolocation: To enhance transparency, Soorty has launched a traceability project that will provide brand partners—and eventually consumers—visibility into the origins of their cotton. The first QR-coded cotton bales are expected to be produced by the end of this year. This system will allow users to track the origins of their cotton, reinforcing accountability across the supply chain.
- New Laboratory for Cotton Integrity: The company has recently established Soorty Seed Integrity Lab, a state-of-the-art laboratory at its facilities to monitor and enhance cotton quality, specifically off-season testing under climate-controlled growth room, testing fiber purity, GMO free seed, and sustainability metrics to ensure high industry standards. The investment reflects Soorty’s ongoing efforts to improve supply chain transparency and ensure product integrity.
- Partnership with SAWIE to Empower Farmers: As part of its commitment to supporting cotton farmers, Soorty has partnered with SAWIE, a digital agricultural platform that leverages data analytics and artificial intelligence to provide farmers with real-time insights, resource optimization, GIS-based remote sensing, farmer advisory, and climate-smart farming solutions. A formal signing ceremony was executed on January 22, marking another step in Soorty’s mission to uplift cotton-growing communities in Pakistan.
“We are excited to collaborate with Soorty in developing a sustainable and traceable cotton supply chain. Through SAWiE TraceTM, we are enabling full transparency from farm to fashion, ensuring that every step of the journey is rooted in sustainability. By integrating regenerative and organic farming systems, we aim to reduce the ecological footprint of cotton, enhance water conservation, improve soil health, lower carbon emissions, and improve farmer incomes. This partnership marks a significant step towards a more responsible and climate-smart textile industry.” – Dr Khalid Mahmood CEO SAWIE
- Empowering Women and Digitizing Financial Transactions: Soorty is integrating programs to enhance women’s roles in farming communities by providing resources, training, and financial tools. Additionally, the company is digitizing financial transactions to improve transparency and efficiency for farmers and stakeholders.
Beyond its innovative product developments, Soorty’s Second Life initiative transforms post-consumer and post-industrial waste into high-quality recycled denim. Utilizing advanced sorting and shredding technology, Second Life maintains fiber integrity while reducing water and energy consumption by up to 90% compared to conventional denim production.
Looking ahead, Soorty predicts radical transparency will shape the denim industry in 2025. With rising consumer expectations and regulatory demands, brands will need verifiable, data-driven impact metrics rather than broad sustainability claims. Soorty is committed to leading this shift through traceability, regenerative agriculture, and circular production models.
About Soorty: Soorty is a family of engineers and designers passionate about creating denim that looks and feels good, embodying innovation, design, and sustainability. Leveraging vertically integrated infrastructure across Pakistan, and Bangladesh, Soorty offers LEED-certified production, co-creation facilities, and design centers in global fashion hubs. It is the only company with LEED Platinum and Cradle2Cradle Gold certifications for both its denim mill and garment factory, underscoring its commitment to sustainability.
