Betty Jackson for EJF: organic cotton charity t-shirt

Betty Jackson has backed the Environmental Justice Foundation’s (EJF) Pick Your Cotton Carefully campaign, designing a t-shirt to raise awareness of the use of forced child labour and the ecological devastation associated with cotton production.

"We are delighted to be able to support this campaign in its very worthwhile fight against some of the terrible injustices that occur around the world. Exploitation of some of the most vulnerable groups in society, especially children, should not be allowed to happen in today's modern world."

Juliette Williams Programme Director, EJF, says: “Even in tough economic times, our buying power can be a force for good. Choosing organic and fairly traded cotton actively supports communities in some of the world’s poorest nations, where fair and equitable trade to the west can literally mean the difference between life and death. With public support, companies have been inspired to look at the way the cotton they buy and sell is produced, and high street names are saying ‘no’ to cotton from Uzbekistan until child labour and environmental abuses are eradicated. Together we can change our world”.

Also in the project are Christian Lacroix and Luella Bartley. The t-shirts are produced on organic and fairly traded cotton and printed with organic certified inks.

All money raised by EJF from the sale of the t-shirts goes to support the charity’s valuable work. The t-shirts are available in ladies fitted and men’s classic styles from £30 from www.ejfoundation.org/shop (worldwide delivery).

Around the world, whether it is state enforced, or child trafficking, millions of children face severe exploitation in the cotton industry. In Uzbekistan, the world’s 3rd largest exporter of cotton, roughly a third of the population are forced to work in conditions near slavery for the state run cotton industry. Many are children. Schools across the country are shut down for the cotton harvest as children from the age of 7 are sent to work for weeks in the fields, paid little or nothing, but benefiting their repressive government through this forced labour.

Shannan Click and Diana Moldovan in Betty Jackson organic cotton charity t-shirt
Photos by Eric Guillemain

Angelika Kocheva and Coco Rocha in Betty Jackson organic cotton charity t-shirt
Photos by Eric Guillemain