Our Supply Chain
At Kotn, we believe that traceability—the knowledge of where a product came from, who made it, how, and when—shouldn’t be a luxury, but a standard. Yet according to Fashion Revolution’s Transparency Index, only 11% of fashion brands know the source of their raw materials.
That’s why we built Kotn from the ground up, starting with the farmers who grow our natural fibres. By bypassing the traditional middle people and ensuring a clear chain of custody we’re able to maintain the best business practices for our community, guaranteeing living wages, safe working conditions, fair treatment, and environmental transparency at every step.
Think of it like farm-to-table, but for your clothes.
Step 1: Raw Materials
Harvesting season in the Nile Delta, Egypt.
The root of it all: the raw materials are the main ingredient in every piece. As in most industries, fashion production is a race to the bottom, the supply chain being squeezed to increase margins up top. This affects the farthest removed level of the supply chain most, the farms and raw material providers. Hidden behind levels of subcontractors, corners are cut, and social and environmental risks are taken, mostly unseen and out of mind.
We started Kotn working directly with smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta, Egypt, and we still do today. We’ve expanded our on-the-ground personal relationships to 5,127 farmers throughout the Nile Delta and Faiyum regions, working with them to best serve their business and community needs, helping us both grow sustainably.