Sae-A Trading Achieves South Korea's First Better Cotton Initiative Physical Chain of Custody Certification

SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sae-A Trading, global apparel manufacturer and exporter, announced that it has become the first company in South Korea's textile and apparel industry to achieve certification under the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Physical Chain of Custody (CoC) standard.

The certification confirms the use and management of sustainable cotton across Sae-A Trading's vertically integrated production—from yarn to fabric to finished garments—enhancing transparency and reinforcing the company's global reputation as a trusted apparel manufacturer.

Founded in Switzerland in 2005, BCI is the world's largest sustainable cotton initiative, representing about 22% of global cotton production. The program certifies cotton grown with a focus on environmental sustainability such as responsible water use, soil health, and biodiversity, as well as social responsibility such as labor rights, safety, and fair treatment.

The Physical Chain of Custody system, introduced by BCI in 2024, has required mandatory on-site inspections by accredited third-party auditors since April of this year. This strengthened process ensures that certified cotton is not only documented but also verified directly at each stage of production, transport, and processing. By meeting these higher standards, Sae-A Trading has further enhanced the credibility and transparency of its sustainable cotton management practices.

Audits were conducted by Control Union Inspections (Pvt) Ltd. and GSCS International Indonesia, both official BCI partners. The inspections covered Sae-A Spinning (Sae-A Trading's yarn manufacturer) in Costa Rica, PT. Win Textile (Sae-A Trading's fabric manufacturer) in Indonesia, and Sae-A Trading headquarters in Seoul. Auditors reviewed how cotton was managed at each facility—examining usage volumes, digital tracking systems, and actual shipment records—to confirm proper implementation of BCI standards.

With this certification, Sae-A Trading has strengthened traceability across its end-to-end supply chain. The certification further validates the actual usage and management of sustainable cotton across key production processes, providing greater assurance from the production floor through to final delivery. The company now leverages the Better Cotton Platform (BCP) to digitally track cotton transactions and supply status, providing transparent, reliable data to global brand partners and stakeholders.

Jacob Park, Manager of the Global Procurement Division at Sae-A Trading stated, "This certification demonstrates that Sae-A Trading has established one of the most advanced sustainable cotton management systems in line with global standards. Going forward, we will extend certification across our sewing facilities in Southeast Asia and Central America, further scaling the use of sustainable materials and reinforcing our leadership in responsible apparel manufacturing."

For media inquiries, please contact:

[Global Sae-A PR Department]
Karen Seo (Manager) [email protected]
Ella Ko (Jr. Associate) [email protected]

SOURCE Sae-A Trading