the Spinning Plant Cooperative

Why a Spinning Plant?


Though sales for the women’s sewing co-op (the Fair Trade Zone) have grown tremendously in the last year, the co-op lacks a consistent supply of both organic and conventional cotton cloth to meet increasing demands. This is one reason the CDCA is working to set up a spinning plant to spin organic cotton and conventional cotton into yarn. The spinning plant is becoming a sister cooperative which will sell the majority of its product to the Fair Trade Zone, helping the sewing co-op reduce its costs and turn-around time for its clients.

Also, the spinning plant will provide fair prices to small cotton growers here in Nicaragua.


Thirty-five heads of household (mostly women) from Ciudad Sandino have already begun building the spinning plant,new Spinning Cooperative members meeting to become the cooperative members, using their labor in the construction of the building as their sweat equity buy-in to the cooperative. This is work in process!

Members of the spinning plant at work... clearing the land clearing land with a machete
clearing away brush
hauling away brush
Co-op women removing stumps
...making pumicecrete blocks to use in the construction of the building. making block

They have also begun their 40 hours of cooperativism and business management training required by Nicaraguan law for each cooperative member. Spinning Plant leadership presenting plans
Membership training

But it isn't all about work. It is about building community. So they organized a Valentine's Day Party for their work break! Valentine's Day Party workbreak

What's the timeline?

We hopefully estimate that within four years the spinning plant cooperative will be working three 8-hour shifts, employing 60 heads of household from Ciudad Sandino full-time and will be turning a healthy profit.

The spinning plant has a secure market. Not only does it have commitments from the the Fair Trade Zone to purchase the majority of its yarn production, but it also has commitments from brokers to sell any and all organic yarn the Fair Trade Zone doesn’t buy, as well as commitments from Central American companies to purchase all conventional yarn produced.

How will the process work?

The organic and conventional cotton will be partially sourced from Nicaraguan farmers, revitalizing Nicaraguan cotton production as well as converting more acres to organic crops by creating a demand for organic cotton. The cloth will be knit and finished in Costa Rica or Nicaragua and made into garments at the women’s sewing co-op, allowing the co-op to keep its entire vertical production chain in Central America. The jobs created will benefit those employed by the co-op, the farmers, and thus their families and communities.

We still need funding for this project and can use all the help we can get!

If you’re interested in helping us raise the funds for the spinning plant cooperative, please contact us.

For more information on the environmental effects of conventional (non-organic) cotton, see Beyond Organics: Environmental.

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