The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol said that Gildan Activewear and its portfolio of company-owned brands, including Gildan, Alstyle, American Apparel and Comfort Colors, have joined as members.
Gildan is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of everyday basic apparel and is one of the largest domestic consumers of U.S. cotton, which represents the majority of the fiber used in Gildan’s products.
“At Gildan, we have a vision of ‘Making Apparel Better,’ and we have long been committed to ensuring that our supply chain is ethical and sustainable from fiber to shirt,” said Glenn Chamandy, president and CEO of Gildan. “Joining the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a natural next step in our sustainability and transparency journey, as it will increase transparency into our supply chain while also providing us with additional assurance that the cotton we purchase from the U.S. is sustainably grown with low environmental and social risks.”
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a farm level, science-based program that sets a standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements to sustainable cotton production, as well as drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics–land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, GHG emissions and energy efficiency. Members will also be provided with full supply chain transparency through the Protocol Credit Management System.
“Gildan has a proven track record of a strong commitment to sustainable practices and we are pleased to welcome them as new members,” Dr. Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, said. “The company was founded on the principle of producing sustainable and ethical apparel, to which cotton is a key component. As members of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, we will help them further this principle by providing them third-party verified assurances that they are sourcing responsibly produced, quality fiber and reducing environmental and social risk in their field-to-mill supply chain.”
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Gildan joins more than 300 brand, retailer, mill and manufacturer members, including Gap Inc. and its collection of purpose-led lifestyle brands Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, as well as U.K. retailers Byford and Next.
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future. It is also part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040 and Cotton Up initiatives.
The Trust Protocol underpins and verifies U.S. cotton’s progress through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Brands and retailers gain access to U.S. cotton with sustainability credentials proven via Field to Market, measured via the Fieldprint Calculator and verified with Control Union Certifications.
Gildan owns and operates vertically integrated, large-scale manufacturing facilities primarily located in Central America, the Caribbean, North America and Bangladesh.