The fledgling U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has been added to Textile Exchange’s list of preferred fibers and materials.
The Trust Protocol, launched last year, will now be one of 36 fibers and materials from which more than 170 participating brands and retailers can select as part of Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index program.
Textile Exchange defines a preferred fiber or material as one that results in improved environmental and/or social sustainability outcomes and impacts in comparison to conventional production. The Trust Protocol joins a portfolio of sustainable cotton production initiatives, including the Better Cotton Initiative, Cotton made in Africa, Fairtrade Cotton, Organic Cotton, REEL, ISCC and Recycled Cotton.
“We are pleased to see the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol recognized on Textile Exchange’s list of preferred fibers and materials,” Ken Burton, executive director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, said. “The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is an industry-wide system that will guide U.S. cotton growers to continuously improve and reduce their environmental footprint. We will provide brands and retailers with aggregate data that track the efforts of U.S. cotton growers to improve water and soil conservation and reduce greenhouse gases. These data will support the fashion and retail industries in their efforts to demonstrate progress toward sustainability goals.”
The Trust Protocol underpins and verifies U.S. cotton’s progress through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Becoming a member of the Trust Protocol gives brands and retailers access to U.S. cotton with sustainability credentials proven through data tools from Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, measured via the Field Calculator and verified with Control Union Certifications.
Textile Exchange encourages companies to increase their use of preferred fibers, and acknowledges companies that recognize the importance of integrating a preferred fiber and materials strategy into their business practices.
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“At Textile Exchange, our mission is to inspire and equip people to accelerate sustainable practices in the textile value chain,” La Rhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange, said. “We’re pleased to add Trust Protocol cotton to our list of preferred fiber and materials, which will give brands and retailers another option to source sustainable cotton as they integrate preferred fibers into their business strategy.”
Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit that manages and promotes a suite of industry standards, as well as collects and publishes critical industry data and insights that enable brands and retailers to measure, manage and track their use of preferred fiber and materials. It has more than 400 members representing leading brands, retailers and suppliers.