U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol Welcomes First Members in Latin America

MEMPHIS, TENN. – (Jan. 14, 2021) – Today the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomed its first Latin America-based members:  Central America Spinning Works El Salvador, Cone Mills, Colhilados, Fabricato, Gama Textil, Global Textiles, Grupo Industrial Miro, Grupo Vivatex, Hilanderia de Algodon Peruano, Honduras Spinning Mills, Industrias Cannon de Colombia, Industrias Merlet, Industria Textil del Pacifico, Junior de Mexico (OGGI Jeans), Manufacturas Kaltex, MT Textiles, OA, Playeras Mark, Premium Knits, Quality Knits, Ropa Siete Leguas, SJ Jersey Ecuatoriano, Tavex, Textufil, Textiles Marie Lou, Textil del Valle, WT Sourcing and Zagis. Among other benefits, membership enables these mills and manufacturers to prove that the cotton fiber element in their textiles is more sustainably grown.  

“We are pleased that these companies have joined the Trust Protocol as the textile industry works to improve the transparency in their supply chain that brands and retailers are asking for,” said Dr. Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “The Trust Protocol is providing verified, reliable data about cotton growers’ responsible growing practices in six key areas – water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon, soil loss and land use efficiency – and shows how sustainability is constantly improving through the entire supply chain.” 

Mills and manufacturers who become members have access to the Trust Protocol credit system to validate consumption of cotton and associated credits. The combination of a unique credit accounting system and the Permanent Bale Identification (PBI) system enables brands to have transparency throughout the supply chain to finished product.

In December 2020, the Trust Protocol also announced the membership of Gap Inc. as part of their integrated sustainability strategy and to help achieve their commitment to use only 100% sustainably-sourced cotton by 2025. December also saw the announcement of the first 10 U.S. mills to join the Trust Protocol: Buhler Quality Yarns, Cap Yarns, CCW, Contempora Fabrics, Cotswold Industries Inc., Frontier Yarns, Hamrick Mills, Inman Mills, Parkdale Inc. and Swisstex Direct.

The Trust Protocol has been invited to join Cotton 2040 and its CottonUp guide and is also on the Textile Exchange’s list of 36 preferred fibers and materials that more than 170 participating brands and retailers can select from as part of Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index program.

About the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol
In a period of ever-greater supply chain scrutiny and a growing demand for transparency, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol sets a new standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to responsibly-grown cotton production and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics.

The Trust Protocol underpins and verifies U.S. cotton’s progress through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Choosing Trust Protocol cotton will give brands and retailers the critical assurances they need that the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more sustainably grown with lower environmental and social risk. Brands and retailers will 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.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society and independent sustainability experts as well as the cotton-growing industry, including growers, ginners, merchants, wholesalers and cooperatives, mills and cottonseed handlers. 

Media Contact: Janice.Walters@hkstrategies.com; +1(571) 527-9840

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