Cotton news

Innovation, collaboration, and focus on sustainability set the tone for the 34th International Cotton Conference in Bremen, Germany.

Cotton Incorporated today announced that JCPenney, one of the nation’s largest apparel and home retailers, is joining its Cotton LEADS℠ program, demonstrating the retailer’s commitment to sustainability.

L.L. Bean, the Freeport, Maine-based retailer of outdoor gear and apparel, has confirmed its commitment to sourcing responsible cotton by joining the Cotton LEADS℠ program. The leading global retailer joins more than 470 program partners that acknowledge the ongoing sustainable gains by United States (U.S.) and Australian cotton growers.

Walmart has joined the Cotton LEADS℠ program supporting responsible production practices by cotton growers. “Cotton is a major ingredient in many of our apparel and home textile products,” explains Ken Lanshe, Walmart’s vice president, General Merchandise, Technical, Quality and Sustainability.

More than 50 Cotton LEADS partners met in Mexico City and Lima to hear updates about the program. Partners engaged with staff from Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated, two of the founding organizations of the Cotton LEADS℠ program.

World leading cotton researchers from Australia’s Cotton Research and Development Corporation recently visited their peers at Cotton Incorporated Headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. On the agenda was a number of collaborative research projects that are progressing to find joint solutions that can be shared across borders and industries.

The 2017 Cotton Breeders’ Tour (CBT) was designed to foster communication and provide training to cotton researchers to eventually deliver improved varieties for cotton growers. Organized by Dr. Don C Jones of Cotton Incorporated, the tour drew 75 scientists and seedsmen from five countries.

With the goal of helping its members meet their current needs while making the world a better place for future generations, the U.S. cotton industry is setting goals aimed to build upon the strong environmental gains already achieved over the past 30 years.