Certification

Certified biobased – verified innovative

Cotton LEADS℠ cottons are 100% biobased certified by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred® program. Biobased products are intermediate materials and products that are composed in whole, or in significant part, of biological products, renewable agricultural materials or forestry materials. Touting this certification is one way manufacturers and brands can tell their story about sustainable fibers and other cotton-based goods.

The goal of the BioPreferred program is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products while spurring economic development, creating new jobs and providing new markets for farm commodities. Additionally, the increased development, purchase and use of biobased products is intended to reduce reliance on petroleum, increase the use of renewable agricultural resources, and contribute to reduced adverse environmental and health impacts.

The 2014 Farm Bill expanded the initial scope of the USDA BioPreferred program to “promote biobased products that apply an innovative approach to growing, harvesting, sourcing, procuring, processing, manufacturing, or application of biobased products regardless of the date of entry into the marketplace.”

Cotton LEADS cotton easily met the BioPreferred program’s stipulation for innovation due to the manner in which cotton growers in Australia and the United States approach and operate their businesses. Their self-investment into research programs and willingness to embrace new technologies and techniques continually yield significant environmental gains.

Accountability Down the Chain

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