Just two months after its launch, the Cotton LEADS program continues to gain momentum along the global textile supply chain.
The program emphasizes the responsible growing practices of cotton growers in the United States and Australia. Thirty textile companies have formally acknowledged the merits of Cotton LEADS cotton — including Fruit of the Loom, Central Textiles, Tuscarora Yarns, Mount Vernon Mills and the Esquel Group — and now include it within their sustainable sourcing guidelines.
Fruit of the Loom was one of the first companies to incorporate the Cotton LEADS program. “Fruit of the Loom continues to strive for the highest level of corporate responsibility in our supply chain,” says Tony Pelaski, COO for Fruit of the Loom. “As a member of Cotton LEADS, we are assuring consumers of our commitment to sustainability and traceability in the cotton we use in our products.”
Cotton LEADS is committed to continuous improvement in farm production practices, environmental stewardship and the dissemination of best-practices information throughout the world’s cotton-producing countries. The Cotton LEADS program emphasizes the environmental gains achieved at a national level within the two current member nations, as well as the national oversight and capabilities of the cotton industries in the United States and Australia. Combined, Cotton LEADS cotton accounts for roughly 17% of global production.
For more information, visit cottonleads.org. — L.M.
