#Raw Materials

2021-07-01

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes Tesco and Sri Lankan textile manufacturer Teejay as new members

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes the UK’s leading retailer, Tesco, as a member of the system that brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to more sustainable cotton production. Tesco joins the Trust Protocol as part of its commitment to sourcing 100% sustainable cotton by 2025. Furthermore, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes Sri Lankan textile manufacturer Teejay and its wholly-owned subsidiary Teejay India as new members.

Tesco

Tesco’s membership marks a significant step in its ambitious sustainability programme which sets out its plan for climate action, its approach to protecting important ecosystems such as forests and marine environments, and its work on promoting sustainable agricultural practices that protect soil health and biodiversity.

Tesco also wants to continue to provide transparency throughout its clothing supply chain. a key reason for sourcing more sustainable materials through the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol for both its home and clothing ranges in store.

Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol said: “Tesco is committed to playing a leading role in sustainable solutions for consumers across the world/ UK, and we are proud to be supporting them in this ambition. Collaboration is key, as with each member that joins, we have greater resources to help provide tools and knowledge to not only help U.S. growers improve their sustainability practices but to also give more brands and retailers the supply chain confidence they need.”

The Trust Protocol is a new initiative that provides fashion brands and retailers with the critical assurances they need to show the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more responsibly grown. It works by providing member brands such as Gap Inc., Gildan, Next and Byford access to the Protocol Credit Management System to validate consumption of cotton and associated credit; and to aggregate year-over-year data in six sustainability areas: water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon, soil loss, and land use efficiency.

Joe Little, Head of Technical & Sustainability, Tesco said: “We want to offer our customers great quality affordable fashion while at the same time reducing our environmental impact. Our customers trust that we source and produce all of our products in a responsible and ethical way, and becoming a member of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol gives us access to more sustainably grown cotton. Working with the Trust Protocol will allow us to further our sustainability ambitions as we work towards our goal of 100% sustainable cotton by 2025.”

The Trust Protocol is governed by a board of directors, including Joe Little at Tesco. It is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future, and part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040 and Cotton Up initiatives.

Sri Lankan textile manufacturer Teejay

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes Sri Lankan textile manufacturer Teejay and its wholly-owned subsidiary Teejay India as new members. Teejay is the first textile manufacturer in Sri Lanka to join the Trust Protocol and membership will allow their company to prove the cotton fiber element in their sourcing mix is more sustainably grown with lower environmental and social risk.

“Cotton is Teejay’s principle raw material, and we are committed to sourcing from verified sustainable and ethical sources,” said Pubudu De Silva, CEO of Teejay Lanka. “We are proud to become the first Sri Lankan company to join the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol as a further affirmation of our commitment to use sustainably and ethically produced raw materials, as well as our promise of transparency throughout the supply chain.”

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a farm level, science-based program that sets a new standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements to sustainable cotton production as well as drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics: Land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, GHG emissions, and energy efficiency. Members will also be provided with full supply chain transparency through the Protocol Credit Management System.

“We are pleased to welcome Teejay to the Trust Protocol and assist their efforts to source more sustainably grown cotton,” says Dr. Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “We understand that supply chain transparency is a business imperative, and the Trust Protocol is the world’s first sustainable cotton fiber to provide a fully transparent supply chain for all members through our Protocol Credit Management System. We look forward to assisting Teejay’s sustainability and transparency commitments.”

The Trust Protocol has welcomed more than 350 brand, retailer, mill and manufacturer members since its launch in 2020. This includes Gap Inc. and its collection of purpose-led lifestyle brands Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta as well as global apparel manufacturer Gildan. Membership also includes UK retailers Tesco, Byford and Next Plc.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future, and it is also part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040, and Cotton Up initiatives.