#Natural Fibers

2025-05-08

Innovative sustainable fashion leader Liz Hershfield named Cotton Council International (CCI) Executive Director

Fashion industry veteran and sustainability expert Liz Hershfield will lead Cotton Council International (CCI), the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council of America (NCC), as its new Executive Director. Hershfield succeeds Bruce Atherley, who retired at the end of March.

“Strong leadership and innovative strategies are essential to maintaining U.S. cotton's competitive edge,” NCC President & CEO Gary Adams said. “Liz is well poised to enhance COTTON USA™ programs by communicating U.S. cotton's benefits, giving U.S. cotton growers more opportunities to thrive in the complex global market.”

Hershfield's specialized expertise in sustainability, global sourcing, product development and end-to-end supply chain strategy, alongside extensive experience with U.S. cotton, will advance CCI in leading the world to cotton’s next level through its COTTON USA™ brand and help drive global U.S. cotton initiatives.

“There’s never been a more important time to champion U.S. cotton,” Hershfield said. “U.S. cotton has an incredible story to tell—rooted in quality, innovation and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, underscored by trust earned through reliable COTTON USA™ partnerships.

I’m honored to join the talented team at CCI to bolster growth in demand and preference for U.S. cotton across the global textile supply chain.”

Throughout her distinguished career, Hershfield has spearheaded supply chain and sustainability initiatives for globally established brands such as J.Crew, Madewell and Gap Inc. She also founded Green-ish, a consultancy that helps businesses navigate the complexities of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and supply chain management.

Her contributions to sustainable fashion have earned her widespread recognition, including the prestigious Textile Exchange Ryan Young Climate+ Award for her pioneering regenerative cotton program supporting U.S. cotton farmers. Hershfield was also honored with The Lead's "The Direct 60" award and named to the Rivet 50 Index for her leadership in the denim industry.

In her new role as CCI Executive Director, Hershfield will leverage her vast experience with U.S. cotton and her proven track record in sustainable fashion and supply chain management to globally elevate “The COTTON USA™ Difference” of superior U.S. cotton plus unrivalled partnership across the global textile supply chain.

Indian textile leaders explore U.S. cotton’s advantages at Cotton Usa™ seminars

Cotton Council International (CCI) hosted its inaugural COTTON USA™ seminars in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, highlighting the competitive advantages of U.S. cotton to nearly 100 representatives from Indian textile mills. The events are part of the growing collaboration between the U.S. cotton industry and India’s textile sector.

Beyond the wardrobe – innovative cotton takes the spotlight

Cotton can do more – a lot more. Cutting-edge textiles and high-tech products made from 100% cotton prove just how powerfully performance and sustainability can come together. That very surge of innovation is front and centre at the 38th Bremen Cotton Conference, taking place March 25–27, 2026, at Bremen’s Parliament on the historic market square – culminating in a bold and dedicated closing session on Friday. In the spotlight: performance upgrades for pure cotton, smart strategies for circular textile waste solutions, and pioneering concepts for demanding technical applications. From natural fibre–reinforced composites to highly effective flame-retardant solutions, cotton steps out of the closet and shows the future potential woven into every fibre.

Measure and control the fiber – optimize yarn quality

Producing consistent yarn quality is an everyday challenge – and a very difficult one. Detailed knowledge and understanding of the fiber raw material is absolutely critical to achieving the best possible quality in the yarn. To help spinners, Uster experts have put together guidelines for avoiding yarn irregularity claims, in a special edition of the Uster News Bulletin.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

Barmag presents the next generation of POY production – energy-efficient and partial-automated

With POY 2.0, Barmag is introducing a completely redesigned spinning concept that takes the production of partially oriented yarn (POY) to a new level in terms of technology and economy. The solution, which was presented to a selected audience of experts for the first time at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, was met with great enthusiasm: several yarn producers worldwide immediately expressed their interest in a pilot plant.

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem to accelerate technology scale‑up

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem (consortium) to help advance the scale‑up of Spinnova’s technology. Spinnova has actively sought partners to accelerate commercial scale‑up, and Circulose, as a key player in textile recycling, strengthens the ecosystem by providing a raw material that is in high demand across the industry.