By Eduardo Esteve, President of Cotton Council International
As someone who sells U.S. cotton every day, I can tell you that the end of a harvest season and the start of a New Year is a very exciting time to reflect on the past and remind myself about the exciting things to come. Cotton is in my blood. I am currently president of ECOM, a sixth generation family company founded by my great, great, grandfather in 1849 in Barcelona, Spain. We opened our first office in the U.S. in 1885 and have been in Dallas since 1940. The U.S. cotton industry and COTTON USA have come a long way on our journey to become the Cotton the World Trusts. And as the calendar year flips to 2018, I wanted to share five things you can expect from COTTON USA in 2018.
1. What’s New in Cotton?
We love seeing the cotton that we grow and harvest become something amazing. That’s why we are doubling down on innovation to inspire our partners to push the limits of how we use cotton. From performance wear, to stain resistance and more, we’re challenging ourselves and our industry to push the limits on what cotton can do and reimagine its role in our everyday world.
2. Continued Commitment to Quality In, Quality Out
You have heard about the dedication of our Quality Task Force to get to zero contamination to increase the efficient use and performance of U.S. cotton in the textile mill. This commitment has positive impact in accuracy, productivity, efficiency and profit all along the supply chain. Quality is at the core of U.S. cotton and we aim to give you uniform and consistent fibers, helping ensure an end-product that routinely matches your exact specifications.
3. Environmental Leadership
Our farmers and their families live on the land that they farm. Our children will live there when they have grown. That’s why we want to make a difference and drive change to make the world a better place for future generations. To meet our expectations of sustainability, we operate under the most voluminous, stringent and enforceable regulations. Our objective is to be the supplier of choice for brands and retailers who are committed to only buy cotton that is produced with sustainable and responsible environmental, safety and labor practices.
4. An Invitation to Look Closer
In 2018 you’ll have more opportunity to get a closer look at how U.S. cotton, a fiber you already know and trust, can help your industry prosper. Because U.S. cotton is 100% classed it is traceable right back to the gin and the farmer who grew it for the ultimate in peace of mind.
The U.S. cotton industry places a unique identification number on every bale produced (Permanent Bale Identification or PBI). The inclusion of this unique number on each U.S. cotton bale has helped improve storage and handling efficiency while allowing our customers to have access to classing data. Since the name of the gin or gin code is denoted on the PBI tag, all U.S. cotton is traceable and accountable.
5. The COTTON USA Difference
The entire U.S. cotton industry—farmers, ginners, warehousers, merchants, classers, cooperatives, and manufacturers—is proud to be able to work together to create cotton fiber that is preferred for quality. CCI and the U.S. cotton industry are committed to creating programs, networking opportunities and educational forums that benefit mills, manufacturers, brands and retailers. It’s all a part of the premium value we aim to bring to the entire supply chain. Our dedication to helping build closer relationships between suppliers and buyers benefits the entire industry.
Happy New Year!
Eduardo Esteve