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Brands, retailers and consumers are increasingly conscious of the fabric content of products they sell and purchase. In fact, according to a 2017 global consumer study, more than three-quarters (76 percent) of respondents said that the type of fabric was important in their clothing purchase decisions.
Specifically, consumers worldwide prefer cotton. When asked which fiber or material is best suited for current clothing fashions in the 2018 Global Lifestyle Monitor, 81 percent globally responded that cotton was their preferred fiber. When compared to other fibers, cotton was perceived as most comfortable (69 percent), sustainable (65 percent) and longest lasting (55 percent).
The ability to show customers that a product is made from materials trusted as quality, high value and sustainable can translate to bigger business benefits.
The COTTON USA™ Mark can do just that. COTTON USA™ is the label brands and retailers use to denote that over 50 percent of a product’s material is made from U.S. cotton. A hang tag study conducted in 2016 that looked at the efficacy of hang tags, showed that nearly two-thirds of consumers surveyed would pay more for a product with the COTTON USA™ hang tag. The 2017 consumer survey also showed that over half of all global consumers associate the COTTON USA™ trademark with comfort, quality, reliability, a premium brand and trust – leading attributes in purchase decision-making.
Licensees may utilize the COTTON USA™ Mark to highlight U.S. cotton products throughout the supply chain and at retail. COTTON USA™ supports partners with a range of value-added services, and the benefits of partnership are tangible.
To qualify for a COTTON USA™ license:
- OUTSIDE THE USA: To use the COTTON USA™ Mark on products sold outside the USA, all licensees (mills, manufacturers, wholesalers, sourcing companies, brands and/or retailers) must use >50 percent U.S. cotton in the products (garments, home textiles and non-wovens).
- INSIDE THE USA: To use the COTTON USA™ Mark on products sold inside the USA, the products must contain >50 percent cotton and 100 percent of the cotton must be U.S. cotton.
Since 1989 the COTTON USA™ brand has been licensed to over 51,000 product lines representing more than 3.8 billion apparel and home textile products. COTTON USA™ licensees span the entire global supply chain and are from 31 countries.
COTTON USA™ makes it easy for our licensees. Joining the COTTON USA™ licensing program grants access to use the COTTON USA™ Mark to signify a product’s U.S. cotton content, communicating quality, trust and premium value, messaging that could equal big business benefits for the licensee.