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.
About the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol
In a period of ever-greater supply chain scrutiny and a growing demand for transparency, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol will set a standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to the issue of responsibly-grown cotton production and drives continuous improvement in key sustainability metrics. The Trust Protocol underpins and verifies U.S. cotton’s progress through sophisticated data collection and independent third-party verification. Choosing Trust Protocol cotton will give brands and retailers the critical assurances they need that the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more sustainably grown with lower environmental and social risk. Brands and retailers will gain access to U.S. cotton with sustainability credentials proven via Field to Market, measured via the Fieldprint Calculator and verified with Control Union Certifications. The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society and independent sustainability experts as well as the cotton-growing industry, including growers, ginners, merchants, wholesalers and cooperatives, mills and cottonseed handlers. More information can be found at www.TrustUSCotton.org.
About Teejay
An ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015 and OHSAS 18001:2007 compliant company and the first in the industry to develop green fabric, Teejay has been listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) since 2011 and was included in the S&P Top 20 Index in Sri Lanka. The Company has also been named among the Forbes ‘200 Best under a Billion in Asia’ and been recognised as the ‘International Textile Firm of the Year’ and the ‘International Dyer and Finisher’ by World Textile Institute, London.
Teejay Lanka was adjudged the Best Textile Exporter in Sri Lanka at the Presidential Export Awards presented by the Export Development Board (EDB) in 2019, moved up three places in the Business Today Top 30 companies ranking that year and was named among the 100 Most Respected Companies in Sri Lanka by LMD.