With a career spanning three decades at the helm of supply chain and sustainability strategies for brands such as J. Crew and Madewell, Liz Hershfield understands the retail landscape from the inside out.
Now, as the executive director of Cotton USA and co-director of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, she is leveraging that expertise to bridge the gap between American growers and a global market that is increasingly hungry for accountability. Under her leadership, the organization is moving beyond traditional commodity promotion to position U.S. cotton as a high-performance, data-verified solution for an industry facing unprecedented regulatory and consumer scrutiny.
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Here, Hershfield discusses the “four key forces” currently driving consumer demand: comfort, transparency, quality and credibility. She also explains how the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is meeting these needs through sophisticated traceability programs. From the technical efficiencies gained on the factory floor via the Cotton USA Solutions program to the field-level data provided by the Trust Protocol, Hershfield highlights how the U.S. cotton industry is transforming sustainability from a vague marketing term into a measurable, competitive advantage.
Sourcing Journal: With your extensive background at global brands such as J. Crew and Madewell, you’ve seen the industry from the retailer’s perspective. What are you seeing as the primary drivers of consumer demand for cotton today, and how is Cotton USA evolving to meet those expectations?
Liz Hershfield: Having spent much of my career on the retail and brand side, I’ve seen firsthand how consumer expectations have evolved, and how cotton continues to meet the moment.
Today, consumer demand for cotton is being shaped by four key forces: comfort, transparency, quality, and credibility. Consumers want pieces that feel good and fit seamlessly into their everyday lives, but they’re also asking much more sophisticated questions about origin, impact, and integrity. It’s no longer enough for a fabric to simply perform; it has to stand for something.
That’s where cotton has a real advantage. Its natural qualities: breathability, durability, versatility are timeless, but what’s changed is the expectation for proof. Consumers and brands alike are looking for data, traceability, and real accountability behind those benefits.
At Cotton USA, we’re focused on helping bridge that gap. We work closely with brands to elevate not just cotton as a category, but U.S. cotton specifically, because it brings a unique combination of consistent quality, transparency, and measurable progress. Through connectivity with the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, we’re able to provide verified data around sustainability and traceability, which is increasingly critical in today’s market.
Consumers want natural fibers that feel good and perform well in everyday life, but they also want to understand where materials come from and how they’re produced. Cotton’s inherent qualities—breathability, versatility, and sustainability—are increasingly aligned with those expectations. At the same time, there is a much higher bar for proof: not just claims, but data-backed credibility.
Ultimately, it’s about reinforcing cotton’s relevance for the modern consumer, pairing what has always made it essential with the level of accountability and clarity that today’s brands and customers expect.
SJ: As the export promotion arm of the National Cotton Council, Cotton USA has offices in 15-plus countries, serving over 50 countries. How would you describe the fundamental role of the organization in connecting U.S. cotton farmers to the global supply chain, and why is this partnership more critical now than ever before?
L.H.: Cotton USA plays a distinct and highly strategic role as the connective tissue between the U.S. cotton industry and the global textile supply chain. Operating in more than 15 countries gives us the scale and proximity to translate what’s happening at the grower level into real, tangible value for mills, manufacturers, and brands worldwide.
At its core, our role is about building both connection and confidence. We’re not just representing a fiber, we’re representing an entire system: one rooted in generational farming expertise, continuous innovation, and a long-term commitment to responsible cotton production practices. Our job is to make that system visible, understandable, and actionable for global partners who are making sourcing decisions in an increasingly complex environment.
And that role has never been more critical. Today’s supply chains are under pressure from every angle, including geopolitical shifts, regulatory scrutiny, and rapidly rising expectations around sustainability and traceability. Brands are no longer just buying materials; they’re investing in partners who can offer consistency, transparency, and accountability at scale.
Cotton USA helps deliver exactly that. We ensure that U.S. cotton shows up in the global market not as a commodity, but as a reliable, fully supported solution, one that brands and manufacturers can trust to meet both performance needs and the higher standards of today’s consumer and regulatory landscape.
SJ: The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has become a cornerstone of your sustainability efforts. How does this initiative provide the verifiable data that brands and retailers are now demanding to prove their environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments?
L.H.: The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, the sustainability and traceability program for the U.S. cotton industry, was created to bring greater credibility, consistency, and transparency to how cotton sustainability is measured and communicated.
At a time when brands and retailers are facing increasing pressure to substantiate their sustainability commitments, there is a clear need for systems that move beyond broad claims and toward trusted, comparable information. The Trust Protocol helps meet that need by providing a structured, science-aligned framework that reflects real progress and is verified at the field level in the U.S. cotton industry.
What makes it powerful is not just the data itself, but the ability it gives the industry to speak a common language around sustainability, one that is grounded in measurement, continuous improvement, and is voluntary for grower participation. It helps brands move from intention to evidence, and ultimately gives them greater confidence in the materials they are sourcing.
At its core, the Trust Protocol is about enabling trust across the supply chain—so that sustainability is not just stated, but demonstrated.
SJ: The Cotton USA Solutions program offers technical expertise to mills and manufacturers worldwide. Can you explain how these technical initiatives help international partners see the “U.S. Cotton Difference” in terms of mill efficiency and final product quality?
L.H.: Cotton USA Solutions is one of the most tangible ways we bring the value of U.S. cotton to life beyond the farm. It’s a highly hands-on, technical program that partners directly with mills and manufacturers to optimize performance across every stage of production, from spinning, knitting, and weaving to dyeing and finishing.
When mills pair U.S. cotton with our technical guidance, we consistently see measurable improvements, stronger yarn quality, increased efficiency on the production floor, reduced waste, and more consistent output. Those gains don’t just stay within the mill; they translate directly into higher-quality, more reliable end products for brands and consumers.
That’s really the essence of the Cotton USA difference. It’s not just about the inherent quality of the fiber, though that’s foundational; it’s about the full ecosystem that comes with it. We’re providing partners with the tools, insights, and technical support to maximize performance and unlock greater value at every step of the process.
Ultimately, we’re not just helping our partners source cotton; we’re helping them use it better, more efficiently, and more competitively in a global marketplace.
SJ: You’ve been recognized for your work in regenerative cotton programs. How is the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol supporting U.S. growers to adopt regenerative practices, and how does this narrative help differentiate U.S. cotton from competitors in the global market?
L.H.: Regenerative agriculture is what many U.S. cotton growers have already been doing for years, continuously improving soil health, conserving resources, and investing in long-term land productivity.
Through the Field Partner Program, the Trust Protocol has established a formal way of recognizing these practices at the farm level – enhancing value for growers while providing brands and retailers with verified sourcing options to scale traceable regenerative cotton while supporting their sustainability commitments.
Just as importantly, we’re helping translate that work into value for the global supply chain. When brands understand the verified progress U.S. growers are making, it strengthens cotton’s position as a preferred fiber and differentiates U.S. cotton in a highly competitive global market.
SJ: Looking ahead to the next few years, what is your primary goal for the Cotton USA brand? Is there a specific initiative or untapped market that you believe will be the next major growth engine for U.S. cotton exports?
L.H.: Our primary goal is to help build a stronger preference for U.S. cotton. Ultimately, the next phase of growth will be driven by connection, connecting growers to brands, and brands to consumers in a way that drives real preference and informed decision-making.
We see a significant opportunity to partner more closely with brands to bring that value forward in a way consumers can actually see and connect with. The ambition is for U.S. cotton to become the gold standard consumers actively look for, an immediate signal of quality, credibility, and trust.
That’s where Cotton USA, alongside the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, can play a defining role: not just supporting sourcing decisions, but helping create demand by making the value of U.S. cotton visible, understood, and sought after.
Liz Hershfield Bio: Liz Hershfield is executive director of Cotton USA and co-sirector of U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. Hershfield is a recognized leader in sustainable fashion, with over 30 years of experience shaping supply chains, sourcing strategies, and sustainability initiatives for global brands.
