The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol — which provides article-level supply chain transparency in U.S. cotton — is boasting new sustainability props, beyond its U.S. turf.
After a lengthy assessment, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has earned recognition as a “standard for sustainable cotton” by German federal certifying body Siegelklarheit. The feat represents the Trust Protocol’s first recognition by a major European sustainability initiative, and it will be compatible with the reporting frameworks used by members of the multistakeholder initiative the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, as part of a new partnership.
“Members of the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles work together to achieve substantial social and ecological improvements in their global supply chains,” said Jürgen Janssen, head of the PST secretariat. “This also includes the production of raw materials and thus the cultivation and processing of cotton. In the Textiles Partnership, we advocate for transparent and traceable criteria in the certification of sustainable cotton. We are pleased that the Trust Protocol has successfully passed the audit by Siegelklarheit.”
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Counting some 135 members, the PST includes global European brands and retailers like Adidas, Aldi, Fairtrade, H&M, Hugo Boss, Lidl, Primark and Puma as well as the German federal government.
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Founded in 2014 with the aim of driving forward social and ecological progress in the textile supply chain, PST also aligns with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Due Diligence Guidance and on international agreements and guidelines for corporate social responsibility. PST member companies can track cotton sourcing goals in the database and align with recognized standards — now the Trust Protocol — along with existing standards like the Better Cotton standard, Cotton made in Africa, Fairtrade Cotton, among others.
On the news, Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol expressed excitement for the recognition. “The Trust Protocol’s vision is to set a new standard in sustainable cotton production where full transparency is a reality and continuous improvement to reduce our environmental footprint is the central goal. We commit to ensuring the protection and preservation of the planet, using the most sustainable and responsible techniques.”