• By Stacey Gorman,
Cotton Board Director of Communications •
If you ask an avid runner or serious athlete what their go-to running shirt is, you may not expect “cotton” to cross their lips.
That isn’t the case for Emily Winters Wyonzek.
Wyonzek has completed over a dozen marathons and hundreds of other races — all while supporting, wearing and promoting cotton. She has worked for The Cotton Board for 11 years and now serves as the director of operations for the organization.
In a new “Forever Cotton” video produced by The Cotton Board, Wyonzek shares the story of why she chooses cotton to help her push her limits.
For years, we have heard that athletic wear was taking over the marketplace, and performance synthetic fibers have tended to dominate that market. In fact, Wyonzek says, “I remember my very first day of work at The Cotton Board. My boss showed me an ad from a very well-known performance apparel brand that said, ‘Cotton is the enemy,’ and I’m sure they weren’t the only ones who thought that.
“There are people who still view cotton as the enemy in terms of performance. But that is because they don’t know what cotton is capable of. I’m so glad Cotton Incorporated works hard to educate consumers about cotton’s versatility, especially in athletic apparel.”
Technology Reaffirms Cotton
Cotton’s natural properties can be enhanced through the application of new technology that reinvents cotton as a true performance fiber. Developed by Cotton Incorporated through funding from The Cotton Research and Promotion Program, TransDry technology for cotton is a high-performance moisture-management application.
It allows fabrics to wick and spread perspiration as well as most of the technical synthetic fabrics that previously dominated this expanding market.
The TransDry technology begins by treating cotton yarn with a special process to make it water-repellent then blends the right amount of treated yarn with naturally absorbent cotton yarns. It works exactly like a French drain or irrigation system for carrying off the body’s own “standing water.”
Fabric can be constructed to move moisture horizontally, vertically or from the skin side to the outside of a fabric. In addition to TransDry, Cotton Incorporated has also successfully introduced high-performance finishes that move or repel moisture. These include Wicking Windows, Storm Cotton and Storm Denim.
Reaching The Supply Chain
Not only does Cotton Incorporated develop the technology that allows active people to enjoy the comfort and softness of their favorite cotton apparel with wicking and fast-drying performance, but it has an entire team dedicated to sharing those technologies with brands and retailers across the globe.
In 2018, Cotton Incorporated’s Global Supply Chain Marketing team had over 600 meetings with brands and retailers to aid the adoption of cotton product technology. Also, more than 1,600 retail professionals attend Cotton Incorporated technical workshops, ensuring they feel confident including cotton in their products.
Campaign Spreads The Word
The Cotton Board’s Forever Cotton campaign offers a glimpse into the lives of some of the people, like Wyonzek, who wear, cook with and grow cotton. The campaign illustrates what cotton means for producers and consumers and showcases the far-reaching impact the Cotton Research and Promotion Program has on people’s everyday lives.
The Forever Cotton national campaign is running in both print and digital mediums. The video series featuring Wyonzek’s story can be viewed on The Cotton Board’s website, Facebook and YouTube pages.
To learn more about Forever Cotton, contact Gorman at sgorman@cottonboard.org.