Physical parameters are no longer the only indicators for the quality of cotton. New characteristics have come into play when referring to quality. Sustainability, transparency and social compliance are increasingly important to the end consumer today although the definitions and understanding of these terms can vary considerably. During my 10 years of working in the jeans industry, critics often question how clean our supply chain is. Those brands and retailers that are motivated to continuously reduce their environmental impact are a strong force. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations are pushing toward this continuous improvement.
The NCC is working to ensure that U.S. cotton warehouses understand why compliance with the minimum shipping standard in the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation's Cotton Storage Agreement is vital to the cotton industry's health. The NCC's Board of Directors earlier this year approved a NCC Cotton Flow Committee recommendation that will give USDA the ability to see shipping order scheduling exchanges between merchants and warehouses.
By Xi Jin, Manager of International Cooperation, China National Cotton Information Center Beijing, China
Value In Brands
The premium of cotton partly exists in quality, but mostly in brand. Tagging the cotton brand onto the end products will boost the value...
I have worked in the clothing business for many years, and I have seen several changes in the production and marketing of jeans. Today, we have new finishes and treatments that give designers a wide range of looks from which to choose. We also have a new appreciation for products that do not harm the environment and utilize sustainable production practices.
By Ross Rutherford
Lubbock, Texas
Okay, I’ll say it. I love tradition and nostalgia. Always have and always will. Looking back on things through the prism of nostalgic spectacles (some call them “rose-colored glasses”) brings a certain comfort in today’s ultra-fast-paced...
Deltapine To Launch Special Music Video
With the 2013 cotton harvest in full swing, Deltapine has announced the release of the much anticipated official music video to the song, “Where Heroes are Made,” which was written earlier in the year...
MISSOURI
Mike Milam
[email protected]
HOPE FOR MISSOURI'S COTTON CROP
Missouri's cotton harvest finally began in early October. We are still two to three weeks later than normal. Harvest got off to a good start before showers shut us down. One observation is that...
CONTAMINATION…It's an ugly word (you'll hear it a lot in this article). I know it, you know it and the U.S. cotton industry has done a GREAT job over the years reducing contamination to the point that it is...
The central focus of the Agricultural and Environmental Research department at Cotton Incorporated is identifying and addressing issues cotton producers see having an impact on their farms. One issue they recently identified, through an electronic "Producer Priority Survey," was...
By Mark Lange
NCC President/CEO
For 45 years, the biennial COTTON USA Orientation Tour has been extremely valuable in helping Cotton Council International (the National Cotton Council’s international division) in its mission of keeping the global pipeline filled with U.S. raw...
The Southern Cotton Ginners’ Association (SCGA) attracted a crowd of more than 200 to its summer meeting at the Beau Rivage Hotel in Biloxi, Miss., and a wide range of issues was discussed at the event.
Several key speakers made...
The 2013 Cotton Ginner Schools offered a wealth of information – from maintenance to safety – to increase ginners’ proficiency and provide gin managers/owners updates on the latest ginning technology and industry issues. In addition, certified ginners were able...
The 2013 Beltwide Cotton Conferences in San Antonio will once again feature updates on research and technology at the annual Ginning Conference. Some technologies are becoming more and more economical and can easily be integrated into the gin operation.
One...
By Tommy Horton
Editor
When an overseas retail representative sees U.S. cotton in the field for the first time, an important message is reinforced. In essence, it becomes a mutually beneficial situation for all parties.
That is precisely what happened last month...
By Andrew Macdonald
Cotton/Textile Consultant
ITMF Board Member
Meeting Customer Demands
What do customers want?
The fast evolution of the textile industry is moving toward a more demanding customer. It places product performance initially on the basic raw material, but performance also is being...
