The Cotton Council International (CCI) displayed US cotton-rich apparel created with innovative technology at the recently held Premiere Vision expo, the global event for fashion professionals, in Paris. CCI and Supima exhibited jointly in one large cotton pavilion to display innovation in technologies, fabric blends, performance, design, and fashion. Additionally, the booth gave visitors a closer look at the US cotton’s sustainability, quality, transparency and premium value, as well as its ongoing Cotton USA sourcing programmes that match US cotton buyers and suppliers throughout the supply chain, according to CCI.
Trade visitors from all around the world had a chance to learn about a study that found cotton microfibres to be the most biocompatible, or environmentally-friendly, when compared to rayon, polyester, and blended fabrics. Visitors also got a sneak peak of the new US cotton trust protocol, a new farm-level initiative that enables US growers to commit to best management practices for sustainability and strive for continuous improvement.
Sustainability and innovation are two standout benefits of US cotton. The What’s New in Cotton initiative lets us demonstrate our commitment to pushing the industry forward. We debuted this platform at Première Vision first and we were looking forward to returning with even more exciting innovations. We want this programme to be an inspiration to the textile industry, motivating new thinking and driving innovation. Our partners have developed remarkable technologies utilising US cotton,” CCI Executive Director Bruce Atherley said.
Brands and retailers visiting the booth also learned how joining the Cotton USA licensing programme can help their company capitalise on US cotton’s sales benefits and streamline their sourcing. A recent global study indicated the Cotton USA Mark is preferred by a 4-1 margin over a 100 per cent cotton label. Furthermore, nearly 2/3 of consumers said they would be willing to pay more money for products with the Cotton USA Mark.
Première Vision represents one of the world’s largest exhibitions of apparel, fabric and yarn manufacturers, providing a venue for Cotton USA to promote US cotton and its global marketing and licensing programme. International brands and retailers visited the pavilion, including Burberry, Zara, H&M, Lacoste, Esprit, American Eagle, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Tesco, Balenciaga, Raymond, M&S, Levi’s, Puma, Landmark, Chico’s, Grupo Uribe, Alcott, Carven, Topitop, KappAhl, Bestseller Group, New Balance, Calvin Klein, Lands’ End, and Loewe.
Around 21 Cotton USA-licensed manufacturers from Austria, China, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Turkey displayed their products at Première Vision, adding visibility to the US cotton.
