Cotton Incorporated has created a chief marketing officer (CMO) role for the first time, signaling a sharper, demand-led push to strengthen cotton’s position across the global textile and apparel value chain.
Key appointment
- Bev Sylvester joins as CMO from February 2
- Brings 20+ years of experience spanning apparel, textiles, consumer goods, and branded materials
- Most recently led supply-chain marketing at Unifi, including its recycled polyester platforms
According to William Kimbrell, the role is “critically important” as Cotton Incorporated shifts firmly into demand-building mode.
Why this matters
Cotton Incorporated is intensifying efforts to:
- Defend cotton’s market share in core categories like denim
- Expand cotton adoption in traditionally synthetic-heavy segments such as activewear and leggings
- Differentiate cotton using sustainability research, material science, and fiber performance data
Sylvester’s background in synthetics is viewed as a strategic advantage, bringing insight into how brands and retailers evaluate competing fibers—and how cotton can be positioned as a natural, performance-driven alternative.
Structural change: a 360° marketing model
As part of the shift:
- Supply-chain marketing and consumer marketing teams are being merged into a single, unified division under the CMO
- The goal is a cohesive narrative that speaks simultaneously to:
- Mills and manufacturers
- Brand and sourcing teams
- End consumers
While consumer outreach remains central—via platforms like The Fabric of Our Lives—the organization is placing greater emphasis upstream, recognising that consumer demand depends on fiber choices made earlier in the value chain.
Strategic takeaway
This move underscores a broader industry reality: fiber competition is intensifying, and storytelling, data, and positioning now matter as much as agronomy and price. By elevating marketing to the C-suite and appointing a leader with cross-fiber experience, Cotton Incorporated is signaling a more assertive, integrated strategy to keep cotton relevant, competitive, and scalable in a synthetic-dominated market.
