Launched in 2020, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a voluntary sustainability program and traceability platform for U.S. Cotton. The program’s mission is to create a sustainable standard for U.S. Cotton that is data-powered, traceable, and generates a positive impact through the global cotton value system – from farms to finished product.
The Trust Protocol is the only system that provides quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement and drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics – land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency. As well as the world’s first sustainable cotton fiber program to offer article-level supply chain transparency to all members.
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol announced its sixth consecutive year of growth, marking an expansion in both planted acres and enrolled growers. The program now represents 2.58 million planted acres, an 18% increase from the previous year, planted by 1,512 participating growers – a 14% rise compared to 2024.
This growth underscores the program’s increasing value to U.S. cotton farmers, particularly in today’s challenging environment with fluctuating input costs, changing weather, and evolving market conditions. By participating in the Trust Protocol, growers receive actionable data-driven insights that help them understand their environmental footprint, optimize farming practices, and improve overall efficiency. This allows them to demonstrate their commitment to responsible practices through measurement and verification.
“We are proud of the continued increase in grower participation in the Trust Protocol, the voluntary sustainability program for U.S. Cotton, which means greater sourcing opportunities for brands and retailers around the world, including increased access to U.S. Cotton and Protocol Cotton,” said Daren Abney, Executive Director of the Trust Protocol.
“This consistent increase highlights the value growers find in our program as they look for opportunities to enhance resilience in the face of current economic and environmental pressures.” The Trust Protocol provides a transparent and verifiable system for tracking U.S. Cotton and Protocol Cotton to finished product, giving brands and retailers the assurance they need to help meet their sourcing goals and reporting requirements.
The Trust Protocol currently has over 2,500 mill and manufacturer members around the world, and more than 45 global brands, including Ralph Lauren, Gap, Levi’s, Carhartt, J.Crew, and Urban Outfitters.
European brand KIABI is Weaving Sustainability into Fashion with Cotton Tracked Through the Trust Protocol
In 2023, KIABI became the first European brand to join the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. The move was part of the French retail giant’s commitment to sustainable sourcing and a broader push towards positive social and environmental change across the fashion industry. Two years in, KIABI is leveraging its membership to work towards ambitious sustainability goals.
The retailer also joined the program’s Board of Directors in 2024.
