Sustainable Denim Manufacturer, Advance Denim, Joins The US Cotton Trust Protocol

From The National Cotton Council

MEMPHIS, TENN – (March 16, 2021) – The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes one of China’s top three denim manufacturers, Advance Denim, as a member of the system that provides mills and manufacturers the critical assurances they need to prove to their customers that they are an approved supply chain partner for brands and retailers who are sourcing more sustainably grown cotton.   

Advance Denim’s membership marks a significant step in their ambitious sustainability program which employs advanced technology and innovation to minimize the manufacturer’s environmental impact. They want to make sure their brand and retailer customers have transparency throughout their supply chain, which is why Advance Denim has decided to source more sustainable fiber through the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.   

The Trust Protocol is a new initiative that provides fashion brands and retailers with the critical assurances they need to show the cotton fiber element of their supply chain is more responsibly grown. It works by providing member brands such as Gap Inc. and Next access to the Trust Protocol credit system to validate consumption of cotton and associated credit; and to aggregate year-over-year data in six sustainability areas: water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon, soil loss, and land use efficiency.  

Mills and manufacturer members of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol play a key role in providing this more secure and transparent supply chain to brands and retailers. As a member, Advance Denim can now provide its customers with all-important confidence about the U.S. cotton in their sourcing mix. Advance Denim joins over 200 other mills and manufacturers as members of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol.   

Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol said: “Advance Denim is committed to playing a leading role in sustainable solutions for the denim industry, and we are delighted to be supporting them in this ambition. Collaboration is key, as with each member that joins, we have greater resources to help provide tools and knowledge to not only help U.S. growers improve their sustainability practices but to also give more mills, manufacturers, brands and retailers the supply chain confidence they need.”  

Advance Denim’s membership in the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol comes at a time when demand for denim is increasing amongst brands seeking to satisfy customers and their love for the versatile fabric. Recent Google Trends data reveals that online searches for new denim styles have increased exponentially over the last year across the world, with a 1300% increase in ‘denim masks’ and 110% increase in ‘denim cargo shorts.’   

Ms. Amy Wang, Director of the Board, General Manager of Advance Denim said: “Advance Denim aims to make innovative denim with minimal impact on the environment; to make cleaner and greener denim for the next generation. Becoming a member of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol gives us access to more sustainably grown cotton and the all-important data to prove this to our customers. Working with the Trust Protocol will allow us to further our sustainability ambitions while providing an important competitive advantage in a marketplace increasingly focused on supply chain transparency backed up by data and evidence.”   

The Trust Protocol is on the Textile Exchange’s list of 36 preferred fibres and materials that more than 170 participating brands and retailers can select from as part of Textile Exchange’s Material Change Index program. The Trust Protocol is also working to align with existing systems in the cotton industry and is part of the Forum of the Future Cotton 2040 and the CottonUp guide.