Cotton
Cotton is the world’s most popular natural fibre, used in clothing and other textiles. It can be grown rapidly, providing a good, biodegradable alternative to synthetic fibres.
Producing cotton sustainably will help to ensure its future, as demand rises, particularly in Asian countries.
Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, our cotton operations are at the forefront of the worldwide cotton trade.
We buy cotton bales from ginners and farmers and sell to textile mills (spinners), operating two storage facilities in the US and Turkey, and using several third-party storage facilities. Our two warehouses in Memphis and Mersin have a combined storage capacity of 39,000 bales of cotton.
We also provide financial services to farmers (pre-finance and barter with our fertiliser division).
In Brazil, where we have been the number one exporter for the past three seasons, we have a long-term contract with the largest cotton stuffing warehouse at our Santos port terminal.
We also have commercial offices to support our operations in the world’s major cotton producing and consuming markets including China, Brazil, India, Turkey, West Africa and Indonesia. We have direct involvement in the origination of all our cotton to help ensure consistently high quality.
The success of our cotton operation results from the partnerships we build with both producers and customers. We continue building mutually valuable relationships across the supply chain.
Towards sustainable cotton
Cotton supports the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers globally, particularly in developing countries, and therefore a thriving, sustainable industry stands to improve their quality of life.
In Brazil, 59% of our 2024 crop cotton was produced under certification schemes. We are working with Regenagri to supporting farmers in achieving this certification, which confirmss that crops have been cultivated in line with regenerative agriculture principles.
In the US, we are increasing our sustainability efforts, including by participating the US Trust Protocol, which aims to improve social and environmental practices related to cotton production. We are also monitoring the market for responsibly produced commodities, engaging in industry forums to help raise standards, and partnering with Textile Genesis to improve supply chain traceability. In West Africa, we continue to source certified Cotton Made in Africa.
See Our certifications for information on how we leverage certification schemes to promote sustainable sourcing.
