Critical milestone hit during busiest month for fashion industry
when spotlight is on sustainability
Over 11m finished articles tracked through Protocol Consumption Management Solution (PCMS)
MEMPHIS, TENN March 6, 2023 — The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol (“Trust Protocol”) announced that it has now reached a critical milestone of tracking over 3 million kilograms of cotton through its proprietary Protocol Consumption Management Solution (PCMS).
This significant milestone was hit during the busiest fashion month — when all eyes are on the industry and the spotlight on its sustainability — during the biennial fashion month which opened on February 9 with the New York Fashion Week and closes Paris Fashion Week on March 7.
As international brands and retailers seek to credibly and transparently demonstrate their own efforts and achievements in driving sustainability in the industry, the Trust Protocol’s announcement marks a significant achievement in its development since its inception in 2020.
The verified data released today also shows that a total of more than 11 million units of finished products have been tracked through the PCMS system.
“Coming in the middle of the world fashion month, these figures are not only timely, but outstanding in terms of the progress that the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has achieved in the three short years since its inception”, said Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “Using the PCMS, brand and retailer members can make a variety of claims, including on-product, that are based on data-backed, verified Protocol Consumption Units.”
“Providing transparency through the supply chain is one of the Trust Protocol’s core premises and we’re proud to be the world’s first sustainable cotton fiber program to offer its members article-level transparency”, he added.
This is possible because the PCMS leverages blockchain and other digital technologies to record and verify the movement of Protocol Cotton and U.S. Cotton at every stage of the supply chain in near real time. This requires all members of the supply chain – including mills and manufacturers – to be a member of the Trust Protocol.
The Trust Protocol is also the only system that provides quantifiable, 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.
The program captures key environmental and social data under a farm-level, science-based system and reports these annually on an aggregated basis.
To learn more about The Trust Protocol, visit TrustUSCotton.org.
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ABOUT THE U.S. COTTON TRUST PROTOCOL
Launched in 2020, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was designed to set a new standard in more sustainably grown cotton, ensuring that it contributes to the protection and preservation of the planet, using the most sustainable and responsible techniques. It is the only farm-level, science-based program that provides quantifiable, verifiable goals and measurement in six key sustainability metrics as well as article-level supply chain transparency.
The Trust Protocol is overseen by a multi-stakeholder Board of Directors comprised of representatives from brands and retailers, civil society and independent sustainability experts as well as the cotton-growing industry, including growers, ginners, merchants, wholesalers and cooperatives, mills and cottonseed handlers.
Media contact:
Andrea Miles
+1 (213) 300-1507
Visit us online at:
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