Textile Exchange (TE) and Organic Trade Association (OTA) will work together to strengthen the organic textile industry in the US. A major goal of this new partnership will be to boost outreach to North American consumers on the benefits of organic fibers and textiles, particularly the environmental and social benefits of growing and processing them.

OTA and TE will work together on legislative advocacy initiatives, advance organic fiber market messaging to consumers, promote awareness and education on standards and certification, develop and participate in media efforts to facilitate awareness and knowledge related to organic fibers, and develop and participate in various industry initiatives such as workshops, seminars and webinars.

American companies recently have reported significant growth in their organic cotton programs, and are increasingly adopting standards addressing fiber and product traceability. Many manufacturers have also become certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard, a fully traceable global standard from farm through processing (spinning, knitting, dyeing and manufacturing) of apparel and home textiles made with organic fiber.

Global sales of organic cotton products were up 10 per cent in 2014 compared to 2013. The leading organic fiber is cotton. US organic fiber sales were the fastest growing non-food sector in 2014, rising 18 per cent from the previous year. In 2014, US growers planted organic cotton on 18,234 acres, the largest number of US acres devoted to organic cotton since 1995.

textileexchange.org/ https://www.ota.com/