Building demand for cotton is needed as good production potential is expected in near future.
Cotton is in business as it is presold on its comfort. Speaking to a large audience on April 5 at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Lubbock-based Plains Cotton Growers (PCG), Inc., Berrye Worsham, President and CEO of Cary-based Cotton Incorporated, highlighted three important aspects of cotton to enhance its demand.
Cotton production in the United States of America in near future is expected to reach 20-25 million bales (480 lbs each), that necessitates creating more value and new industrial applications such toxic oil absorbent and insulation products.
According to Worsham, cotton’s advantages fall into three categories: 1) Health/wellness; 2) Strategic benefits and 3) Sustainability. Compared to some synthetics, cotton does not cause skin irritation. Synthetics may retain odor more than cotton and workout clothes from cotton wash much cleaner.
In a survey, it was revealed that 82 per cent of consumers surveyed in India stated that sustainability influenced their clothing purchase, in China 64 per cent of consumers were influenced by sustainability, while the number in the United States was 47 percent.
Textiles account for about 37 per cent of microplastic contamination in water. With growing awareness on the microplastic pollution, cotton being natural, offers competitive advantage, as the fine cotton fibres degrade in water systems. There are predictions that with increase in the synthetics’ usage, the microplastic contamination can grow three times by 2050, which is a serious concern.
Cotton industry is also focusing its efforts to create more awareness among consumers on the fibre content in their clothing, stated Worsham.