Brands, retailers, mills, and other value fiber value chain organizations are now part of BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton Program. According to Home Textiles Today, in addition to the $2.50 per bale premium offered by BASF, these parties can now contribute to the cash that will be paid to e3 Sustainable Cotton growers. Vidalia Mills and General Standard were the first companies to join the program, which began in February. The majority of its cotton is currently used to make clothing and denim. The majority of the cotton in the program is being used for apparel and denim labels such as Rag & Bone, which is producing an e3 denim line that will advertise itself to the Louisiana farms that sell their e3 cotton to Vidalia Mills. The Wrangler Rooted denim collection, which is created with 100 percent sustainable cotton from Alabama and contains the farmer’s signature on the inner pocket, has already been released. More brands are expected to join the program, which has so far enlisted 660 cotton farmers. On cotton fields, the firm pledges to track eight sustainability indicators, including irrigation and water use, pesticide management and use, soil conservation and fertility management, energy use and conservation, worker health and safety, identity preservation, and soil carbon.
BASF has expanded its e3 Sustainable Cotton Program to brands, retailers, mills and other value fiber value chain companies.
