U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol announces Levi Strauss as its new member

Denim brand Levi Strauss & Co., and its historic brands Levi’s®, Dockers®, Denizen® by Levi’s®, and Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™ have become the new members of the US Cotton Trust Protocol.

Cotton is used in more than 90% of Levi Strauss & Co’s goods. The firm has pledged to source 100% more sustainably farmed cotton, with an emphasis on lowering water consumption, carbon emissions, and fertilizer and pesticide use. This corporate commitment to more resilient and sustainable cotton procurement is part of a larger internal drive to shift the firm toward a more circular and sustainable product strategy.

Jeffrey Hogue, Levi Strauss & Co.’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said that the quality and sustainability of the cotton they use is vital to their company and important to their customers. Becoming a member of the United States Cotton Trust Protocol will be a significant step forward in their quest to acquire 100% more sustainably farmed cotton.

The Trust Protocol will support Levi Strauss & Co.’s efforts by providing verified data on sustainable practices from US cotton growers, as well as access to aggregate year-over-year data on critical metrics such as water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon, soil loss, and land-use efficiency.

Levi Strauss & Co. will also take part in the Protocol Credit Management System’s pilot phase, which uses TextileGenesis’ blockchain technology to give total supply chain transparency to its members.

Dr. Gary Adams, president of the US Cotton Trust Protocol, said that Levi Strauss & Co. is an internationally renowned and respected brand, and they are delighted to welcome them as members. The cotton sector in the United States has made tremendous progress in lowering its environmental effect over the last 35 years, and the Trust Protocol is linked with the national goals for 2025 to continue those gains.

Levi Strauss & Co. will get farm-level data as a member, which will assist them in furthering their sustainability initiatives and meeting their cotton sourcing goals.

Since its inception in 2020, the Trust Protocol has attracted over 450 brands, retailers, mill, and manufacturer members. This comprises Gap Inc. and its Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta purpose-driven lifestyle brands, as well as global garment maker Gildan. Tesco, Byford, and Next Plc, all of which are based in the United Kingdom, have joined the Trust Protocol. The first ten mills in the United States, as well as the first members in Latin America, have joined the Trust Protocol.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040, and Cotton Up initiatives all support the US Cotton Trust Protocol, which is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future, and a part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040, and Cotton Up initiatives.