UK-based retailer Tesco joins U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol

Tesco, a leading UK retailer, has joined the US Cotton Trust Protocol, which provides quantitative and verifiable goals and measurements for more sustainable cotton production. Tesco has joined the Trust Protocol in order to meet its goal of procuring 100% sustainable cotton by 2025.

Tesco’s membership is a significant step forward in the company’s ambitious sustainability plan, which outlines its climate action strategy, approach to protecting important ecosystems like forests and marine environments, and efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices that protect soil health and biodiversity.

Tesco also aims to maintain openness across the whole apparel supply chain. a significant rationale for using the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol to source more sustainable materials for both it’s home and apparel collections in stores

Dr. Gary Adams, President of the United States Cotton Trust Protocol, said Tesco is committed to playing a leadership role in sustainable solutions for customers around the world/UK, and they are delighted to be helping them in this ambition. Collaboration is critical because with each new member, they have more resources to assist provide tools and information to not just help American producers better their sustainable practices, but also to provide more brands and retailers the supply chain trust they require.

The Trust Protocol is a new effort that gives fashion manufacturers and retailers the guarantees they need to demonstrate that the cotton fiber in their supply chain is farmed more ethically. It works by giving member brands like Gap Inc., Gildan, Next, and Byford access to the Protocol Credit Management System, which allows them to validate cotton consumption and associated credit, as well as aggregate year-over-year data in six areas of sustainability: water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, soil carbon, soil loss, and land-use efficiency.

Head of Technical & Sustainability at Tesco, Joe Little, said they want to provide their consumers with high-quality, cheap clothing while also decreasing their environmental effects. Their consumers trust them to source and manufacture all of their goods responsibly and ethically, and joining the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol offers them access to cotton that is cultivated in a more sustainable manner. Working with the Trust Protocol will enable them to advance their sustainability goals as they strive to achieve their objective of 100% sustainable cotton by 2025.

A board of directors oversees the Trust Protocol, which includes Tesco’s Joe Little at Tesco. It’s a part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040, and Cotton Up programs, and it’s connected with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It’s also recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future.