As pressures throughout the textile supply chain remain following the challenges of the last year, innovative strategies are critical for the cotton industry’s continued success. Amongst those developments, increasing productivity, process efficiency and profitability are priority objectives in securing the future of the industry.

Contributing to already tight margins and timelines seen throughout the supply chain is the urgency driven by the global pandemic that has extended into 2021. From the early pandemic’s retail store closures and fashion show cancellations to the continuing cultural shifts impacting fashion demand, the pandemic has had far and wide effects on the fashion and textile industries that will continue to impact businesses across the globe for the foreseeable future. Equally affected are mills and manufacturers as garment orders continue to see cancellations, global operation shutdowns and increased strain from brands and retailers during cost negotiations.

To enable mills and manufacturers to combat these pre-existing and more recent pressures, COTTON USA recently introduced its new game-changing COTTON USA SOLUTIONS technical consultancy programme. With access to our first-ofits- kind industry initiative, businesses can equip themselves with the resources, data and opportunities they need for next-levelsuccess and profitability.

While developing the programme over the last two years, we worked with a team of technical experts with a combined experience of over 200 years to visit mills around the world to understand the inefficiencies suppliers most often face. These experts made it their goal to test out and identify solutions across a range of areas. Throughout visits to over 1,500 mills in 50 countries, we gathered insights on how US cotton could be used to make operations more efficient and productive, with a higher quality output.

Our programme provides suppliers with an arsenal of data-driven solutions, each designed with a specific purpose in mind. The five offerings, complimentary for COTTON USA licensees with a U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol membership, include:

•Mill Studies – 6 studies, with more in development, based on controlled onsite testing

•Technical Seminars – expert sessions teaching how to buy, use and optimize US cotton

•Mill Exchange Programme – executive-level tour of COTTON USA licensee signature mills, to exchange ideas with key textile mill leaders from around the world

•1:1 Mill Consults – personalised, virtual or in-person, mill examination and consultation

•Mill Mastery Course – soon-to-beavailable course of study featuring a collection of advanced practices, covering everything from raw cotton to bale management to quality control. Included in these offerings is the

Virtual Mill Doctor, an easy way to access our 1:1 mill consult benefits. Using Microsoft Remote Assist technology, Cotton Council International (CCI) can visit mills without physically being there.

Mills can live stream footage from the factory to our technical experts, who will then provide customised ideas and recommendations that can result in more efficiency and lower costs. The COTTON USA SOLUTIONS consultancy programme is a direct reflection of the premium value COTTON USA brings to the textile industry and the dedication we have toward the mills and manufacturers playing a vital role in the supply chain. Elevating these businesses with the latest techniques, methods and data leads to a more profitable operation and strengthens the supply chain as a whole.

While looking at the future of the fashion and cotton industries, mills and manufacturers need to identify and adopt strategies that are cost-effective, time- or resource-saving or that improve quality and processing. This is as critical right now as ever before with the effects of the pandemic as every component of the supply chain – from supplier to retailer –looks toward recovery.

The COTTON USA SOLUTIONS programme, led by its five datadriven offerings, is positioned to help overcome these many pressures – new and existing – ultimately enabling mills and manufacturers to transform their businesses for the better.

To qualify for COTTON USA SOLUTIONS offerings such as the Virtual Mill Doctor and reap the benefits for your business, we invite you to learn more and contact us by reaching out to the COTTON USA representative near you. COTTON USA SOLUTIONS offerings are complimentary for qualified COTTON USA licensees with a U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol membership.