Colombo, Thursday 15th July 2021– The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomes Sri Lankan textile manufacturer Teejay Lanka and its wholly-owned subsidiary Teejay India as new members. Teejay is the first textile manufacturer in Sri Lanka to join the Trust Protocol and membership will allow the company to prove the cotton fiber element in its sourcing mix is more sustainably grown with lower environmental and social risk.
“Cotton is Teejay’s principal raw material, and we are committed to sourcing from verified sustainable and ethical producers,” said Pubudu De Silva, CEO of Teejay Lanka. “We are proud to become the first Sri Lankan company to join the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol as a further affirmation of our commitment to use sustainably and ethically produced raw materials, as well as our promise of transparency throughout the supply chain.”
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is a farm level, science-based program that sets a new standard for more sustainably grown cotton. It brings quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurements to sustainable cotton production as well as drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics: Land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, GHG emissions, and energy efficiency. Members will also be provided with full supply chain transparency through the Protocol Credit Management System.
“We are pleased to welcome Teejay to the Trust Protocol and assist their efforts to source more sustainably grown cotton,” says Dr. Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “We understand that supply chain transparency is a business imperative, and the Trust Protocol is the world’s first sustainable cotton fiber to provide a fully transparent supply chain for all members through our Protocol Credit Management System. We look forward to assisting Teejay’s sustainability and transparency commitments.”
The Trust Protocol has welcomed more than 350 brand, retailer, mill and manufacturer members since its launch in 2020. This includes Gap Inc. and its collection of purpose-led lifestyle brands Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Levi’s and Athleta as well as global apparel manufacturer Gildan. Membership also includes UK retailers Tesco, Byford and Next Plc.
The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future, and it is also part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040, and Cotton Up initiatives.