[pageLogInLogOut]

#Raw Materials

Better Cotton Initiative opens enrollment in the US with promising opportunities for producers

Photo credit: BCI/Katrina McArdle Photography. Location: Plainview, Texas, USA, 2025. Description: Todd Straley, Jon Bass & Rob Bass of Quarterway Cotton Growers.
Producer enrollment for the US Program of the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is open until May 15 for the 2026-2027 season. With over 2,600 members spanning the cotton supply chain and more than 11,000 users of its Better Cotton Platform (BCP) as of 2025, BCI’s standard is implemented in 15 countries and covers one fifth of global cotton production.


Those interested in working with BCI can fill a brief Producer & Program Partner Interest Survey or learn more about the US Program below.

BCI‘s farm-level standard is built on regenerative environmental and social principles including farm and labor management, soil health, biodiversity, water management, and crop protection. The organization is funded primarily by its supply chain membership through annual fees and additional program investment based on BCI volumes purchased. Most BCI-Certified Producers pay no certification fees.

Working with BCI increases market entry opportunities with exposure to a global network of over 300 retailers and brands who source BCI cotton, along with access to resources and industry recognition. BCI certification further enables producers to market their fiber as BCI Cotton globally. By implementing practices which meet BCI’s criteria – practices many already employ on their farms – producers also stand to benefit from cost savings and farm resilience while contributing to positive environmental impacts.

In 2025, BCI released its 10-Year US Impact Report showcasing regional data insights, production statistics and special features on the US Program’s vast network of collaborators.

Current opportunities for US Producers

Producers working with BCI are at the heart of its mission. In the US, the program is now offering additional assistance beyond certification activities, at no financial cost to the producer.

Conservation planning: BCI is now working with individual BCI-Certified Producers to develop individualized conservation plans. These plans can help cotton producers assess soil health, IPM tactics, and other resources concerns and access USDA funding, including the new NRCS regenerative agriculture program. In addition, the plans help BCI producers comply with its standard and navigate additional regulations like new EPA pesticide rules.Learn about producer Terry Fuller and his experience with BCI Conservation Planning.

On-farm innovation projects: BCI’s US Program offers limited funding for producers to field test innovative, regenerative practices on their farms. The program helps support producers like fifth-generation North Carolina farmer Zeb Winslow who are testing new approaches on their farms to ensure profitable and resilient systems.

Carbon programs by Indigo Ag: BCI-Certified Producers may also be eligible to participate in Indigo Ag’s Carbon program, which is inclusive of multiple crops, recognizes practices many are already implementing, and returns 75% of the carbon credit purchase price to the producer. BCI is also working with Indigo Ag on its Source program to develop a way for Retailer and Brand Members to purchase carbon reductions and removals in their supply chains.

Building connections across the globe: BCI works to connect cotton producers with advocates, buyers and fellow producers to forge a strong network. BCI-Certified Producers and Program Partners regularly meet both virtually and in person to share challenges and new ideas.

US producers are invited to fill out this brief interest survey with their basic farm info, or reach out to us.team@bettercotton.org to learn more about any of these programs.

https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90892812/Interest-Survey


More News from Better Cotton

#Raw Materials

Better Cotton Initiative marks certification anniversary with progress update and accreditation

One year since becoming a certification scheme, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has announced that more than 3,000 supply chain actors have been certified. At farm level, more than 30% of farms and producer units supplying BCI Cotton have received a positive audit outcome.

#Natural Fibers

Better Cotton Initiative partners with Uzbek government agency to offset certification costs

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has today announced a strategic agreement with Uzbekistan’s Light Industry Agency to increase financial support for cotton farming clusters adopting sustainable agricultural practices.

#Natural Fibers

Better Cotton Initiative surpasses 50% traceable BCI Cotton milestone

Two years since the launch of its traceability solution, the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has announced that over 50% of BCI Cotton volumes entering global fashion and textile supply chains are now traceable, deriving from 15 countries.

#Natural Fibers

BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.

More News on Raw Materials

#Raw Materials

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

#Raw Materials

Aid by Trade Foundation reaches new milestones in supply chain transparency

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is reaching new milestones as it leads the way towards greater physical traceability for Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) cotton. With around 700 suppliers and producers in a total of 25 countries, the Aid by Trade Foundation has reached a new record number of partners who can trace CmiA cotton from the product back to its origin. This is more than double the previous year’s figure.

#Raw Materials

Modern testing methods for raw cotton

The 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen will take place from 25 to 27 March 2026 at the Bremen Parliament. This conference has traditionally stood for in-depth expertise and international exchange. The program will focus on technical innovations, market trends, and regulatory frameworks across the entire value chain – from agriculture to the circular economy. With high-profile speakers, the conference is regarded as the key meeting point for the global cotton industry. Today’s focus: Cotton quality and testing methods.

#Raw Materials

2026 production plan set for a record 10 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoon per month

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced its 2026 production plan that will drive explosive growth and establish a new global benchmark for spider silk manufacturing.

Latest News

#Weaving

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

Itema America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based Itema Group, has acquired – through an Assets Purchase Agreement – Palmetto Loom Reed, a Greenville, South Carolina-based manufacturer of weaving reeds and one of the last remaining domestic producers of these precision components in the United States.

#Recycled_Fibers

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company based in France, announces the site selection for an industrial sized Regeneration Hub, in Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Induslacq platform. Reju, a Technip Energies owned company, is deepening its roots in France through the development of this new Regeneration Hub.

#Functional Fabrics

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) has unveiled Unrestricted Power™, a new innovation platform engineered for heavy lifts and demanding gym sessions. The assortment, which launches in North America, is backed by thousands of hours of research and development, providing secure support without compromising comfort and mobility, enabling a distraction-free fit built to match every move.

#Natural Fibers

Merino wool moves into China’s high-performance sportswear market

China’s leading sportswear brands are beginning to treat Merino wool not as a lifestyle material, but as a performance input as natural fibres move from the margins of sportswear into elite technical applications. That shift is increasingly evident in the material strategies of major domestic groups such as ANTA.

TOP