It’s cotton that counts

- Interviews at 2015 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics

By Xu Yuanyuan

On October 13-15, 2015 Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated joined forces to promote cotton at the 2015 Shanghai Intertextile Apparel Show at newly-built National Exhibition Center. Cotton Incorporated was devoted to offering innovative technologies that reinvent cotton as a true performance fiber. Cotton Council International was promoting quality U.S. cotton products that exemplify the passion of farmers and an industry that spans across the country. These two organizations will also continue to work closely on promoting responsible cotton production and sourcing program, Cotton LEADS ^TM.

1.    Interview with Mr. Mark Messura, Senior Vice President of Cotton Incorporated.

Q: Please kindly introduce Year 2015 joint booth’s theme or focus. And why chose this theme?

A: Cotton Incorporated has very important two themes; the first is, through a variety of textile innovations, to “discover what cotton can do^SM”. Cotton Incorporated is devoted to offering innovative technologies that reinvent cotton as a true performance fiber. In addition, Cotton Incorporated continues to work with Cotton Council International on promoting responsible cotton production and sourcing program, Cotton LEADS™.

Q: Could you share some feedbacks from this program’s partners after Cotton LEADS™ program running for two years?

A: The cotton LEADS™ program is about two years old, the program started because more and more companies, brands, retailers want to know where the cotton was coming from and how was it produced, whether the produced way is friendly for the environment. So the Cotton LEADS™ program is about working with brands, manufacturers, retailers to educate them and make them more aware of the best practices used in Austria and United States.

Q: What benefits will CI technologies bring to textile companies?

A: Consumers love cotton. Retailers and brands want to and must deliver what consumers’ prefer. So Technologies such as TransDRY^TM, STORM COTTON ^TM, STORM DENIM, WICKING WINDOWS^TM allow cotton to be used in many categories of clothing, like athletic and performance clothing. So retailers and brands can deliver the fiber of the consumer’s want with the benefit of the performer’s fabric and true performers and real performers.

These technologies have many advantages, TransDRY^TM moves moisture and it has a lot of flexibilities for designers, because the technology is based on yarn, not fabric, so designers can engineer very unique and different designs with cotton yarns to create a performer’s garment, TransDRY^TM also drives 40% faster than plain cotton and the benefit of cotton is cotton products do not retain odour, they wash clean and that’s the problems of the synthetics which they retain odour from exercises or activities.

Q: Could you share a few brands’ names, who applied CI innovations?

A: Yeah, there are a lot of companies like Puma, Lululemon, Levis, Lining, Athlete, they like these technologies, because they allow these brands to prefer a natural fiber product to the synthetic, and they can provide a performance fabric made of cotton and this is what consumers are looking for, comfort cotton, and environmentally- friendly cotton.

Q: Does the TPP have the bad impact on the Chinese textile industry?

A: I think that even TPP for many years, China will continue to be a world leader in textile manufacturing, I believe in this. Manufacturers in China have very strong reputation for high productivity, the workers are excellent, and they produce many high quality pieces of textiles and clothing, so even as companies look at different trade opportunities, I think they will continue to use many factories in China because the quality and productivity is viewed to be the best in the world not just the cost issues for company, not the cost of the products, or the cost of duties or quota, it’s also the productivity and quality, and productivity and quality in China is at the top. I see this; the textile industry in China will continue to be strong.

2.    Interview with Ms. Karin Malmstrom, Director of Cotton Council International, China and Northeast Asia.

Q: what is the campaign slogan at 2015 Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics?

A: The campaign slogan “I LOVE MY COTTON” encourages consumers and brands alike to connect with the campaign, and inspires them to share their own reasons for loving cotton. Moreover, the “I LOVE MY COTTON” campaign, launched worldwide by COTTON USA in 2015, set out to communicate the true value of U.S. cotton and to promote a revitalized brand version, emphasizing U.S. cotton’s purity, quality and responsibility. I will share you stories about how the farmers in America plant cotton, all needing responsibility and common values from cultivating their land to garments. In America, farmers cultivate cottons from generation to generation, and take care of the land with responsibilities. I am telling you real stories, cotton is real, and people are real. People who love the pure things will understand our philosophy. At present, our farmers use the most advanced technology to reduce harm to land and earth.

Q: what do you think of Chinese market after the signing of TPP Agreement?

A: We have made a study of Chinese market that most of people pay much attention to quality other than price and prefer natural fibers, because of growing concerns over the issues of pollution and food safety. What’s more, most of our cooperative partners are high-grade partners. Referring to TPP, which is not carried out yet, it’s too early to talk about. The signed agreement is like a double-edged sword; it can bring advantages to the members of TPP and disadvantages to non-member states. At the same time, 10 ASEAN member countries, as well as China, South Korea, Japan, India, Austria and New Zealand join efforts to establish an East Asia economic community RECP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement). So it’s too early to say the impact of TPP.