Cotton supplier is one of the world’s most widely used apparel fibres. Though it has been eclipsed by synthetics, it is still a key crop in many cultures and remains the world’s second most important non-food crop, and a major source of textiles.

Cotton production and consumption can vary, but generally growth has been driven by biotechnology innovations, increasing farm mechanization, population growth, and economic demand. However, large global stocks and weak import demand have lowered prices and reduced incentives to plant.

WWF works with farmers, government agencies, and buyers at critical stages in the market chain to promote more ecologically sound ways to grow cotton. Our priority areas include reducing damage to freshwater systems, supporting better irrigation technology, and advocating for more sustainable growing practices.

In the United States, more than half of the cotton grown is exported1, with four out of the top five countries importing U.S. cotton: Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, and China. Of these, the most significant importer is China, importing almost 11% of U.S. cotton in MY 2018, surpassing El Salvador and edging out India.

Thread by Thread: Choosing the Right Cotton Supplier for Your Business

As a supplier, you can connect diverse companies and buyers to high-quality ginned cotton from around the world. You can also collaborate with suppliers that produce fabric and end products from cotton by sourcing certified organic or preferred cotton, which requires certification to the GOTS or OCS supply chain standards. These standards maintain the identity of a product’s cotton content throughout its production and end use.