More than 50 delegates from some of the world’s leading fashion brands, retailers and NGOs have visited the Namoi Valley in New South Wales for Cotton Australia’s Camp Cotton tour.
Delegates from 18 countries, representing brands including Big W, Country Road, J. Crew, R.B. Sellars, Cotton On Group and more, took part in the three-day program last week, which is aimed at changing attitudes about the way Australian cotton is grown here.
Cotton Australia chair Liz Stott attended Camp Cotton for the first time this year and said the event plays an important role in connecting the people who grow cotton with the brands that use it.
“Bringing brands and retailers onto farms helps build trust in how Australian cotton is produced and gives them confidence in the sustainability behind the fibre,” she said.
“It also helps drive demand by strengthening those relationships and giving people a clearer understanding of the work happening across the industry.”
During the tour, delegates visited cotton farms at Breeza and Narrabri, toured Cotton Seed Distributors and learnt more about the GM process in Wee Waa, explored biodiversity and research at the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute and Federation Farm, and followed cotton through the ginning process at Australian Food and Fibre’s Narrabri gin.
Breeza grower James Pursehouse said it is vitally important to show the industry where their products are coming from.
For many delegates, Camp Cotton marked their first visit to a cotton farm, despite decades working in textiles, sourcing or fashion production.
“I’ve worked in the textile industry for more than 20 years, but this is my first time on a cotton farm – it’s amazing,” VF Corporation delegate Stewart Ting Ho Kwok, a company that manages the likes of The North Face, Vans and Timberland.
Based in Hong Kong, Kwok said the experience has enhanced his understanding of the supply chain.
“Seeing the end-to-end process and learning about traceability and transparency has been incredibly valuable,” he said.
Shae McDonald from Cotton On Group, based in Geelong, Melbourne, had also never been to a cotton farm before, and said the opportunity to see cotton growing, touch it and follow it through the ginning process was quite an experience.
“We’re increasingly seeing our customers talk about the importance of natural fibres and educating each other as a peer group on fabric composition, what to expect and what to demand from their products,” she said.
“I’ve learnt so much through this experience and feel better equipped as a marketer to embed that storytelling into our product process to try to educate the customer about the good we’re doing and the amazing product that Australian cotton is.”
Meanwhile, J. Crew Group’s Sandra Joyce from the United States said she also learnt more about Australian cotton during the trip.
“Seventy per cent of our material footprint is cotton at J. Crew Group and 10 per cent of that comes from Australia, so it’s really exciting to be here at the source and see the differences between U.S. and Australian cotton growing,” she said.
“It’s been great to be here with so many Australian brands and really understand the nuances of farming in Australia. I’m hoping to come away with stronger relationships and opportunities to increase our use of Australian cotton.”
HoMie founder Marcus Crook, another delegate, said one of the highlights of the week was seeing the level of innovation and collaboration across the industry.
“Everyone is moving in the same direction and supporting each other, which was incredibly inspiring to see,” he said.
“The way technology and innovation are being adopted to improve sustainability – from precision spraying and automation to advances in plant science – makes you proud of how progressive and forward-thinking Australia is in this space.”