COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, Aug. 14, 2025 — Cotton Council International (CCI) showcased U.S. cotton at its COTTON USA™ booth at Intex South Asia – one of South Asia’s leading textile and apparel sourcing platforms – in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

“The message of U.S. cotton’s superior quality and sustainability featured in conversations with Sri Lankan apparel manufacturers aiming to elevate product standards and enhance competitiveness,” said Peush Narang, CCI representative for India and Sri Lanka."

At the three-day event, nearly 70 key industry players visited the COTTON USA™ booth, including leading garment manufacturers such as MAS Holdings, Teejay Lanka, Star Garments and Brandix, and major sourcing offices like NEXT, PVH and Jockey.

With sustainability and traceability emerging as top priorities in global sourcing, CCI emphasized the benefits of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, the sustainability program for U.S. cotton growers and traceability platform for all U.S. cotton. The Trust Protocol also offers verified data across six key environmental metrics and industry-first article-level traceability.

CCI Senior Director of Global Operations Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe joined a panel discussion on “Trust Over Trends: Building Brands Consumers Trust,” alongside Supima President and CEO Marc Lewkowitz and other industry leaders. They addressed how transparency and sustainability are reshaping sourcing strategies and elevating demand for responsibly grown, traceable U.S. cotton.

“Data is key when it comes to demonstrating environmental credentials,” said Thiers-Ratcliffe. “Manufacturers who join the Trust Protocol receive many benefits, but most importantly they can be identified as part of a fully transparent supply chain and selected by brands and retailers as they look to source U.S. cotton.”