Cotton Council International (CCI) highlighted sourcing opportunities for the U.S. cotton apparel supply chain in the Western Hemisphere at its COTTON USA™ Sustainability Sourcing Fair in San Jose, Costa Rica.

The event served as a dynamic platform to connect 130 executives from across the textile industry—from U.S. textile mills and U.S. cotton-rich yarn, fabric, and apparel manufacturers in Latin America to leading brands and retailers in the U.S. and Canada.

With a focus on simplifying the sourcing of U.S. cotton-rich garments made in Latin America for brands and retailers—including Lululemon, Spanx, Under Armour, and Vince—CCI facilitated over 600 one-on-one meetings between buyers and sellers.

The 20-minute sessions allowed participants to explore new business opportunities and build partnerships within the U.S. cotton supply chain in the Western Hemisphere.

“U.S. cotton is the premier fiber to help brands and retailers achieve sustainable sourcing and strategic growth,” said CCI Latin America Director Floribeth Gonzalez Schuyler. “By vetting U.S. cotton suppliers in advance and pre-arranging business meetings, we help buyers fast-track U.S. cotton sourcing decision-making, which is especially important in the fast-paced fashion industry,” said Gonzalez Schuyler.

The fair concluded with presentations highlighting the benefits of high-quality, sustainable U.S. cotton, including updates on the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol—the industry’s field-level sustainability program and traceability platform.

“Premium cotton fiber is just the beginning,” said Gonzalez Schuyler. “Premium networking opportunities like the ones at the COTTON USA™ Sustainability Sourcing Fair are a key part of the services we provide—services built around helping U.S. cotton’s customers enhance their competitive edge.”