Participants who attended China Cotton Day expect to purchase an additional 148,000 bales of U.S. cotton, valued at approximately $50.8 million. Over 140 textile mill, manufacturer, and brand and retailer participants attended the event, held on December 5, 2024 in Hong Kong. The event was an opportunity to strengthen business relationships between two important markets and reinforce a shared commitment to creating a sustainable future for the global cotton and textile industries.
China’s influence in the global cotton market is undeniable. Despite being the largest producer of cotton, China is also the world’s largest consumer of cotton. In fact, in MY 2023/24, China consumed a staggering 51% more cotton fiber than the second-largest global consumer that marketing year and the country is heavily reliant on imports to meet its domestic demands.
However, China’s textile industry is undergoing transformation. The country is actively upgrading its industry to focus on high-value textile production, creating new opportunities for U.S. cotton. With China’s growing need for high-quality, sustainable fiber, U.S. cotton is well positioned to meet this demand and solidify its position as a preferred supplier.
In addition to enhancing product quality, China is also focusing on sustainability. Over the next five years, the country plans to implement green initiatives and adopt new technologies to minimize its environmental footprint. The Cotton Day event highlighted how U.S. cotton can play a crucial role in helping the Chinese textile industry meet this goal. Discussions at the event centered around changing global sustainability regulations, the importance of full supply chain transparency and traceability, and the reduction of carbon emissions in the textile supply chain.
100% of the participants reported that the information gained at the China Cotton Day event would directly benefit their businesses. A key highlight of the event was the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, the world’s leading platform for sustainability and traceability in cotton production. The Trust Protocol provides quantifiable, verifiable data in six key sustainability metrics as well as article-level traceability along the supply chain. These features are essential as the Chinese cotton industry seeks to meet its own sustainability goals. Following the event, 94% of attendees agreed that the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol® would be important for their company’s future success and 11 companies expressed interest in joining the program.
The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. 100% of participants were satisfied with the event and 97% said they would recommend future events to their colleagues. As a result of attending. 88% of participants indicated they were likely to purchase additional U.S. cotton or U.S. cotton products within the next year.
With China’s textile industry evolving and aligning with global sustainability goals, the 2024 China Cotton Day event not only strengthened business ties between the two industries, but also positioned U.S. cotton as a trusted, high-quality supplier ready to meet the growing demand for sustainable textiles, therefore strengthening the path for U.S. imports into this important market.