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COTTON USA
Buyer’s
Guide
TO U.S. MANUFACTURED
COTTON PRODUCTS
Cotton
Council
InternationalCo
COTTON USA
Buyer’s Guide
TO U.S. MANUFACTURED COTTON PRODUCTS
Prepared and Distributed by
Cotton Council International
This Guide provides information to potential buyers of U.S.
manufactured cotton products. The companies listed in this
Guide are quality producers of 100 percent cotton products
containing a majority of U.S. cotton. Please contact them
directly regarding specifications, prices, and delivery.
7 yarn
manufacturers
19 woven topweight
fabric manufacturers
Contents
COTTON USA
CAN HELP MAKE YOUR PRODUCTS
MORE COMPETITIVE IN WORLD MARKETS.
Cotton Council International, the export promotion division of the National Cotton Council of America,
launched a new promotional program, COTTON USA, in 1989 to build sales of products made of U.S.
cotton in international markets. The program began in Western Europe, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.
Subsequently, markets in Southeastern Asia and Latin America have been added, swelling COTTON USA’s
total international consumer market exposure to nearly one billion persons. COTTON USA, representing the
world’s leading fashion fiber, provides a way for apparel and home furnishing manufacturers to reinforce
their commitment to superior product quality and performance.
How The COTTON USA old and their families in the middle and upper socio-
economic strata—the primary purchasing group for
Promotional Program Works textile products.
he COTTON USA promotional program offers a In addition to COTTON USA’s sales-building advertising
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cotton product manufacturers whose products contain a In addition to Mark awareness, consumer research also
majority of U.S. cotton. The license allows manufacturers probes critical attitudes that can affect consumer behavior —
and retailers to use the COTTON USA Mark on will consumers want to purchase your product? Research
packaging and in the overall marketing campaign of shows clearly that consumers who recognize the COTTON
their qualifying products. COTTON USA’s convincing USA Mark perceive cotton products bearing the Mark to be
advertising motivates consumers to seek out those superior in six important purchase decision factors.
products identified with the COTTON USA Mark and Consumers believe that the COTTON USA Mark is a sign
thus provide the superior qualities and benefits of of high quality, durability, comfort, style, and reputable
U.S. cotton. manufacturers. Most importantly, they buy COTTON USA
products more often—clear evidence that being a COTTON
Many leading mills and finished apparel and home
USA licensee can increase a company’s sales and profits.
textile producers recognize the strong value-adding
By appealing to the most frequent buyers of cotton
ability of the COTTON USA Mark. In 2002, over 2,000
products, the COTTON USA Mark becomes more valuable
product lines were licensed by COTTON USA
to companies who join the COTTON USA Program.
—making hundreds of millions of products labeled with
the COTTON USA Mark available to consumers at retail. COTTON USA promotions are carefully designed to
stimulate higher levels of consumer cotton purchases.
The proof is dramatically shown in the following chart in
Proof That The COTTON which women aware of the Mark report greater purchasing
activity compared to those who are unaware. The aware
USA Mark Will Work consumer group has a 10 percentage points greater
For Your Products purchasing history than those unaware of the Mark.
27%
higher quality
better styling
more durable
21%
I would buy
12%
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Rating 8, 9, or 10 on a 10 Point Scale
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HOW TO JOIN
AND BUILD YOUR SALES
1. The product line must be first quality and 100 percent cotton (exclusive of nominal non-cotton
reinforcement, elastic or decoration)
2. Of the cotton content, the product line must contain at least 50 percent U.S. grown cotton
3. The product bearing the COTTON USA Mark will not be marketed within NAFTA countries (U.S.,
Canada and Mexico), Central America, or the Caribbean
4. The manufacturer should have a solid corporate reputation and market quality brands retailed
at mid-market price points and higher
Sourcing Cotton Products Many of these companies are already licensed to use
the COTTON USA Mark. You will notice their advertise-
From The United States ments throughout the publication. Our U.S. Value
Added COTTON USA licensees are Alice Mills, Inc.;
O
ne way to insure that your products will auto-
American & Efird, Inc.; American Cotton Growers
matically qualify is to source 100 percent cotton
(A Division of Plains Cotton Cooperative Association);
yarn, fabrics, and finished products from the
AMTEC, LLC.; Ameritex Yarn; Arca Knitting, Inc.;
United States. Throughout this Buyers Guide, you will
Avondale Mills, Inc.; Barnhardt Manufacturing Co.;
find a source for every type of 100 percent cotton
Buhler Quality Yarns; Carolina Cotton Works, Inc.;
products. These companies manufacture quality cotton
Carolina Specialty Fabrics (A Division of Carolina Mills,
products made in the United States of U.S. cotton.
Inc.); Cheraw Yarn Mills; Cone Mills Corporation; Dan
River Inc.; Dorf Industries – Mohawk International/
Newmark Rugs; Four Leaf Textiles; Frontier Spinning
Mills; Galey & Lord Industries, Inc.; Golding Fabrics;
Greenwood Mills; Harriet & Henderson Yarns; Inman
Mills; Johnston Industries, Inc.;National Textiles;
Parkdale Mills; Pillowtex Fieldcrest Cannon; Ramtex
Inc.; R.L. Stowe Mills; Shavel Home Products; Shuford
Mills; Spectrum Dyed Yarn Inc.; Springs Industries;
Swift Denim; Swift Spinning Mills; Texollini; The Rug
Barn, Inc.; TNS Mills Inc.; Tuscarora Yarns; Weave
Corporation; Wehadkee Yarn Mills; and WestPoint
Stevens, Inc.
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The COTTON USA team of marketing/
promotional professionals can help you
get maximum impact from a COTTON USA
license for your product line.
COTTON USA
Is Ready To Help You
Cotton Council International can help your company
capitalize on the benefits of the COTTON USA Mark.
When you qualify and enroll in the COTTON USA
promotional program, you also begin to participate in
our ongoing support program which consists of retail
promotions, trade advertising, publicity releases,
press conferences, consumer public relations,
marketing research studies on consumer response
to the COTTON USA Mark, and COTTON USA
consumer advertising.