Hanes, part of Brandwear United (asi/59528), has announced that its iconic Beefy-T (5180) is now made from 100% U.S.-grown cotton. In addition, the brand has launched an initiative to raise awareness among printers and promotional products distributors about the importance of U.S.-grown cotton to sustainability, apparel quality and jobs.

“Sustainability and responsibility are important considerations for customers today,” said Michael Johnson, director of marketing for Brandwear United. “We want printers and [promotional products distributors] to know they can trust what they are buying from Hanes, and we want them to be able to talk confidently about sustainability with their customers. We know it matters.”

The Hanes Beefy-T is now made from 100% U.S.-grown cotton.

Johnson noted that moving the Beefy-T, which was created for the printwear industry more than 40 years ago, to U.S.-grown cotton was a “natural next step in our sustainability journey.”

During the last four decades, U.S. farmers have made significant strides in growing sustainable cotton crops, according to the National Cotton Council of America. The Council notes that this includes reducing the amount of land needed to produce cotton yields by almost 50%, diminishing soil erosion by 35%, decreasing water use by more than 50%, cutting energy use by more than 50% and lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. U.S. cotton production is regulated as a food crop since cottonseed is used in both human food products and animal feed.

“It’s a matter of visibility and trust to us,” said Chris Fox, chief sustainability officer for HanesBrands, Brandwear United’s parent company. “For decades, the U.S. cotton industry has supported our sustainability objectives, which is why we use U.S.-grown cotton for most of the apparel we sell in our printwear channel.”

He also noted that because HanesBrands owns most of its manufacturing operations, its processes are tightly controlled and the company has more oversight over the raw materials used in its goods. “We know where our U.S. cotton is sourced, spun and sewn – unique in our industry,” Fox added.

As part of its campaign, Hanes will host a virtual summit on U.S.-grown cotton on March 11. Details of how to attend will be forthcoming. The apparel maker has also developed a digital toolkit, with a series of shareable images and videos, to help printers and promotional products distributors inform customers about the benefits of U.S.-grown cotton.

Sustainability has increasingly been a focus for the promotional products industry. In addition to using more earth-friendly materials and investing in renewable energy sources like solar power, suppliers and distributors are working to give a second life to unwanted products, solve the single-use plastic bag problem and measuring their environmental impact over time. You can learn more about HanesBrands’ commitment to sustainability here.

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