BASF’s e3 Sustainable Cotton program showed a 25% increase in grower enrollment from 2020 to 2021.

According to the company, more than 900 growers enrolled in the e3 program by registering cotton bales from their 2021 growing season.

“We are very encouraged by the growth we saw this year,” said Rachel Walters, BASF Regional Grower & Channel Marketing Manager Seeds. “The e3 Cotton program adds value for growers, the environment, and the end user, and our enrollment numbers prove the future is bright for the sustainable cotton industry.”

Growers who are part of the e3 Sustainable Cotton program commit to tracking eight sustainability measures on all eligible cotton acres, ranging from water use and pesticide management to soil conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Through a series of digital platforms, the cotton they grow can be traced from an individual cotton bale in their field, all the way to the end consumer.

“I’m excited to join the e3 cotton program to further the efforts of sustainable cotton, and I’m always looking for ways to be a better steward of the land,” said Chris King, a Stoneville grower and first-time e3 cotton program member from Georgia.

Earlier this year, the e3 Cotton program announced a collaboration with the United Nations-hosted Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network for a series of convenings in New York City throughout 2022 and 2023. e3 will join industry stakeholders, United Nations representatives, and news media to explore how the fashion and lifestyle industries are uniquely positioned to collaborate and engage on the Sustainable Development Goals.

To learn more about the e3 Sustainable Cotton program, visit e3cotton.us.

Based on information provided by BASF