Apparel brands including H&M, Nike, Anvil Knitwear, Patagonia and Gossypium have been recognized and praised for increasing the use of organic cotton in their products. The non-profit group, the Textile Exchange, appreciated the efforts of the brands and mentioned that their collective works helped in creating a safer environment for the cotton farmers and improved market access for organic cotton. Textile Exchange also stated that the increasing demand for organic cotton has also helped in reducing the use of water and eliminating the use of artificial pesticides and fertilizers, improving the health of farmers. The brands for their efforts were given the ‘Future Shaper’ awards at the Sustainable Textiles Conference in Hong Kong.
