The voluntary science-based sustainability initiative US Cotton Protocol Trust has welcomed new board members, including representatives from clothing retailers J. Crew Group, Gap Inc., and Kiabi.
Three new brand and retailer members are among the eleven new board members (bringing the total to 22) on the updated US Cotton Trust Protocol board of directors. The company referred to the new board as “a natural inflection point in the Trust Protocol’s evolution” and it was part of a governance review.
The goal of the board’s enlargement is to increase the diversity of the board and provide international stakeholders with more equitable and significant participation throughout the whole supply chain.
Four growers from every cotton-growing region in the US, three gin and cottonseed producers, four merchants and cooperatives, four mills and manufacturers, three representatives from academia and NGOs, and four members from brands and retailers make up the new board.
Katie O’Hare, senior director of sustainability at J. Crew Group; Agata Smeets, head of environment and product sustainability at Gap Inc.; and Virginie Cayzeele, head of raw materials at Kiabi, are among the new brand and retailer members.
US Cotton Trust Protocol’s executive director Daren Abney commented, “I’m thrilled about the formation of our newly refreshed Board of Directors. Comprised of exceptional experts and leaders spanning the global supply chain, this board represents a significant milestone in the governance of the US Cotton Trust Protocol.”
Bharat Tex Special Report 2026 
