Business

U.S. Farmers Bring Cotton Campaign to U.K. to Beat Polyester

U.S. farmers and traders brought their US$ 5 million campaign to buy cotton to U.K. retailers this week to stop the growing preference for manmade fibres.

Cotton accounted for 38% of the retail market last year, down from 44% in 2008, with the rest being manmade fibres such as polyester, according to the National Cotton Council of America. Cotton prices have dropped 8.7% this year after almost tripling in the two years through 2010.

"We expect there to be a rebound in cotton," Rob Miller, director of global marketing of the Cotton Council International in Washington, believes.

The Cotton Council International is part of the National Cotton Council, which has members from Allenberg Cotton Co. to Ecom USA Inc. and Cargill Inc. The cotton programme started in March in the U.S. followed by visits in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and Germany.