Australian cotton growers formed part of a Cotton Australia delegation that pitched the modern Australian cotton industry’s story of responsible and sustainable production directly to some of the world’s largest brands and retailers.

The event – held at the Australian Consulate in Istanbul – was attended by companies that together consume more than 5 times the volume of the average Australian cotton crop, every year, Cotton Australia said on its website.

The companies that attended the event included Nike, H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, C&A, VF (brands include Lee, Wrangler, Timberland, The North Face, Vans, Nautica), Adidas, Ikea and Levi Strauss.

Cotton Australia CEO, Adam Kay, said that cotton businesses and consumers are increasingly demanding responsibly produced fibres to meet their corporate social responsibilities and respond to growing consumer interest in product provenance.

“The event at the Australian Consulate in Turkey gave our growers a global platform to share their stories of ethical, responsible and sustainable production back here in Australia,” Kay said.

“These connections between growers and end-users are part of Cotton Australia’s Cotton to Market strategy, aimed at positioning Australian cotton in the world fibre market,” Kay added.