Australia’s cotton industry has staged its biggest ever Camp Cotton event, delivering some of the most important stakeholders in cotton marketing and sales, direct to cotton farms, gins and other facilities in New South Wales.

Around 60 delegates from international and Australian fashion brands, retailers and NGO’s visited Sydney and the Narrabri region as part of Cotton Australia’s, Australian Cotton Tour, which was made possible through the federal government’s ATMAC program.

The event highlighted the sustainable cotton production practices of Australian farmers to delegates from over 15 countries, including representatives from Kathmandu, Lacoste, Gymshark, Country Road, Nike, Versace, and Cotton On Group.

Ashley Hollis, Brand Relations Manager at Cotton Australia said it was only the second-year international delegates attended the event, giving the industry a great opportunity to showcase the quality and sustainability of Australian Cotton to the world.

"The tour allowed both local and international attendees to learn about our sustainable practices and the expertise behind our premium cotton fibre," Ashley explained.

The first day featured a forum at the Commonwealth Bank Headquarters Auditorium in Sydney. Here, discussions focused on various aspects of Australian cotton production, including biodiversity and water efficiency.

Delegate Zoltan Csaki, owner and founder of Citizen Wolf, said it was very beneficial to attend the event.

“From farm to hanger we are Australian because we make everything in Sydney and the fabric is knitted in Melbourne so the only part offshore process is the yarn processing which happens in China. It’s really important to use Australian fibre and product generally so there’s a sovereign capability and supply chain resilience to that and this moment in time with the PM talking about the future is made in Australia. We use the best fibres, cotton and wool and it makes sense to make the clothes Australians want to wear out of these amazing fibres.”

The following days saw delegates visit the farms of Andrew Watson and Daniel Kahl, the AFF cotton gin, Cotton Seed Distributors, and the Australian Cotton Research Institute, providing unique insights into cotton cultivation and processing.

Looking ahead, Ashley expressed hope for increased collaboration between fashion brands and Australian cotton producers. "I look forward to more brands including Australian cotton in their portfolios and working together to continue to grow demand for Australian cotton," Ashley said.

The Camp Cotton event showcased Australia's commitment to sustainable cotton production and highlighted opportunities for collaboration between fashion brands and cotton producers. Delegates returned home with a deeper understanding of Australia's cotton industry and a renewed dedication to sustainability.

Since Cotton to Market’s inception about 10 years ago, more than 39 million units of clothing have been branded with the Australian cotton mark.