042. Manufactured x Transformers Foundation: Cannon Michael on Cotton Traceability

In this episode Cannon shares why he thinks existing cotton accreditation options fall short, how traceability could and should be done when it comes to cotton, & why he sees traceability as the key to being able to tell his own story. [...]
20 Apr 2021
00:41:51
Manufactured
Manufactured
042. Manufactured x Transformers Foundation: Cannon Michael on Cotton Traceability
/

This is part two of our conversation with Cannon Michael, President and CEO of Bowles Farming Company. He’s also a founder and board member of Transformers Foundation. We were pretty excited to talk to Cannon – it’s the first time we’ve had the chance to have a cotton farmer on the show!

In this episode we take a deep dive intro traceability. Cannon shares why he thinks existing cotton accreditation options fall short, how traceability could and should be done when it comes to cotton, the role of technology versus supply chain relationships in terms of making meaningful traceability a reality, why he sees traceability as the key to being able to tell his own story, and why he hopes that more control over his story will lead to a fairer distribution of wealth across fashion supply chains.

Want to dig deeper ?

Transformers Foundation is the unified voice representing the denim industry and its ideas for positive change. It was founded to provide a thus-far missing platform to the jeans and denim supply chain, and a central point of contact for consumers, brands, NGOs, and media who want to learn more about ethics and sustainable innovation in the industry.

For more on Transformers Foundation’s work visit the website and follow along on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Find out more about FiberTrace.

To learn more about accreditation standards, check out http://cottonupguide.org/

For more on traceability, we suggest checking out Simon Ferrigno’s piece for EcoTextile News.

Jessie Li

Photo provided by Bowles Farming

Recent Episodes

92. How it’s made: On Cotton with Rajeev Baruah

92. How it’s made: On Cotton with Rajeev Baruah

On this episode we’re taking a look at cotton value chains in the Indian context with Rajeev Baruah, who has worked in cotton for decades. Though his background is originally in agriculture and tea, his cotton journey started with a spinning facility back in the 90s on a mission to work with organic cotton farmers – something that, at the time, was unheard of. In the years since, he’s gone on to work in a number of different roles with different stakeholders across the value chain. Rajeev gives Kim an in-depth look at the steps that go into growing, harvesting, ginning, and spinning cotton, who the commercial actors are, and what their incentives might be within the Indian context.

read more
91. How it’s made: On Garment Finishing with Rita Castro & Dionísia Portela

91. How it’s made: On Garment Finishing with Rita Castro & Dionísia Portela

On this episode we’re exploring one of the final stages of production in apparel manufacturing with Rita Castro & Dionísia Portela from Confetil, a Portuguese garment manufacturer that has been supplying brands all over the world since 1960. Dionísia is Sustainability Manager and Rita is Sales and Commercial Manager for four of Confetil’s customers. They tell us more about the processes that give our clothes the final look and feel that brands aim for, from solid T-shirts to those with graphic patterns or vintage looks, different types of dyes and dyeing processes, and the sustainability of these finishing processes.

read more
90. How it’s made: On Silk with Hilmond Hui

90. How it’s made: On Silk with Hilmond Hui

To understand the process, benefits and barriers within regenerative sericulture, we go back to Kim’s conversation from November 2021 with Hilmond Hui, Vice President of international clothing enterprise PFG and its subset Bombyx. Hilmond tells us more about Bombyx, which was formed in 2018 with a focus on regenerative silk production and transforming the way silk is produced, traded and consumed. Their Nanchong Ka Fung (NCKF) facility is located in the northeast of China’s Sichuan province, and they’re on a mission to do everything from dirt to fabric and beyond.

read more