044. Crispin Argento on Cotton Traceability

This is part two of our conversation with Crispin Argento, Managing Director at the Sourcery, about cotton traceability. [...]
27 Apr 2021
00:37:35
Manufactured
Manufactured
044. Crispin Argento on Cotton Traceability
/

This is part two of our conversation with Crispin Argento, Managing Director at the Sourcery and former Executive Director of the Organic Cotton Accelerator.

Why is cotton traceability so difficult? Why are recent bans on Xinjiang cotton so hard to enforce? What does Crispin think about technological developments designed to help with traceability?

This takes us into another hot topic in the world of sustainable fashion: open costing. How does Crispin approach this within his work, and under what conditions is transparency around costs and pricing beneficial to all players across the supply chain? Is there potential for cotton growers to ban together and advocate collectively, like we’re starting to see at other levels of the supply chain through the STAR Network?

We close with a big question: how does Crispin define sustainable cotton?

Want to dig deeper ?

U.S. to pay $300 million to end Brazil cotton trade dispute.

The Tyranny of King Cotton, an article on US subsidies by Joseph Stiglitz.

Nike and Coca-Cola Lobby Against Xinjiang Forced Labor Bill.

Navigating Transparency and Compliance Through Collaboration and Trust Building, an article by Crispin Argento.

Check out Cotton Diaries, a global community of people passionate about cotton and committed to making cotton supply chains more sustainable.

Jessie Li

Photo by Magda Ehlers

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