Cotton’s Former Enemy Becomes A Valued Partner

By Jim.Robinson|April 12, 2012

It’s a well-known fact that the pace of change is increasing in the cotton industry, and while that’s not always a good thing, it does have its advantages. One good example is the rapid progress cotton has made in performance clothing: In a span of only one year, sports apparel manufacturer Under Armour has created 158 active-wear products that feature cotton.

Speaking recently to a large audience during the 55th Annual Meeting of the Plains Cotton Growers in Lubbock, Texas, David Earley, senior director of global supply chain marketing for the Cotton Incorporated, highlighted how Under Armour – once a self-professed enemy of cotton – has benefited enormously from the use of cotton in its sportswear and active-wear products.

In his presentation entitled, “Enemy Converted,” Earley gave a presentation on how collaboration between Under Armour and Cotton Incorporated developed and has led to positive outcomes for the cotton industry.

In mid-March 2011, Under Armour launched its Charged Cotton collection nationwide; six months later, it released the Charged Cotton® Storm collection. According to estimates from Morgan Stanley, Charged Cotton products could contribute as much as $400 million in annual sales for Under Armour within the next five years.

Consumers appear to be willing to pay $60 to $100 for Charged Cotton® products, while their synthetic counterparts retail for about $40.