Jerry Allen Newby plans on wearing his 2017 cotton harvest. In an effort to highlight the sustainability of the cotton industry, Wrangler is purchasing 40,000 lb. of Newby Farms cotton to feature in a line of denim jeans. Wrangler’s Healthy Soils Platform is piloting with Newby Farms in Athens, Ala., with plans to expand in all 17 cotton states.
“I feel like Wrangler’s sustainability initiative is also an American initiative. Maybe this is cotton’s version of food to table,” says seventh-generation producer Newby. “People will know where their jeans come from and they’ll know the jeans were literally grown in the United States.”
Using technology and a variety of production and management practices, Newby’s growing methods mirror the initiative driving Wrangler’s new effort. “No-till, crop rotation, cover cropping, soil grid mapping, variable rate, IPM and water efficiency are all practices we want in our cotton products. Within 10 years, we want all of our products to contain cotton grown sustainably,” says Roian Atwood, director of sustainability at Wrangler.
Jeans made entirely from Newby cotton are targeted for release in fall 2018. Atwood says Wrangler’s sustainability initiative will extend across the Cotton Belt: “We want to become familiar with the different cotton farming communities and their best-in-class practices. We don’t want to be overly prescriptive. Soil health practices are going to vary from region to region and farmers choose what land stewardship practices make the most sense for them. We want to celebrate that commitment.”
The Newbys typically grow 3,000 cotton acres per year and are a partner in Moore & Newby Gin, which churned out 7,500 bales in 2016.
“We’re excited because this could be a real shot in the arm for American cotton in general. A ‘Made in America’ tag shows the importance of farming and can help make the public realize the necessity of a strong agricultural backbone.”
