Better Cotton Appoints Nick Weatherill CEO
The 20-year-old initiative was set up by an international group of environmental organisations, brands and trade groups with the aim of rapidly increasing volumes of cotton produced with lower environmental impact and higher social standards. Roughly a fifth of the world's cotton production is now certified under the programme and it's become a go-to for brands from H&M to Louis Vuitton.
But it's also come under fire from critics who argue its standards are too lax. Weatherill takes over after a period in which the organisation has moved to tighten up its oversight, introducing a traceability solution in 2023 and becoming a certification scheme earlier this year.
Weatherill's 'appointment marks a renewed impetus that will ensure Better Cotton evolves to an even more impactful standard, benefitting the environment, farmers, workers, and local economies,' said McClay.
Learn more:
Are H&M and Zara Harming Forests in Brazil?
Cotton linked to environmental and human rights abuses in Brazil is leaking into the supply chains of major fashion brands, a new investigation has found, prompting Zara-owner Inditex to send a scathing rebuke to the industry's biggest sustainable cotton certifier.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Skittles, M&M's more candy options free of synthetic dyes coming in 2026
Starting next year, Skittles, M&M's, Starburst and Extra Gum will be available free of artificial colors to consumers nationwide. Mars Wrigley North America announced last month that products across four categories of its popular treats -- gum, fruity confections and chocolate candy -- will be made "without Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors" starting in 2026. The first brands to be available without without FD&C colors will include M&M's Chocolate, Skittles Original, Extra Gum Spearmint and Starburst Original fruit chews, the company said. Kraft Heinz, General Mills to remove artificial dyes from food products over next 2 years News of the candy maker's move away from synthetic color additives was first announced on July 24, as reported by Bloomberg. "Mars Wrigley North America has been on an innovation journey over the past few years, dedicated to bringing products that provide consumers delicious choices when they treat," the company said in a press release. "In the United States, we are engaged closely with regulators and aware of the increased dialogue and activity regarding colors. All our products meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, including the FDA." Anton Vincent, president of Mars Wrigley North America, added that the company's approach "is always consumer-focused and science-led." Mars Wrigley said its experts "are exploring alternatives that satisfy scientific safety criteria, technical requirements and consumer preferences." Once the company has identified a "fully effective, scalable solution," it will share updates on timing and specific product commitments, it said. The move makes Mars Wrigley an early entrant to a growing list of major consumer product goods companies offering a choice of naturally colored products. The change comes amid a push from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to crack down on synthetic food additives as part of his initiative to "Make America Healthy Again." Among those efforts are proposals to phase out artificial food dyes in favor of natural alternatives. In June, Kraft Heinz and General Mills announced plans to remove artificial food dyes from some products within the next two years. Several other large food manufacturers -- including PepsiCo, ConAgra, The Hershey Company, McCormick & Co., J.M. Smucker, Nestlé USA and more -- have announced similar plans in recent months. As of May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three additional color additives from natural sources that are in line with the Department of Health and Human Services' goals, which can be used in a wide range of products from gum to breakfast cereal. "For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We're removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives -- to protect families and support healthier choices," Kennedy said in a statement at the time. Multiple states have also passed legislation to eliminate food dyes from school lunch programs. Solve the daily Crossword
4 hours ago
Mars Wrigley announces Skittles, M&M's and more candy will be free of synthetic dyes in 2026
Starting next year, Skittles, M&M's, Starburst and Extra Gum will be available free of artificial colors to consumers nationwide. Mars Wrigley North America announced last month that products across four categories of its popular treats -- gum, fruity confections and chocolate candy -- will be made "without Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors" starting in 2026. The first brands to be available without without FD&C colors will include M&M's Chocolate, Skittles Original, Extra Gum Spearmint and Starburst Original fruit chews, the company said. News of the candy maker's move away from synthetic color additives was first announced on July 24, as reported by Bloomberg. "Mars Wrigley North America has been on an innovation journey over the past few years, dedicated to bringing products that provide consumers delicious choices when they treat," the company said in a news release at the time. "In the United States, we are engaged closely with regulators and aware of the increased dialogue and activity regarding colors. All our products meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, including the FDA." The company said its experts "are exploring alternatives that satisfy scientific safety criteria, technical requirements and consumer preferences." Once the company has identified a "fully effective, scalable solution," it will share updates on timing and specific product commitments, it said. "Our team in North America is always working hard for our consumers and in partnership with our stakeholders to make positive contributions to the treating and snacking categories," the company added.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain, shares plunge
(Reuters) -Tapestry forecast annual profit below estimates on Thursday, as the Coach handbag maker grapples with higher tariff costs, sending the company's shares down 8% in premarket trading. The company estimates a $160-million hit from the U.S. import duties, which could result in an about 230-basis-point impact on its fiscal 2026 operating margin. Tapestry primarily makes its Coach and Kate Spade handbags in countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and India. The Trump administration's unpredictable trade policies have shaken consumer sentiment and disrupted businesses and supply chain worldwide. Tapestry's warning on Thursday is in line with the broader luxury sector slowdown that has hurt bellwethers such as Gucci-owner Kering and French luxury group LVMH . U.S. consumer spending falling unexpectedly in May has also compounded concerns for companies such as Tapestry that have been ramping up efforts to attract younger customers by introducing new accessories and collections. The company expects fiscal 2026 earnings per share to be in the range of $5.30 to $5.45, compared with analysts estimates of $5.49 per share, as per data compiled by LSEG. The forecast accounts for about 60 cents of incremental tariffs. However, it expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be about $7.2 billion, compared with analysts' estimates of $7.11 billion, owing to steady demand for its Coach Tabby and Empire bags. Shares of the company have risen about 74% this year on the back of the popularity of its Coach brand. The push to add bag charms are also attracting millennial and Gen Z customers in regions such as North America, China and Europe. This helped the company post quarterly sales of $1.72 billion that beat analysts' estimates of $1.68 billion. Adjusted profit for the fourth quarter ended June 28 was $1.04 per share, topping estimates by 2 cents. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
