For years, the term “sustainable” functioned as a catch-all term in marketing—a single word used to cover origin, environmental data and farming practices all at once—and there was no clear definition. That approach is changing, and brands that haven’t yet adjusted are starting to feel the gap. Consumers are asking more specific questions about where their clothing comes from, and regulators are asking brands to back up sustainability language with documented evidence rather than general statements. A single broad claim doesn’t hold up well under either kind of scrutiny.

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol provides a framework around this idea: Cotton claims should reflect what has actually been verified, because not all cotton is sourced, grown or documented the same way. The program offers brands three distinct, trackable fiber categories: Tracked U.S. Cotton, Protocol Cotton and U.S. Regen™ Cotton. Each is rooted in the same principles of verified U.S.…