Cotton Egypt Association (CEA), the organisation behind Egyptian Cotton, has launched a further initiative to actively root out non-genuine goods from the supply chain. The organisation has begun naming and shaming manufacturers, who fail its rigorous accreditation scheme through a new Black List on its website.

It will also launch a worldwide task force of secret shoppers, who will purchase products marked as Egyptian Cotton from retailers both instore and online, which will then be passed along for testing.

Only products made from 100% Egyptian Cotton can carry the famous trademarked pyramid cotton logo, and already a Pakistan-based towel manufacturer who failed the test has had its license suspended.

“We will not stand by while unscrupulous manufacturers mix Egyptian Cotton with sub-standard fibres,” said Khaled Schuman, Executive Director of the Cotton Egypt Association. “Cotton Egypt Association has been working tirelessly over the last three years with to protect the integrity and authenticity of the brand, to protect its retail partners and to ensure consumers they are buying genuine Egyptian Cotton goods.”

“As well as taking the appropriate action, we will name and shame those trying to pass off non-genuine goods as Egyptian Cotton.”

The CEA continues its facility audits, traceability assessment, retailer surveillance, and information management partnership with leading testing and verification body Bureau Veritas, as well as a new partnership with an independent legal organisation, who will clean up the Global Egyptian Cotton retail space, to root out the non-genuine goods.

The process, which has been endorsed by several academic and professional bodies, includes extracting DNA from cotton fibres, yarns, woven, knitted, fabric or finished apparel. This can then be used to identify fibres and the percentage of genuine Egyptian Cotton in a product.

Despite past issues, Egyptian Cotton is still regarded as the most recognised luxury cotton brand in the USA and globally. A recent consumer survey by independent US-based marketing agency, PBM, on American consumers who had recently purchased cotton goods, found that 95% of those able to name a cotton brand cited Egyptian Cotton.

www.cottonegyptassociation.com