Under Armour: Responsible Cotton for Traceable Supply Chains

The U.S. Cotton Trust is a voluntary, field-level sustainability programme and traceability platform for cotton users and growers in America.

The Trust’s mission is to generate a positive impact throughout the global cotton value chain, contributing to a more sustainable and transparent world.

This is why Under Armour, a global leader in athletic apparel, footwear and accessories is joining the Trust’s membership.

The membership aids Under Armour's commitment to supporting US cotton farmers.

A voluntary cotton trust

Through the Trust Protocol, the brand gains access to verified, field-level data on key environmental metrics such as: 

• Water use
• GHG emission
• Soil health
• Land use

As a concrete step in its membership, Under Armour is set to pilot Trust Protocol–tracked cotton this Fall in all graphic tees within its Freedom collection, a line that honors military personnel, veterans and first responders. 

The Trust Protocol is a voluntary US cotton initiative that uses a measurable, verifiable framework to support responsible cotton production and continuous improvement in environmental performance. 

“We are pleased to welcome Under Armour, a brand with a strong commitment to innovation and a global reach, to the Trust Protocol,” says Dr. Gary Adams, President of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. 

“Under Armour is building its legacy on performance and technical excellence and embodies the spirit of consistent improvement that drives athletes. 

“The Trust Protocol’s data-driven approach directly aligns with those values and will help the brand strengthen its commitment to sustainable sourcing.”

This system allows Under Armour to monitor progress over time and validate real improvements across critical sustainability indicators.

Creating sustainable cotton 

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is built around creating a data-driven, traceable standard for US cotton to aid in strengthening sustainability and transparency across the global cotton value chain. 

Its mission is to generate positive environmental and social impact by measuring outcomes, driving innovation and building trust from farm to finished product. 

The programme focuses on core values such as authenticity, innovation, environmental stewardship, care for people and integrity, all supported by a research-based, evidence-led approach. 

A central component of this system is supply chain traceability. 

“Under Armour believes performance starts with the materials we choose. Where and how our cotton is grown matters,” says Aaron Driggers, Director of Sustainability at Under Armour. 

“We are thrilled to join the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol and strengthen our ability to build better products for athletes while advancing transparency across our supply chain.”

Supply chain traceability

Stakeholders are said to be increasingly demanding transparency, wanting to know where products come from and how they are made. 

In response, the Trust Protocol aims to empower members with a comprehensive traceability solution that provides verifiable proof of responsible sourcing and sustainable practices, ensuring full visibility and accountability across the cotton supply chain.

This is delivered through the Protocol Consumption Management Solution (PCMS), which enables article-level tracking of cotton from origin to finished product, supported by mills and manufacturers. 

PCMS distinguishes between two fiber types: US Cotton, which represents all cotton grown in the US and provides a consistent benchmark for quality and verified country-level origin and Protocol Cotton, which is grown exclusively by Trust Protocol growers and reflects farms actively committed to measuring and improving their environmental footprint.

At the heart of the initiative are three strategic pillars. 

The first is article-level supply chain transparency, enabled through its PCMS traceability system, which tracks US and Protocol cotton from farm to final product and identifies participating mills and manufacturers, giving brands confidence in sourcing origins and sustainability. 

The second pillar is quantifiable, verifiable measurement, using farm-level data validated through tools like the Fieldprint Calculator and third-party verification to support compliance and reporting. 

The third pillar is continuous improvement, recognising sustainability as an ongoing journey in which growers receive actionable insights to optimise operations and improve environmental performance over time.