Meet the Makers: Texas Farmers & Ginners | Boll & Branch
An Innovation on American Soil
Organic Supima cotton, the longest-staple fiber that can naturally be grown, is only cultivated in the U.S. So few farmers are able to grow it due to the conditions that need to be maintained. These perfectly imperfect conditions leave a traceable "fingerprint" that authenticates each Supima fiber—a level of validation not possible with other varieties.
A Meticulous Approach to Farming and Ginning
This partner embodies our shared spirit of doing things the right way, not the easy way. Using rigorously monitored, time-honored growing techniques to produce the highest-quality yield, their process involves daily monitoring to ensure the soil condition and growing environment are just right. After they harvest, they carefully process the cotton using their own gin—one of only 5 in the U.S. that are allowed to gin organic Supima.
A Commitment to Soil
To protect and preserve the soil, this partner uses natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides—like neem plant and garlic oil—to keep harmful bugs at bay. This simultaneously allows the “good” bugs, like spiders and bees, to stay and benefit the crop.
Conserving Our Water
Taking advantage of the fact that Supima cotton requires less water than conventional cotton farming, this partner efficiently waters their fields using a drip irrigation system that feeds the crops at the root rather than from the topsoil down.
Leaving No Waste
Our partner uses all byproducts produced by their cotton plants: seeds are crushed to make cottonseed oil and the hulls of the seed become animal feed, while the stalk of the plant is used for livestock bedding.