The Seal of Cotton Celebrates 50 Years

This year, the industry celebrates 50 years of the iconic Seal of Cotton, recognized by both consumers across the world and the global textile industry. In fact, more than 8 in 10 consumers (82%) say the seal makes them feel they can rely on the product/brand associated with it, according to Cotton Incorporated’s 2023 Seal of Cotton Survey. Plus, manufacturers and brands know that their consumers equate the logo with natural, versatile, and comfortable fibers.

The seal’s inception came two years prior to the launch, when Cotton Incorporated’s first president identified the need for a symbol that would convert cotton from a commonplace agricultural commodity into an identifiable consumer brand. The logo was created in 1973 by San Francisco-based creative agency, who also designed the famous Coca-Cola’s trademark.

In the past 50 years, The Seal of Cotton has been registered in nearly 70 countries with more than 950 brands. There are 190 worldwide licensees who use the seal royalty-free. There‘s only one requirement for using the seal: The product must be predominantly made of cotton.

See a full timeline of the Seal of Cotton’s history here.