Kontoor and Panda Biotech grow US hemp alliance
United States (US)-based Kontoor Brands (the owner of denim brands Lee and Wrangler) and Panda Biotech, an emerging leader in US-grown industrial hemp fibre, recently deepened their existing collaboration, first formed around the time of Panda’s founding in 2019.
Key to the expanded partnership will be scaling and enhancing the traceability of textile-grade cottonised hemp produced and processed in the US, a press release said.
As a result of the collaboration, Kontoor plans to bring denim made with US grown and processed hemp to market by 2023.
President of Panda Biotech, Dixie Carter, commented: “As a leading global denim manufacturer, with vast experience in bringing innovative fibres and processes to market, Kontoor Brands has been an invaluable ally as we build the largest industrial hemp processing facility in the US for high-quality, textile-grade fibre and hurd.
“We are aligned in our desire for our domestically grown fibre to be the most traceable hemp in the world and processed using renewable practices. We are excited to be working with Kontoor and its iconic global brands to expand access to domestically grown and processed hemp.”
Senior director of global material innovation and product development at Kontoor Brands, Dhruv Agarwal, added: “Sustainable hemp creates the perfect complement fibre to cotton. We are excited by the opportunity to advance the denim industry’s use of environmentally friendly hemp to craft high-quality, eco-conscious apparel.
“Our work with Panda Biotech has been focused on making truly sustainable hemp, unlocking an additional commercialised fibre crop for American farmers and providing consumers with access to more sustainable apparel.”
Last week, Pakistan-based mill and manufacturer AGI Denim announced its partnership with Panda.
Image: Kontoor Brands.
