He was careful to point out that the research doesn't mean sustainability isn't important ... only that it's a more important issue for the supply chain than it is for consumers.

"People often ask: How can we strive to plant more cotton when the world needs more food? Well, in the future, the world is going to need more of a lot of things! That's why cotton has - and will continue to - improve its production practices. The industry will innovate and find ways for cotton to require less land, less water, less energy, and fewer chemicals to generate even more fiber," he said.

International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)