Textile Exchange

🎙️Meet the host of the 2026 Textile Exchange Conference

We’re excited to share that Samata () will return to host this year’s conference.

Samata is a storyteller, entrepreneur, and sustainability leader working at the intersection of fashion, culture, climate, and education. As founder and CEO of BLACK PEARL, she has partnered with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Billie Eilish’s Overheated to drive systemic change across entertainment and fashion, including clients such as ROC NATION and Universal Music Group.

She is widely recognized for helping bring sustainability to the Oscars, creating a visible platform for eco-conscious fashion on one of the world’s most influential stages. By collaborating with high-profile cultural figures including Zoe Saldaña, Tati Gabrielle, Billie Eilish, Maggie Baird, and others, Samata has pioneered conversations around circular fashion, recycling, and the importance of indigenous and underrepresented designers. She is also a regular contributor on culture and sustainability across fashion, music, and entertainment for Access Hollywood on NBC.

We look forward to the perspectives and expertise she will bring to this year’s conference!

🔗 Get your tickets now at the link in our bio

“Being here today is something very concrete, and a recognition of a life transformed by organic cotton.”

Day two of the Organic Cotton Summit focused on regional realities and the conditions needed for organic cotton systems to thrive long term 🌱

Throughout the day, farmers, producer groups, brands, and supply system partners shared perspectives on the unique challenges and opportunities shaping organic cotton across different regions. We had the opportunity to learn about innovations and solutions already advancing these systems, and the challenges and locally grounded insights that come with them.

A strong theme across the regional dialogues was the need for long-term demand, stronger collaboration, and sourcing approaches that better reflect local realities. The central question guiding these dialogues was, “what conditions are needed for organic cotton systems to remain economically and environmentally viable over the long term?”

The closing sessions highlighted both the shared challenges facing organic cotton globally and the importance of region-specific solutions, partnerships, and continued cross-regional learning.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversations over the past two days. We’re grateful to our partner Organic Cotton Accelerator in helping us bring together this landmark event.

➡️ Next stop: a field trip into the cotton fields of Izmir, Türkiye to see organic cotton practices firsthand.

What a day kicking off the Organic Cotton Summit 🌿

Day one’s conversations brought together voices from across the supply chain, from farmers and brands, to producers and policymakers. Across every session, one message came through clearly: scaling organic cotton depends on long-term commitment, stronger collaboration, and systems that work for the people growing it.

We heard directly from farmers in Pakistan, India, Türkiye, and Brazil about the realities of transitioning to organic cotton, including the risks, resilience, and support needed to make that transition viable long term. Discussions throughout the day reinforced the importance of fair pricing, demand security, technical support, and sustained partnerships that go beyond short-term sourcing cycles.

Traceability, certification integrity, and credible data were recurring themes across the summit. Sessions explored how stronger verification systems, farmer-centered traceability, and better impact measurement can help connect on-the-ground practices to meaningful climate, biodiversity, and market outcomes.

There was also a strong focus on policy and investment. From financing models that better support farmers and supply chain actors, to upcoming EU sustainability legislation and evolving certification systems, the conversations highlighted the scale of coordination needed to move the sector forward.

As we head into day two, there’s a growing sense of momentum around building organic cotton systems that are both transparent and rooted in long-term collaboration 🤝

Material production can work in harmony with nature, rather than against it 🌱

“Now we Live in Paradise” is a short film by Textile Exchange that illustrates how the materials in our clothing and textiles can be integrated into agricultural systems that nourish the land and the surrounding nature.

The film gets its name from a reflection shared by one of the farmers, when asked about the changes he has observed in his plot of land since he began growing using agroecological methods. “Hoje eu moro no paraíso,” he responded, meaning “Now, I live in paradise.”

Watch the film at our link in bio.

Film Director: 
DOP: .i