I was shopping for my husband recently. Found a button-down shirt I thought he would like. We wear cotton as much as we can in our family, and I always check labels when I’m shopping for clothing. Fortunately, I didn’t have to check the label on this shirt. It had a little cotton boll embroidered right on the front pocket. I rationalized that only a cotton shirt would have a cotton emblem prominently displayed for the world to see. 

But as I was holding the shirt in the checkout line, I realized the material didn’t feel very “cotton-y.” Sure enough, the tag inside the garment read 95% nylon, 5% spandex. Apparently not a stitch of natural fiber made it into this shirt — not even in logo.  

I felt duped. A near-victim of false advertising. I explained to the young clerk at the register that his store was selling shirts which bore an image of cotton but actually contained none. He did not seem to share my disdain. He did manage a polite, “Really?” before asking if I wanted to join the store’s VIP rewards program. 

I didn’t join, and I didn’t buy the shirt. 

As a consumer, I realize most brand marketing requires a willing suspension of disbelief. I don’t really expect a Redbull energy drink to give me actual wings, or that eating a Snicker’s bar will change my personality. But a cotton logo on a garment seems more like a confirmation of the fiber material being used. It would be like putting a photo of a Jersey cow on a tub of Country Crock margarine. 

I guess it says something for cotton’s brand that a company believes an image of a boll is enough to move their product. But their omission of the fiber is certainly not helping growers or the many stakeholders in the cotton industry — the very people who would probably be most likely to buy a shirt with this image on it. 

We live in a society that values authenticity — or at least we say we do. It’s no longer enough for a business to deliver a quality product, companies must be genuine, credible and transparent in our hyper-connected world. That’s what makes this case of cotton appropriation a bit surprising. 

World Cotton Day is Oct. 7. The special day is meant to be a time to celebrate the industry and the plant itself. Cotton has an uphill battle. Promoting its sustainability and enduring positive impact is important. Better yet, it’s authentic. And consumers like that. 

If you’re on social media, share a positive cotton story on the 7th, with #WorldCottonDay.  

And, if you’re shopping don’t forget to check clothing labels before you buy — no matter what is on the shirt.