Victoria’s Secret is sharing the news of its latest partnerships with four cotton farmers in North Alabama.
Their goal is to “redefine supplier relationships” by purchasing cotton directly from the four Alabama family farms — one Black-owned, and three women-owned.
Bill Bridgeforth with Bridgeforth Farms says this can be a game-changer for the industry.
“Anytime there are less intermediaries in between us and the end user, that’s generally a little more profit for us and a little more savings for the Victoria Secret’s of the world,” he said.
For the Bridgeforth Family, farming has been a part of their way of life for over a century. But it’s the cotton that has taken their business to the next level.
Bridgeforth Farms, one of four farms partnering with the famous clothing brand, is a Black-owned family business with a history that spans five generations. The Bridgeforth’s great-grandfather was a freed slave who started the farm in Limestone County shortly after the Civil War in 1877. Today, the farm produces essential crops like grains, oilseeds, soybeans, and corn on more than ten thousand acres of land.
Over the years the family has received several recognitions for their product. They were invited to the White House to receive the “Champion of Change” award and partnered with Target last year for their Black History Month collection.
Their latest partnership with Victoria’s Secret has allowed them to add to that resume. But it doesn’t come without producing top-quality products.
“They want us to use regenerative ag practices and climate-smart practices when we’re producing cotton for them,” Bridgeforth explained. “So we have to be selective in the bails that meet that criteria.”
Most of the cotton has already been collected and sent off to processing for the retailer’s spring 2024 collection.
While this may have been an accomplishment they “never imagined in a lifetime”, the Bridgeforth’s do believe they have an even brighter future ahead.
“We have some young folks involved with us and they always have some excellent ideas and it challenges all of us to stay focused and make the best of this family partnership,” Bill Bridgeforth said.
Source: WHNT
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