Their Fibre
For the past 7 years, they have been a dedicated grower of Australian Long Staple (ALS) premium cotton varieties. They have been a key grower in the Australian cotton industry's "Premium Cotton Initiative" which started in 2007.
AUSTRALIAN SUPER COTTON is a long staple (fibre) length, which means you can create a stronger garment or textile product out of less yarn. Fewer fibres in turn mean softness and a more luxurious feel. The raw premium cotton feels very soft and silky, with a bit of a shine to it, similar to wool. Producing premium cotton is much more than selecting the right varieties. Much of the characteristics are to do with the hot dry area of Australia it is grown, but more importantly the management decisions made during the life cycle of the crop.
Farming Practices
St George in South West Queensland is the ideal place to grow specialty cotton. With water allocations most years from the Balonne River, at the intersection of two major transport routes, and access to two ginning plants within less than 50km’s, ‘Benelong’ is situated in a winning spot. Glenn voluntarily uses Best Management Practices (myBMP) whilst growing his cotton. One very appealing feature of this leading industry initiative is that it enables full traceability - from end product right back to which paddock the cotton was grown in by individual farmers. It also ensures that cotton is produced on farms with the best farming techniques, technology and in an environmentally sustainable way.
Glenn's daughter Rebecca also plays a fundamental roll in the business as their product development manager. After graduating from the university of Queensland, Rebecca went on to be a grower representative on the CRDC committees which reviews research and funding for the cotton industry. She is also a qualified auditor and today looks after the compliance and the intricate record keeping side of their business.