Coleambally cotton grower Joe Briggs recently brought the story of Australian cotton to city airwaves, joining 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham live in the Sydney studio for a conversation that spotlighted the fibre used by some of the nation’s most iconic fashion and homewares brands.
Speaking live on air, Joe (joined by Cotton Australia Communications Manager Darrin Davies) offered listeners a firsthand look at what it takes to grow Australian cotton – highlighting the industry's commitment to sustainability, innovation, and the care taken behind every fibre.
Fordham opened the interview by addressing a common misconception: does cotton really use a lot of water to grow? Joe was quick to clarify. “Australian cotton growers now use 52% less water than they did 30 years ago,” he explained, crediting the improvement to advanced water management practices, telemetry, moisture probes, and strategic irrigation - adding that growers have the crop so finely tuned that the same plant now produces more cotton with fewer resources.
They also touched on what has been a challenging season for some growers, who have faced heavy rainfall and flooding.
“We’ve had crops underwater,” Davies explained, “but because cotton is so resilient, it’s able to, in most cases, bounce back.”
“It’s a very positive outcome above all - and of course, what that rain means is that next year we’ve got some water in the profile: in the dams and in the soil.”
To mark the occasion, Joe gifted Ben a set of Country Road Australian cotton tea towels. Ben couldn’t resist commenting on their softness - before joking he might now have to do the dishes at home.
For brands, it was a timely reminder that every product has a story – and Australian cotton’s is one worth telling.
Listen to the full interview here.
June 2025