Cotton’s Livingston to retire 

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 11/9/2006 12:53:00 PM

New York – Ira Livingston, a 30-year veteran of Cotton Inc. and currently senior vp of consumer communications, will retire on Jan. 1, 2007 .

Livingston, who is currently responsible for trade, consumer and retail communications, was one of the key players in growing the Seal of Cotton awareness to an 80-plus percentage recognition, and in driving market share from 34% 30 years ago compared with synthetic fibers, to nearly a reverse of that ratio.

He also played a significant role in the development of the promotion of upland cotton on a global basis. “We knew early on that cotton had to go global,” said Livingston . As vp of marketing, he opened the first Cotton office in London and oversaw activities there and of similar outposts in Asia .