La Rhea Pepper is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the global non-profit Textile Exchange and a life-long advocate for more sustainable practices in the apparel and textile industry.  For more than 18 years, Textile Exchange has been at the forefront of driving meaningful change towards preferred, organic and regenerative fibers. After spearheading the successful growth of the organic cotton market, Textile Exchange (formerly Organic Exchange) has expanded the chain of custody standards beyond Organic Fibers, to include recycled rPET, as well as Responsible Down, Responsible Wool and Mohair.   A 5th generation farmer and the co-founder of two successful organic cotton businesses, La Rhea’s unique perspective helps her lead Textile Exchange along with its pioneering Members to create preferred fiber and material strategies, strengthen integrity in the market place through the adoption of standards and promote deeper engagement within the supply network. Prior to Textile Exchange, La Rhea and her late husband, Terry, were founding members of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) in 1993.  Today, TOCMC is the largest organic cotton cooperative in the United States. Together, they built and demonstrated a sustainable business model for farmers creating strategic partnerships with various manufacturers and “value-added” programs including Cotton Plus (organic fabric) and Organic Essentials (organic personal care products).  In 1995, La Rhea served on the Administrative Council for Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) and two years later was elected to the Organic Trade Association’s Fiber Council Steering Committee. She joined the Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors in 1998 where she supported the creation of organic fiber processing standards and chain of custody for the industry. Continuing to serve and support advocacy for family farms in the US, she more recently served as chair for RAFI – the Rural Advancement Foundation International from 2015-2018.  La Rhea is currently serving on the board of Directors for CottonConnect and the Regenerative Organic Alliance. Ms. Pepper holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Abilene Christian University and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership from Lubbock Christian University.  www.TextileExchange.org ************* About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more:  Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute