[pageLogInLogOut]

#Associations

Latest news from Bremen: ICAC Plenary Meeting to take place right before the International Cotton Conference

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) will hold its 83rd Plenary Meeting on 23–24 March 2026 at the Parliament building in Bremen. The meeting will take place immediately ahead of the 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen (25–27 March 2026) and marks a historic premiere: for the first time, the ICAC Plenary will be hosted in close cooperation with the Bremen Cotton Exchange and the Faserinstitut Bremen e.V. (FIBRE).

The ICAC is a government-level association headquartered in Washington, DC. Its member countries produce, process, or trade cotton. The ICAC Plenary Meeting will be held under the motto “Uniting the Cotton and Textiles Value Chain for a Sustainable Future” and highlights the organization’s commitment to supporting its member governments and advancing sustainability, innovation, and economic prosperity across the entire cotton and textile value chain—from seed to retail.

“Hosting our 83rd Plenary Meeting at Bremen’s Parliament House marks a first-ever, historic collaboration between ICAC and the Bremen Cotton Exchange,” said Eric Trachtenberg, Executive Director of ICAC. “For decades, our organizations have worked together to benefit the global cotton and textile industry, and this joint week of programming promises to be a can’t-miss event for professionals from every segment of the value chain. We are thrilled to connect high-level government delegates with the technical and commercial expertise that Bremen’s conference delivers so successfully.”

Fritz Grobien, President of the Bremen Cotton Exchange, said, “We are very pleased to welcome the ICAC to Bremen as a government-level organization. The ICAC, the Bremen Cotton Exchange, and the Fibre Institute Bremen are three institutions in the global cotton industry that represent the topic of cotton in different ways and at the highest level. Therefore, I am even more delighted to have the ICAC Plenary as a valuable contributor at the beginning of our own conference.”

The International Cotton Conference Bremen is known for addressing topics such as cotton cultivation, quality assessment, textile processing, innovative cotton products, and the interconnected textile value chain.

The Bremen Cotton Exchange, FIBRE, and the ICAC are looking forward to welcoming delegates from government, industry, and research to Bremen in March 2026. This pioneering week of events offers a unique opportunity to actively help shape the future of the global cotton and textile industry.

Online access to the Cotton Conference

Conference participants who are not travelling to Bremen and have opted to participate online can follow the conference on the tried-and-tested online platform. Here, all par-ticipants have access to the main conference sessions. Participants attending in per-son can also follow sessions online and use the wide range of networking tools. The team from the Bremen Cotton Exchange and FIBRE will provide information on further programme topics at the International Cotton Conference with additional press re-leases in the run-up to the event. All information is regularly updated and can be found on the conference website at

www.cotton-conference-bremen.de




More News from

#Recycled Fibers

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

#Spinning

STEELTOP®: A new benchmark in flat tops for spinning preparation

Modern carding generations achieve higher production performance, placing significantly greater stress on flat tops. Higher cylinder speeds and increased fiber density, combined with tighter carding gaps, create more demanding operating conditions. At the same time, poorer raw material quality and the increased use of recycled materials further intensify these challenges. With STEELTOP®, Trützschler introduces a new full steel flat top series developed for these demanding modern carding processes.

#Textile processing

YKK develops concept EXCELLA® zipper tape using nonwoven fabric partially derived from used clothing

YKK Corporation has developed a concept version of its premium EXCELLA® zipper series made from nonwoven fabric sheets created by fiberizing used clothing and other textile materials. Based on a proposal by fashion designer Yuima Nakazato, this item was created as a result of collaboration between Nakazato, Seiko Epson Corporation and YKK. The concept zipper was incorporated as a material component for pieces in the newest YUIMA NAKAZATO Couture Collection, “INFERNO,” which was unveiled in Paris, France on July 8, 2026.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris highlights evolving global sourcing landscape

From 31 August to 2 September 2026, Texworld Apparel Sourcing Paris will bring together more than 1,000 international exhibitors at Paris-Le Bourget Exhibition Centre. This edition reflects the new global balance of textile and apparel sourcing, highlighting a strong diversity of sourcing countries — some unexpected.

More News on Associations

#Associations

Sustainability: European industry calls on EU to keep Single-Use Plastics Directive unchanged

A broad coalition of European industry associations, including EDANA, Euratex and Plastics Europe, has urged EU institutions to maintain the current legal framework of the Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD). In a joint statement, the organisations argue that reopening the Directive at this stage would create legal uncertainty, increase regulatory complexity and undermine investment, while its implementation across the European Union is still incomplete.

#Associations

Textile machinery: Italian technology charts the course for revival

Operating in a scenario characterized by geopolitical instability, slowing industrial investments, and new protectionist pressures. This is the main challenge for the Italian textile machinery industry that emerged during the General Assembly of ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers), held today in Milan at the Shareholders’ Hall of Palazzo Edison.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

New skills for a circular textile economy

Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis, the Erasmus+ project Skills4Circularity is developing three practical training modules covering recycling technologies, eco-design for the circular economy and sustainable manufacturing. The content of the first module, Recycling Technologies, has now been developed and validated together with industry representatives. The module provides participants with knowledge of regulatory requirements, material sorting and the preparation of textile waste for recycling.

#Associations

Bangladesh: Italian textile machinery mission stops in Dhaka and Chittagong

Technological upgrading and the transition toward higher value-added production are driving the new Italian industrial mission to Bangladesh. This year, the mission will split between the country’s two main manufacturing hubs, where Italian manufacturers will meet the leaders of the local textile supply chain in two strategic stages: July 7th in Dhaka and July 9th in Chittagong.

Latest News

#Textile processing

Dedicated car seat model of SHIMA SEIKI’s P-CAM® R Cutting Machine unveiled

Leading Japanese textile solutions provider SHIMA SEIKI MFG., LTD. of Wakayama, Japan, showed a special version of its P-CAM® R multi-ply computerized cutting machine dedicated to the production of car seats for the first time, at a private exhibition held over two days on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd at the Kariya City Industrial Promotion Center in Aichi Prefecture.

#Research & Development

ALADIN paves the way for circular and demand-driven textile production in Europe

Textile production can be organized sustainably by utilizing short supply chains and preventing overproduction. This can already be achieved today by intelligently connecting and efficiently utilizing existing infrastructure. At the same time, production becomes circular when innovative technologies and materials are used that enable high-quality recycling. The ALADIN research project, launched in May 2026 and co-funded with five million euros under the EU Horizon Europe program, is creating the conditions for this.

#Nonwovens

Katharina Obergruber appointed to the Management Board of Sandler AG

The Supervisory Board of Sandler AG has appointed Katharina Obergruber to the company’s Management Board. Effective September 1, 2026, the Board will consist of Philipp Ebbinghaus (CEO), Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck (currently CCO, future COO), and Katharina Obergruber (CCO). Katharina Obergruber, currently Chief Sales Officer Hygiene and member of the Management Team of Sandler AG, will assume responsibility for all sales activities as Chief Commercial Officer. She will assume this role from Dr. Ulrich Hornfeck, who will focus primarily on production and supply chain topics.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Ence and ShareTex begin initial testing of the ATENEA innovation project to promote textile recycling in Spain

Ence and ShareTex are making progress on the Atenea R&D project, which aims to develop a complete value chain for textile recycling in Spain. Specifically, the goal of the ATENEA project—which is funded by the Center for Technological Development and Innovation (CDTI)—is to connect all the necessary stages for the recovery of textile waste, from collection and management, through recycling and transformation into new raw materials, to their incorporation into new textile products.

TOP