#Raw Materials

2024-10-03

The 82nd Plenary Meeting: PSAC Session on fiber requirements

During each International Cotton Advisory Committee Plenary Meeting, the Private Sector Advisory Council hosts a session on the topic they’d focused on discussing throughout the year, sharing their insights with the audience and working to advance the interests of the global cotton industry’s business community.

This year, the PSAC hosted the Fifth Open Session, entitled, “Traceability and Sustainability Requirements in Natural vs. Man-made Fibers.” The Chair of the PSAC, Mr Peter Wakefield of Wakefield Inspection, introduced the four speakers:

Anees Khawaja, MG Apparel: Mr Khawaja emphasized the critical need to put sustainability at the core of cotton's strategy, especially because it is biodegradable and provides employment in developing regions — thus making a stark comparison with synthetic fibers, which do neither of those things.

Marc Lewkowitz, Supima: Representing the perspective of the Producers and Ginners Committee, he offered three recommendations: find a common, practical definition of what traceability is, develop a clear and concise bale ID system, and ensure there are support systems to help gradually transition to global implementation.

Eimear McDonagh, Agri Direct Australia: Speaking on behalf of the Merchants Committee, Ms McDonagh offered several conclusions at the end of her presentation, including that cotton is being held to a different standard than other fibers; and that success will depend on collaborating with governments and brands.

Debra Guo, Textile Exchange: Ms Guo discussed a number of topics, including the concept of “preferred materials” — a fiber or raw material that delivers consistently reduced impacts and increased benefits for climate, nature, and people against the conventional equivalent, through a holistic approach to transforming production systems.

The 82nd Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has the theme, '"Global Partnerships to Promote Innovation in the Cotton and Textile Value Chains. Scheduled for September 30 to October 3, 2024, at the International Hotel in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the conference will be followed by several Technical Tours of Uzbekistan's cotton and textile industries. For more information and to see the full agenda, please click here.

ICAC to support European Commission on pending PEF legislation

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is proud to announce that it has been included as a member of the European Commission’s Technical Advisory Board (TAB) on the Product Environmental Footprint methodology. The Commission developed the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) to assess and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organizations.

ICAC to collaborate with Uzbekistan and Bizpando on regenerative agriculture

The Government of Uzbekistan has allocated 55,000 hectares of land to implement a regenerative agriculture program for cotton as part of a collaborative project with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and Bizpando, a company with a a blockchain-based internet platform designed to ensure supply chain compliance.

ICAC announces postponement of the 83rd Plenary Meeting in Tanzania

Due to unforeseen circumstances arising from the recent developments in Tanzania, the ICAC has announced that its upcoming 83rd Plenary Meeting has been postponed. Scheduled for Nov. 17-20 in Mwanza, the delay was recommended by Tanzania, and the decision was made out of an abundance of caution, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.

Lenzing AG to become majority owner of TreeToTextile AB and accelerates industrialization of new fibers

The Lenzing Group is taking another strategic milestone by acquiring a controlling majority in the Swedish innovation company TreeToTextile AB. This step strengthens Lenzing’s position as a leading provider of sustainable, wood‑based specialty fibers and expands its innovation pipeline with a highly scalable, patent‑protected technology platform. The transaction is executed through the issuance of new shares.

Cotton Incorporated appoints Bev Sylvester as Chief Marketing Officer

Cotton Incorporated announces the appointment of Bev Sylvester as chief marketing officer. In this newly created role, Sylvester will oversee Cotton Incorporated’s marketing strategy, brand positioning, consumer engagement and global outreach to increase demand for cotton and strengthen its relevance in the marketplace.

OEKO-TEX® chooses TextileGenesis to advance digital traceability for organic cotton

OEKO-TEX® today announced a full collaboration with TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to digitally trace and authenticate organic cotton, strengthening fraud prevention across the supply chain. This announcement follows a successful pilot and brings together OEKO-TEX®’s certification expertise and closed testing system with TextileGenesis’ digital traceability platform to deliver a secure, end-to-end solution for managing certified organic cotton flows.

“Action helps us change what we do!”

DAY 0 takes place deliberately before PERFORMANCE DAYS begins. It is conceived as a space for reflection, dialogue and active engagement — a moment to pause before the fair, rethink established systems and address sustainability not as a trend, but as a fundamental transformation challenge. Under the guiding metaphor “Turn the Tap Off”, DAY 0 focuses on root causes rather than symptoms, systemic change rather than isolated solutions, and collective responsibility rather than individual silos.

Pets in fashion: functional and sustainable textiles find new market at Intertextile Apparel

China’s pet economy is booming, especially amongst younger generations, and pet apparel – from designer outfits to functional garments – was a RMB 3.5 billion (over USD 500 million) market in 2024, growing more than 20% annually¹. To help exhibitors harness this trend, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Spring Edition 2026 will launch the Pet Boutique, presenting a range of innovative, sustainable materials that prioritise both functionality and comfort for pets.

VAUDE eliminates PFAS from all products

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are now detectable worldwide – in drinking water, soil and the human body. These so-called “forever chemicals” are considered hazardous to health and potentially carcinogenic, as they do not break down and remain in the environment permanently. Despite these risks, PFAS are still used in a wide range of products. More than 15 years ago, VAUDE made a strategic decision to gradually eliminate PFAS from all product categories.