#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.

Huixing acquires insolvent Mayer & Cie.

Insolvency proceedings for the circular knitting and braiding machine manufacturer Mayer & Cie. were opened on December 1, 2025. Immediately following the opening of proceedings, the complete cessation of business operations was initiated. Most employees were subsequently given notice effective the end of February 2026. The production of the remaining orders in the circular knitting segment is expected to be completed by the end of the month. As early as December 2025, Mayer & Cie.’s braiding machine division was sold to an Italian investor.

Testing and research laboratory ensures safe and more sustainable products worldwide

For 80 years, Hohenstein has stood for independent testing, scientific expertise and practical solutions. Today, the testing and research service provider supports manufacturers and brands worldwide in making textiles, hardlines and medical devices safe, more sustainable and market-ready – thereby building trust among consumers. With an international presence and interdisciplinary expertise, Hohenstein supports its customers from production through to market launch, helping them navigate an environment of growing regulatory and societal demands.