#Raw Materials

2019-04-03

Global consumption projected to reach record high in 2019/20

While the global cotton industry continues to face a number of challenges — trade uncertainties, slowing economic growth and weakening demand — consumption is still expected to set an all-time high in 2019/20, reaching 27.3 million tonnes.

Despite persistent challenges, global cotton consumption should reach an all-time high in 2019/20
World production should rise to 27.6 million tonnes, boosted in part by a 6% increase in global yields
Ending stocks are projected to increase slightly from 2018/19 to 17.7 million tonnes
ICAC’s price projection for the A Index at the end of 2019/20 is 81.25 cents per pound, with a forecast range between 60.71 to 94.23 cents per pound

That record-breaking number still won’t be enough to keep global ending stocks from rising by the end of the 2019/20, however. Total production is projected to reach 27.6 million tonnes, a number boosted in part by a 6% increase in global yields, which should leave 17.7 million tonnes in the world’s warehouses at the end of next season.

According to ICAC’s price projection, changes in market fundamentals — particularly the stocks-to-mill-use (SMU) ratio outside of China — will drive a decrease in the A Index, which is now expected to drop to 81.25 cents per pound in 2019/20.

Steadiness in global production, consumption and stock levels

ICAC’s 84th Plenary Meeting to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt

Registration will soon be open for the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s 84th Plenary Meeting, to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt. The local Organizing Committee in Egypt has chosen “Building a Resilient and Competitive Future for Cotton and Textiles” as the theme for the event, which will be held at the Rixos Montaza Alexandria Resort.

Global cotton production projected to outpace consumption, but risks remain

Global cotton production is projected to reach 26.2 million tonnes in the 2026/27 season, marginally outpacing estimated consumption of 25.9 million tonnes. However, early-season production risks — including weather volatility and pest pressures — could narrow that buffer as the crop progresses, according to the September 2026 issue of Cotton This Month, published by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Global garment trade nears USD 550 billion as competition intensifies

The global garment industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades, with knit and woven garments together accounting for nearly 60% of world textile exports in 2025, according to the August 2026 issue of The Textiles Observer, a free publication from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

ICAC International Seminar in Taipei to explore strategic synergies across the textile supply chain

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) — together with the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan — will bring international cotton and textile leaders together in Taipei on September 10 for the ICAC International Seminar 2026.

Coats Digital launches AI-powered GSD RealMotion for motion analysis

Coats Digital has launched GSD RealMotion, an AI-powered solution designed to provide apparel manufacturers with greater visibility into factory-floor operations. By analysing shop-floor video and applying Coats Digital’s GSD methodology, the solution turns video recordings into structured, motion-by-motion method studies.

Archroma and Lameirinho partner in pioneering deployment of InOneGO single-step dyeing

Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals, and Lameirinho, a leading home textiles manufacturer based in Portugal, are collaborating to bring InOneGO by Archroma, a new single-step dyeing process, into commercial production. Lameirinho’s first InOneGo bedlinens collection is now available worldwide.

Reducing development times for technical textiles by accelerated thermo-oxidative aging in a high-pressure autoclave

Synthetic polymers used in technical textiles can be effectively protected against degradation caused by heat, oxygen, and water through the use of stabilizer systems. This enables service lives of several decades, extending to more than 50 years. As the use of durable technical textiles continues to grow, so does the demand for reliable methods to predict their service life within economically feasible testing periods. For the first time the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) developed methods for robust service life prediction for textiles in an IGF research project.