#Raw Materials

2020-04-02

Early impacts of Covid-19 are crippling the cotton supply chain

Cotlook A Index - Trade disputes, slowdown of economic growth and a global health crises (c) 2020 ICAC

We don’t yet know what the ultimate impact of Covid-19 will be on the cotton industry, but the fast-moving pandemic has injected a tremendous amount of uncertainty into every link of the global supply chain. Millions of people are self-isolating and the cotton and textile business is at a virtual standstill.

The ultimate impact of the Covid-19 virus on the cotton and textile industry is uncertain but the sector has been affected along with the general economy

Brands and retailers are cancelling orders, leaving spinners and textile manufacturers in Asia and Southeast Asia in a financial crisis

The global consumption estimate has been revised downward to 24.6 million tonnes

As many businesses have been required to slowdown or close for the consideration of public health, manufacturing and supply chain activity in Asia and Southeast Asia have decelerated as orders have slowed or have been cancelled — and things could get much worse in the coming months. The initial impacts of Covid-19 on GDP growth in many major economies is likely to be significant in the short term.

The Secretariat’s current price projection for the year-end 2019/20 average of the Cotlook A Index has been revised to 73.5 cents per pound this month. Our first price projection for the year-end 2020/21 average of the Cotlook A Index is 64 cents per pound.

The global production estimate for the 2019/20 season remains unchanged at 25.9 million tonnes while our consumption estimate has been revised downward to 24.6 million tonnes.

Cotton This Month is published at the beginning of the month with the Cotton Update published mid-month. The Cotton Update, which is included in the Cotton This Month subscription, is a mid-month report with updated information on supply/demand estimates and prices. The next Cotton Update will be released on 15 April 2020. The next Cotton This Month will be released on 1 May 2020.

Dr N Vigneshwaran is named 2026 ICAC Researcher of the Year

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is pleased to announce the selection of Dr N Vigneshwaran, Principal Scientist and Head of the Chemical and Biochemical Processing Division at the ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, India, as the ICAC Researcher of the Year 2026.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

New U.S. cotton study uses real-world grower data to reveal where fiber impacts occur

Cotton Incorporated has released a critically reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) of U.S. cotton fiber production that examines how cotton’s environmental impacts are measured and where meaningful improvements can be made across the value chain. The new data, grounded in real‑world grower inputs, measures what drives U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint from field to gin.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.