#Raw Materials

2021-01-28

Lidl backs Cotton made in Africa

The Cotton made in Africa initiative (CmiA) is now able to significantly boost sales of sustainable cotton from Africa thanks to its partner Lidl, which is working to a very large extent with CmiA to achieve its goal of using 100 percent sustainable cotton by 2022. By considerably increasing its CmiA purchase volume, Lidl is making its supply chain more sustainable and is actively promoting socially and environmentally sustainable cotton production in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Lidl has been a partner of the Cotton made in Africa initiative since February 2020. Now, the company is making a major move towards African cotton by integrating sustainable cotton into the production of its own textile brands. By 2022, Lidl intends to be using exclusively sustainable cotton, which will be achieved primarily through Cotton made in Africa. Under this system, a licensing fee is paid for each textile item bearing the CmiA seal. CmiA then reinvests this fee in its projects in Africa, which focus on providing small-scale farmers with training in sustainable cultivation methods and in business fundamentals. This training enables the cotton farmers to maintain soil fertility and to use only rainwater to irrigate their fields, for example. In addition, the CmiA standard prohibits the use of genetically modified seeds as well as the deforestation of primary forests. CmiA is currently supporting around 900,000 small-scale farmers in ten countries.

By increasing the demand for more sustainable CmiA-verified cotton, Lidl is making an important contribution to African small-scale farmers and their families. This growth in demand will also make it possible to implement additional measures to support people and to protect the environment in CmiA project regions.

“We are thrilled that our partner Lidl is expanding the role played by Cotton made in Africa in its product range. Such a substantial, forward-looking commitment to our initiative helps us further expand our activities in our partner countries in Africa and make an essential contribution to better living conditions and environmental protection”, says Tina Stridde, managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation, commenting on the expansion of CmiA’s partnership with Lidl.

To help consumers recognise the brand, Lidl is marking the sustainable textiles with Cotton made in Africa’s red seal. Starting February, these products will be available on Lidl´s Non-Food offers in Lidl’s stores and online shop in Germany as well as in Lidl locations in other countries.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

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.

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).

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).

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.