#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.

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.

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.

Keeping products moving with Swedish automation at FILTECH 2026

At FILTECH 2026, taking place in Cologne from June 30th to July 2nd, members of TMAS – the Swedish textile machinery association – will highlight how the country’s engineering expertise is enabling filtration manufacturers to increase productivity, improve traceability and reduce dependence on labour-intensive manual processes.