#Raw Materials

2021-02-04

Sustainability remains front of mind as BCI welcomes new members through 2020

As the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world, BCI works with members across the cotton supply chain – from farm to retail – to ensure there is continuous demand for and supply of Better Cotton, the cotton produced by licensed BCI Farmers.

In the second half of 2020, BCI was delighted to welcome 197 new members, including 24 retailers and brands and 170 suppliers and manufacturers, as well as one new civil society organisation and two new associate members.

The latest retailers and brands to join BCI and support Better Cotton are:

BIG W, DR Ling Indústria e Comércio, Eterna Mode GmbH, Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof GmbH, JD Sport Plc, JYSK, Koton Magazacilik Tekstil Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Lands End, Luxottica Group, Maison Tess, Marc Cain GmbH, Masai Clothing Company, Mustang Group, New Balance Athletics, Inc., Newbale Clothing Pty Limited, Peek & Cloppenburg KG Hamburg, Reiss, Sprinter Megacentros del Deporte SL, Stitch Fix. Inc, Suzhou Les Enphants Children Articles Co., Ltd, The Workwear Group Pty Ltd, Tommy Bahama, Wehkamp and Zimmermann Wear Pty Limited.

In 2020, Koton Magazacilik Tekstil Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S. became the first Turkish brand to join BCI. Mrs Gülden Yilmaz, Koton Board Member, said, “Sustainability is vital for our business and essential to address our consumers’ changing priorities and needs. As an important step in our sustainability journey, we became the first Turkish brand to become a member of BCI. We are proud to raise awareness of the initiative and Better Cotton in Turkey. We aim to source 10 percent of all our cotton-containing products as Better Cotton by the first anniversary of our BCI membership (November 2021), rising to 60 percent over the next five years.”

DelRio (DR Ling) became BCI’s second Brazilian retailer and brand member in 2020. “By joining BCI, we affirm our purpose to continuously improve our commitment to the environment and more sustainable practices. Our ambition is to progressively expand our sourcing of more sustainable cotton in the coming decade to reach the target of 100% of our cotton sourced as Better Cotton,” said Carlos Pereira de Souza, President, Del Rio.

BCI’s demand-driven funding model means that when BCI’s retailer and brand members source cotton as Better Cotton it directly translates into increased investment in training for cotton farmers on more sustainable practices. Learn more about BCI’s mass balance chain of custody model.

In addition to retailers and brands, 170 new suppliers and manufacturers joined BCI in 2020. Organisations joined from 25 countries including Poland, Peru, South Korea, Egypt and Mauritius. Suppliers and manufacturers form a critical link between Better Cotton supply and demand, and they ensure increased volumes of Better Cotton can flow through the supply chain.

“After a challenging year due to Covid-19, it has been incredibly encouraging to see businesses across the cotton supply chain continue to address sustainability challenges and commit to sourcing and supporting more sustainable cotton,” commented Paula Lum Young-Bautil, Deputy Director, Membership & Supply Chain, BCI.

Through 2020, more than 400 organisations joined BCI, taking BCI’s total membership to just shy of 2,200 members at the end of the year.

You can find a list of all members who joined BCI in the second half of 2020 here:

https://bettercotton.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/List_New-BCI-Members_H2-2020.pdf

Find a full list of all BCI Members here:

https://bettercotton.org/find-members/

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Lenzing commissions 14 MW power‑to‑heat facility, strengthening grid stability and heat management

The Lenzing Group has successfully commissioned a new power‑to‑heat (P2H) facility with an electrical capacity of 14 megawatts. The installation converts renewable electricity directly into process heat, is fully integrated into the existing heat network at the industrial site, and represents a key building block for a fossil‑free heat supply. As project partner, VERBUND was responsible for the energy‑market integration and will operate the facility for balancing energy marketing, enabling it to respond flexibly to short‑term fluctuations in the power grid.

Kraig Biocraft reaches next step in production growth

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced that it has produced more than 1.3 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons in a single month. This is a new world record and shatters the Company’s previous production record by a factor of five. Today marks a pivotal step forward in the transition of spider silk from laboratory innovation to an industrial-scale material platform.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

Techtextil & Texprocess 2026: Global benchmark for textile innovation – Performance Apparel Textiles takes centre stage at the opening

With 1,700 exhibitors from 54 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 showcase the full range of innovation within the international textile industry – from new materials and recycling technologies to finishing solutions and high-performance textile manufacturing and processing technologies. The opening press conference centred on a key theme where innovation is especially strong: Performance Apparel Textiles.

Circulose and CTA announce collaboration to enable lyocell fibers using CIRCULOSE® pulp

Circulose has announced an agreement with China Textile Academy Green Fibre (CTA) to offer lyocell fibers produced using CIRCULOSE® pulp. Producing lyocell from recycled pulp at commercial scale is an important step in making textile-to-textile recycled materials available across a wider range of textile applications.