#Raw Materials

2021-05-12

Unprecedented demand for cotton made in Africa’s cotton

In 2020, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) was able to improve on the previous year’s gains, resulting in a record turnover of 276 million textiles bearing the red CmiA label. This benefits over one million small-scale farmers in Africa who are growing cotton in accordance with CmiA’s sustainability criteria.

Cotton made in Africa is one of the world’s leading standards for sustainably produced cotton from Africa. CmiA-verified raw cotton is in greater demand than ever, with some 60 retailers and brands bringing more than 276 million CmiA-labelled textiles to market in 2020 — a 120-percent increase over the previous year. CmiA was also able to significantly expand within the textile value chain, with its global network of registered partners rising by 58 percent to reach a total of 217 spinning mills and fabric producers throughout 20 countries, including eight in Africa.

“This growing demand is especially good news because it gives us more resources for our work in the field. Our principle of providing aid through trade is paying off,” says Tina Stridde, the managing director of the Aid by Trade Foundation, commenting on Cotton made in Africa’s progress.

Around 630,000 tonnes of ginned cotton from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania, Chad, and Uganda were produced in accordance with Cotton made in Africa’s criteria in the past year. More than 20 African cotton companies are working together with the Cotton made in Africa initiative to conduct agricultural training for small-scale farmers. The knowledge they acquire through this training enables the cotton growers to improve their harvests while cultivating this commodity in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way.

“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.

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.

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.

Global Mmeeting of textile technologies, ITM 2026, attracts great interest

ITM 2026, one of the world's most prestigious organizations in the field of textile technologies, opened its doors with the participation of over 1,000 companies and company representatives from 59 countries, as well as thousands of professional visitors from nearly 100 country. Attracting thousands of international visitors on its first day, ITM 2026 once again demonstrated its status as a global meeting point for the textile industry with its advanced technologies on display, newly established business connections, and record-breaking international participation.

Countdown to Textiles Recycling Expo 2026: Brussels prepares for Europe’s textile recycling gathering

With only two weeks remaining until the start of the second edition of the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026, preparations are entering the final phase. The exhibition and conference, dedicated exclusively to textile recycling and circularity, will take place on 24–25 June 2026 at Brussels Expo and is expected to attract stakeholders from across the textile recycling value chain.

Indorama Ventures enables brands to scale circular textiles through proven, traceable supply chains

Indorama Ventures, a global leader in recycled polyester staple fibers and filament yarns, will exhibit at Textiles Recycling Expo in Brussels on June 24–25. At the event, the company will show how brands and textile manufacturers can build traceable, circular textile supply chains by working with proven partners who deliver recycled materials on an industrial scale.