#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.

AMSilk and Ajinomoto Foods Europe expand partnership to enable industrial-scale production of silk proteins

AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader leader in biotech produced silk materials, today announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), marking a key step in scaling the industrial production of its silk proteins. Building on the collaboration first established in 2023, the two companies have now entered into a long-term manufacturing and supply agreement, enabling the transition from industrial validation to dedicated, large-scale production.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.

Industrial scale meets verified governance: RE&UP is now B Corp™ certified

RE&UP, the circular-tech transforming global textile waste into high-volume Next-Gen materials, has officially become a Certified B Corporation™. The milestone establishes the industrial recycler among a select group of manufacturing infrastructure providers verified as meeting B Lab Standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.