#Raw Materials

2021-06-03

2021 Cotton Biotechnology Award recipient – Dr. Shuangxia Jin

Dr. Shuangxia Jin was selected as the winner of the 2021 Cotton Biotechnology Award. He is a full professor at Huazhong Agricultural University (HZUA). Dr. Jin earned his Ph.D. in 2006 from HZAU and then was a postdoctoral scientist from 2007 to 2012 at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Jin has been working in plant biotechnology for 15 years and his current research involves insects (whitefly/aphid/lygus), cotton / host molecular interaction, and genome editing. Dr. Jin has published more than 60 peer reviewed papers in high impact journals such as Advanced Science, Genome Biology, Nature Communications, Trends in Plant Science, Plant Physiology, and New Phytologist. He is a Senior Editor of Plant Biotechnology Journal (PBJ) and Journal of Cotton Research.

Dr. Jin has made unique and significant contributions to the field of biotechnology in cotton. Dr. Jonathan Wendel, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, says this about Dr. Jin: “He is the global leader in cotton transformation technology, having led the development of new genotypes for transformation and regeneration, created the best CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Cas 12 (12a and 12b) systems for genomic editing, and published methods for revealing unanticipated or undesired (“off-target”) editing.” His research group developed two elite cotton genotypes, YZ-1 and Jin668, with the highest plant regeneration ability and transformation efficiency, increasing the cotton transformation efficiency from 20% in Coker 312 to 90% in YZ-1 and Jin 668.

The Cotton Biotechnology Award, endowed by a gift from Dr. Norma Trolinder in 2000, has been presented on eight previous occasions. The recipient receives a monetary award and a plaque. It is presented to a scientist or group of scientists for outstanding biotechnology research in cotton and is administered by the Agricultural and Environmental Research Department at Cotton Incorporated.

“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.

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.

RECOVER™ launches Recover™ Yarns to accelerate recycled cotton uptake

Recover™, a leading materials science company and one of the world’s largest producers of recycled cotton fiber, today announces the launch of Recover™ Yarns, a curated portfolio of ready-to-use yarn solutions designed to accelerate the adoption of recycled cotton across the apparel supply chain.

Barmag and Hitech Automation enter into partnership for an auto-doff system for texturing machines

Barmag (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. and Hitech Automation Solutions PVT LTD. of Surat, India, have agreed to an exclusive partnership to jointly market Hitech’s Doffmatic automation solution for Barmag’s proven manual eFK texturing machines. In many texturing facilities, manual doffing processes remain heavily operator-dependent – resulting in issues such as increased scrap, inconsistent quality, and limited productivity.

Uster’s new Recycling Opening Index guides spinners to the perfect blend

Uster AFIS 6 now offers the key data for better decisions when blending recycled fibers. Process control is decisive in determining the quality and economic outcome. The new R Recycling Module of AFIS 6 introduces the Recycling Opening Index (ROI), so spinners can optimize their circularity credentials. It was officially launched at ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye.