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#Raw Materials

United Nations designates 7 October ‘World Cotton Day’ on its permanent calendar

The United Nations has announced that it will approve designating 7 October of each year as World Cotton Day on its permanent calendar. First launched in 2019 at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, World Cotton Day continues to grow each year.

On World Cotton Day, stakeholders from the global cotton community come together to speak on the many benefits of cotton including the facts that:

• Cotton is grown in over 70 countries and provides an income to hundreds of millions of people every year.

• A single ton of cotton provides year-round employment for an estimated 5 or 6 people (often in some of the most impoverished places on earth.)

• Cotton is the only agricultural crop to provide both food and fiber.

• Cotton has a negative carbon footprint and degrades 95% more than polyester in wastewater helping to keep our land and water clean.



The event theme for 2021 is ‘Cotton for Good’ to celebrate the fibre’s enduring positive impact. A virtual celebration will feature notable speakers such as Bert Jacobs, CEO and Co-Founder of Life is Good, and Maxine Bédat, Director of New Standard Institute. Other global industry experts include Cotton Council International, Viterra India, International Cotton Advisory Committee, Better Cotton Initiative and African Cotton Foundation. Keynote topics include responsible fashion, sustainability and the importance of cotton in countries around the world.

With the cotton industry’s focus on sustainability, attendees will learn about the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, which aligns with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals to bring quantifiable and verifiable goals and measurement to sustainable cotton production.

To learn more about the activities planned for World Cotton Day, please visit http://www.worldcottonday.com.

Follow #WorldCottonDay on social media and join the global conversation.


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#Raw Materials

Redesigned World Cotton Day website offers tools, ideas and inspiration

With World Cotton Day just one month away, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has launched a completely redesigned www.WorldCottonDay.com, creating a new global home for everyone who wants to learn about, celebrate, and support cotton.

#Raw Materials

ICAC’s 84th Plenary Meeting to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt

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#Raw Materials

Global cotton production projected to outpace consumption, but risks remain

Global cotton production is projected to reach 26.2 million tonnes in the 2026/27 season, marginally outpacing estimated consumption of 25.9 million tonnes. However, early-season production risks — including weather volatility and pest pressures — could narrow that buffer as the crop progresses, according to the September 2026 issue of Cotton This Month, published by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

#Natural Fibers

Global garment trade nears USD 550 billion as competition intensifies

The global garment industry has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past two decades, with knit and woven garments together accounting for nearly 60% of world textile exports in 2025, according to the August 2026 issue of The Textiles Observer, a free publication from the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

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#Raw Materials

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

#Raw Materials

Brazil sets new cotton export record and consolidates global leadership

Brazil ended the 2025/26 commercial year with a new record, consolidating its position as the world’s largest cotton exporter. Between August 2025 and July 2026, the country shipped 3,373,941 tonnes of the fiber, 19% more than in the previous cycle, and reached record revenue of US$5.3 billion. The result represents a milestone in Brazil’s expansion in the international market and reinforces the country’s role as a strategic supplier to the global textile industry.

#Raw Materials

Better Cotton Initiative partners with Avalo in AI plant breeding for climate-resilient cotton

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has partnered with agriculture solutions company Avalo, whose platform accelerates the speed at which plants with key resiliency traits may be developed.

#Raw Materials

ICAC International Seminar in Taipei to explore strategic synergies across the textile supply chain

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) — together with the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF), under the guidance of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan — will bring international cotton and textile leaders together in Taipei on September 10 for the ICAC International Seminar 2026.

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#Industry 4.0 / Digitalization

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#Textile chemistry

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#Research & Development

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