#Raw Materials

2022-01-06

COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ seminar in India shares fiber selection insights

Cotton Council International (CCI) hosted a COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ seminar in Coimbatore, India, on Dec. 17, the first in-person event there since September 2019. More than 65 participants representing 25 mills—including 14 COTTON USA™ licensees—attended the event. The mills attending the seminar have a cumulative annual cotton consumption of 3.3 million bales, of which more than 165,000 bales are U.S. cotton. A post-event survey showed that these mills are expected to buy an additional 64,000 bales of U.S. cotton as a result of attending the seminar.

Two CCI technical consultants gave COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ presentations to the group regarding fiber selection insights from the COTTON USA MILL MASTERY™ courses. The presentation included an introduction to the the five COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ offerings, plus the importance of fiber selection, which included a live demo. Another seminar outlined the importance of bale management, which included optimization of cotton processing and choosing the right selection for the right application.

Supima President and CEO Marc Lewkowitz presented updates on the Supima crop, prices, production and trade. India is the largest consumer of Supima fiber, and Supima is less than 0.5% of the global cotton production. Lewkowitz’s presentation also highlighted the importance of communication, collaboration and building better partnerships through responsible, authentic, fair, equitable and honest conversations based on facts and focused on positive outcomes.

CCI next presented updates on U.S. cotton’s sustainability record, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol® — the value proposition of the program and how the program’s verified trackable equivalency solution is providing a transparent supply chain in the textile business.

The leadership from the Indian and Sri Lankan textile industry also participated in a panel discussion to deliberate on what’s next for cotton in 2022. The panel consisted of leading mills and U.S. cotton merchants. Takeaways were:

• Indian mills are investing in additional spinning capacity in the coming 2 to 3 years.

• The importance of collaboration in the textile supply chains.

• Spinning mills have improved efficiencies during COVID while working remotely.

• Indian mills need to use tools like other South Asian counterparts to manage volatility.

• Data-driven programs like the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol® will gain importance in the future.

• India will continue to drive cotton consumption.

• The perception and cost of stickiness and the High Volume Instrument (HVI) testing equipment for cotton stickiness.

Post-survey results showed that 94% of the attendees were satisfied with the COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ seminar, 94% were familiar with COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ and 48% were very likely to use COTTON USA SOLUTIONS™ services. Meanwhile, 94% of the attendees feel that U.S. cotton is better compared to cotton of other origins.

“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.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

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.