#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.

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

trinamiX mobile NIR spectroscopy: New applications for the footwear and textile industry

trinamiX GmbH expands its solution portfolio for the circular economy, now enabling the identification of materials used in the footwear and textile industries. With its mobile near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy solutions, trinamiX supports manufacturers, sorters, recyclers, and brand owners in reliably identifying materials and improving transparency across increasingly complex value chains.

The LYCRA Company strengthens sustainability leadership, appoints Alistair Williamson as VP of Product Sustainability

The LYCRA Company has appointed longtime executive Alistair Williamson as vice president of product sustainability, reaffirming its commitment to developing sustainable solutions for apparel and personal care products. In this role, he will guide the company’s next chapter of sustainability strategy and oversee all initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact across products, operations, and innovation platforms.