#Raw Materials

2022-07-28

Better Cotton expands Civil Society Membership and welcomes new members in first half of 2022

Better Cotton’s membership network spans the entire cotton sector and beyond, and we work with organisations all the way from farm to fashion. In the first half of 2022, we were delighted to welcome 192 new members from 31 countries to Better Cotton. New members include 44 retailers and brands, 146 suppliers and manufacturers and two civil society organisations.

The latest civil society organisations to join Better Cotton are the Development Agency for Poor and Tribal Awakening (DAPTA), and the Centre for Advanced Research and Development (CARD), both based in India.

"At DAPTA, we provide cotton farmers with technical support and encourage them to use more sustainable farming practices to support not only healthy farmers, but also healthy farming families and environments. Our objective is to enhance farmers’ income and increase the resilience of farming families, which aligns closely with the Better Cotton mission. We look forward to partnering with Better Cotton and working together to improve conditions for cotton farmers in India."

- DAPTA

"We are pleased to become members of Better Cotton as we strive to meet our ambitious goals in supporting cotton farmers and farming communities. In the coming years, we seek to showcase models for better soil, water and pest management, as well as engage farming communities in planning for long-term water sustainability. We also want to achieve a steady and sustainable increase in farmers’ incomes through a package of better practices that are beneficial for farmers and the environment. Through our efforts, we hope to open a window to the international cotton market for smallholder farmers."

- CARD

Joining Better Cotton offers civil society organisations the opportunity to play a decisive role in securing a more sustainable future for global cotton production. Many of our Civil Society Members are also Programme Partners, working directly with farmers and farming communities to build their capacity to adopt more sustainable practices. Together, we work to scale innovations to help transform farming systems and the sector for good.

"Collaboration and joined up action are key to driving change at scale. At Better Cotton, we welcome any civil society organisation serving the common good and with an interest in the cotton sector to join our initiative and contribute to our journey towards sustainable cotton."

- Paula Lum Young Bautil, Director – Membership & Supply Chain, Better Cotton

Other new members who joined Better Cotton in the first half of 2022 include Officeworks, Silentnight, JCPenney, Oliver Bonas, and Macy’s Merchandising Group.

Visit our membership page to learn more about Better Cotton membership, or get in touch with us at membership@bettercotton.org.

https://bettercotton.org/membership/

“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.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.