#Raw Materials

2023-03-16

Traceability: Connecting the textile value chain

Traceability and transparency initiatives throughout the cotton value chain and within the textile industry gain importance. During the International Cotton Conference Bremen 2022 selected speakers presented their projects with different technological backgrounds and perspectives in this field.

Traceable Uzbek Cotton

Rinat Gulyaev, Director, Cotton Science-Innovation Center, Uzbekistan spoke about the development of an electronic traceability system for cotton products in the Uzbek cotton supply chain. Mr. Gulyaev said that Uzbekistan now processes domestically 100 percent of the cotton grown and 45 percent of the yarn is produced in Uzbekistan. Textile exports were valued at $3.1 billion in 2021, and Uzbekistan hopes to raise production of textiles, knitwear and garments to $15 billion by 2025.

Transparency and traceability were important measures for increasing exports to the European Union and the United States. However, farm-level data on cotton production and ginning, and textile mill data on greige goods production is lacking. He said that it would be possible to provide farm-level data for cotton produced in Uzbekistan using permanent bale identification tags with barcodes or RFID technology.

Therefore, Uzbekistan has embarked on a project in the Bukhara region involving nearly 68,000 farmers and 226,000 hectares of various crops, including 98,000 hectares of cotton, to develop a specialized system of data collection for integration into international traceability systems. The aim of the project is to inform consumers of finished products about the entire production chain, including origin, composition, quality, and compliance with social and environmental standards. A nationwide adoption is planned in one or two years.

Presentation of Mr Rinat Gulyaev on the website of the Bremen Cotton Exchange (pdf)

https://baumwollboerse.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CCB-2022_Gulyaev.pdf

Value Added US Cotton

Ms. Mariam Paris, Head of Americas CE & Mkt, Veg Seeds, Bayer Crop Science, Munich, Germany, spoke about the Fiber Quality Initiative by Deltapine. This is a pilot to showcase traceability and sustainability in U.S. grown Deltapine™ or Deltapine Select™ varieties. Ms. Paris also observed that the importance of fibre origin is rising, and there is greater interest in domestic manufacturing. Therefore, Deltapine has developed a partnership strategy to educate retailers and consumers on the virtues of cotton, to address sustainability, traceability and quality challenges the textile industry faces, and to provide financial benefits to Deltapine growers for helping to solve these challenges.

The Fiber Quality Initiative Pilot Program with medical scrubs made of 100 percent US-grown Deltapine cotton was started in 2020. The scrubs were treated with an antimicrobial technology, PROTX2 AV. Every aspect of the project, from seed breeding to cut and sew, was done in the United States, and participants were registered with the United States Cotton Trust Protocol, ensuring traceability. Scrub sets were donated to staff in 15 hospitals in August 2021, and commercialization efforts were launched with private suppliers of medical equipment.

Distributed Ledger Technologies for the Textile and Clothing Industry

Ms. Gesine Köppe, Project Manager, ITA Academy GmbH, Aachen, Germany spoke about Distributed Ledger Technologies in textile value chains. The complex infrastructure and multiple individual actors pose a challenge for transparency and traceability in the value chain. Most supply chain software requires energy and time to input and manage data. The objective is to ensure supply chain transparency within a global network using Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT).

Ms. Köppe explained that a DLT is a decentralized database that allows participants in a network to share ledgers and maintain read and write access. Blockchain is a well-known technology in which a network is decentralized. Transactions are validated and ledger copies are stored. A blockchain has a redundant structure and ensures immutability and is tamper-proof. The textile value chain can benefit from the use of DLT.

The TexCHAINge Task Force on Digital Supply Chain Management aims to enable German textile and clothing companies to overcome the challenges of structural change through digitization in supply chain management. Participants include evan GmbH, Ernstings Family GmbH, KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH, ITA Academy GmbH, Bremer Baumwollbörse, Peek & Cloppenburg, and consider it. Ms. Köppe acknowledge that adoption of blockchain technology is difficult, and ITA Academy has set up a Digital Capability Center to enable potential users to envision the integration of DLT with manufacturing processes.

Presentation of Ms Gesine Köppe on the website of the Bremen Cotton Exchange (pdf)

https://baumwollboerse.de/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/CCB-2022_Koeppe.pdf

A Powerful Opening: Global thought leaders launch the International Cotton Conference Bremen

The International Cotton Conference Bremen will open on 25 March 2026 in the Parliament building of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen with a keynote session of exceptional calibre. Distinguished international experts will set the stage for the conference by offering incisive perspectives on the most pressing challenges and the defining trends shaping the future of the global cotton trade. Their insights will span a broad spectrum — from geopolitically driven disruptions affecting global supply chains to the opportunities emerging from innovation-led agriculture capable of supporting a growing world population. Together, these opening keynotes will frame the dialogue of the conference, highlighting both the complexity of today’s market environment and the pathways toward a resilient and forward-looking cotton sector.

Beyond Cotton: Natural Fibres in the Spotlight at the Bremen Cotton Conference - Branded by DNFI

Climate targets, fragile supply chains, and rising regulatory requirements are fundamentally changing the perspective of the textile industry - the focus is increasingly shifting toward the base material. Not only cotton, but natural fibres are gaining significant importance: they stand out not only because of their outstanding functional properties, but also because they make a valuable contribution to the bioeconomy and responsible product development.

Beyond the wardrobe – innovative cotton takes the spotlight

Cotton can do more – a lot more. Cutting-edge textiles and high-tech products made from 100% cotton prove just how powerfully performance and sustainability can come together. That very surge of innovation is front and centre at the 38th Bremen Cotton Conference, taking place March 25–27, 2026, at Bremen’s Parliament on the historic market square – culminating in a bold and dedicated closing session on Friday. In the spotlight: performance upgrades for pure cotton, smart strategies for circular textile waste solutions, and pioneering concepts for demanding technical applications. From natural fibre–reinforced composites to highly effective flame-retardant solutions, cotton steps out of the closet and shows the future potential woven into every fibre.

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.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

ITM 2026 makes happy participants with its international and qualified visitor profile

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most prestigious meeting points of the textile machinery sector, attracted attention in its first three days, particularly with its diverse international visitor numbers. Industry professionals from all over the world had the opportunity to closely examine the latest technology machines and solutions displayed in operation. Thousands of visitors from approximately 100 countries, primarily Egypt, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, met at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center for new investment and cooperation opportunities.

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.