#Raw Materials

2024-02-01

Aid by Trade Foundation announces annual cotton conference in Mumbai: A sustainable future for cotton

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) announces the 2024 AbTF Cotton Conference, which will take place from 11 to 13 March in the vibrant metropolis of Mumbai, India. At this annual conference, AbTF brings together leading experts, researchers, and professionals from throughout the world to discuss current challenges, and their solutions, in the field of sustainable cotton and textile production. This year’s focus is on innovative and digital ways to develop transparent and sustainable supply chains.

On the first day, participants can expect valuable discussions on issues including regenerative agriculture and climate change adaptation as well as new insights into key innovations and technologies with relevance to cotton cultivation. In addition to the introduction of the new Regenerative Cotton Standard (RCS) by the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF), Dr Keshav Kranthi of the International Cotton Advisory Commitee (ICAC) will throw a spotlight on the role of cotton in regenerative agriculture. Representing The Soil Food Web School, Dr Adam Cobb will offer penetrating insights into the significance of soil health for sustainable cotton cultivation. Alais Ole-Morindat, speaking for the African NGO African People and Wildlife (APW), will show how important the involvement of local communities is for the successful implementation of projects. Stefan Scherer of Geocledian will report on satellite-supported remote sensing.

At a walk-and-talk event, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about exciting innovations like T-MAPP by PAN UK, an app that takes a sensitive and confidential approach to collecting information about incidences of pesticide poisoning. Both the Aid by Trade Foundation and African People and Wildlife will present simple yet effective methods for training small-scale farmers to conduct scientific work themselves.

The second day will be all about transparent and traceable supply chains. In addition to addressing the increasingly stringent legal requirements for global textile production, the conference will take a look into the future and highlight opportunities for tracing textiles through artificial intelligence. IKEA will speak on the significance of transparency for globally operating companies, and Arindama Banerjee of LRQA, a business consulting firm, will lead listeners through the legal labyrinth of global textile production. Coming from the Rewe Group, Torsten Stau will show conference attendees how the company uses the Hard Identity Preserved (HIP) system to seamlessly trace Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) cotton throughout the textile value chain. Representatives of technology companies like Textile Genesis or Direction Software LLP will demonstrate digital tools that can help to ensure transparency and traceability in the supply chain.

As an industry event, the conference is designed for stakeholders at all stages of the cotton and textile production chain, from the raw material to the final product. Through panel discussions, presentations, and breakout sessions as well as by networking with industry leaders and experts, participants will gain valuable insights into the future of cotton and have an opportunity to actively influence this future.

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.

New U.S. cotton study uses real-world grower data to reveal where fiber impacts occur

Cotton Incorporated has released a critically reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) of U.S. cotton fiber production that examines how cotton’s environmental impacts are measured and where meaningful improvements can be made across the value chain. The new data, grounded in real‑world grower inputs, measures what drives U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint from field to gin.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

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.

Fifteen years of Autoneum – From spin off to global technology leader

What started as a strategic carve‑out has since become the success story of a global technology leader in acoustic and thermal management solutions for vehicles. Headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, Autoneum supplies leading automobile manufacturers worldwide with innovative, lightweight and increasingly sustainable solutions.

Kruger, Canada, orders first nonwovens line for sustainable wipes from ANDRITZ

International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order from newly established Kruger Nonwovens to deliver a complete WetlaceTM hybrid line for the Wayagamack mill in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada. With this investment, pulp and paper producer Kruger is preparing to enter the nonwovens market with a new generation of plastic-free, chemical-free materials for sustainable wipes. The line is the first of its kind in Canada and is scheduled to start production in 2028.

Picanol to present its leading weaving technology at ITM 2026

Picanol is pleased to announce it will be participating in ITM 2026 in Istanbul. This is a key event for industry professionals to engage with the Turkish textile industry as well as the extensive international audience attending the fair. During the event, Picanol will present its latest innovations to the visitors in Hall 8, booth 802.