#Raw Materials

2024-06-20

Cotton Council International unites industry leaders to weave India-U.S. cotton trade relations

A Cotton Council International (CCI)-led media roundtable promoted strategic India-U.S. textile trade partnerships and highlighted U.S. cotton as the preferred choice of imported cotton for Indian spinners. Tomorrow, June 19, a three-part “COTTON USA™: Weaving Threads of Unity between the U.S. Cotton and Indian Textile Industry” event in New Delhi will explore this partnership in more depth.

“India’s textile industry is projected to grow to $350 billion by 2025, and as India is a key market for U.S. cotton, there is substantial opportunity to expand our cooperation,” CCI Executive Director Bruce Atherley said. “Our discussions today emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership in driving sustainable practices and economic growth in both countries.”

To further this agenda at its COTTON USA™ event tomorrow, CCI will meet with U.S. Embassy personnel then join five top Indian textile manufacturers, the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, Supima and other global cotton textile supply chain luminaries to discuss topics of mutual interest and chart a path of cooperation moving forward. The event will also feature a high-level panel discussion on “Celebrating Women’s Influence in the Fashion and Textile Industry.”

While India has picked up the pace in textile exports, registering a growth of 6.91% year-on-year in March, its ambitious target of $100 billion in textile exports by 2030 will require collaborative action and robust international trade pathways. The discussions today highlighted opportunities for synergy between U.S. cotton and Indian stakeholders and charted a roadmap for an efficient and profitable partnership between the U.S. and India that empowers Indian spinners, textile mills and manufacturers to achieve these goals.

“India’s impressive textile manufacturing ecosystem is energized with expansion opportunities, and we at Supima are excited about the partnership prospects that can arise out of this growing industry,” Supima President and CEO Marc Lewkowitz said. “The increasing demand for premium quality verifiable SUPIMA® cotton highlights the need for scaling production to meet global needs.”

Peush Narang, CCI’s program representative in India and Sri Lanka, added, “Our valuable partnership with the Indian textile industry will propel both industries; by using U.S. cotton, Indian textile manufacturers can not only meet global quality standards but also enhance their competitive edge in the international market. Indian textile manufacturers are using high quality U.S. cotton fiber to create beautiful garments. And by using U.S. cotton, they also receive benefits of the entire COTTON USA™ experience—including full traceability of the supply chain, the unique COTTON USA SOLUTIONS® technical servicing program, and a package of services, data and intelligence—which no other cotton can provide.”

“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.

Kraig Labs ships first commercial spider silk yarn

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced the shipment of its first commercial order of recombinant spider silk yarn. The custom-engineered yarn was produced to fulfill a purchase commitment from a globally recognized performance sports brand and is slated for development into a first-of-its-kind performance textile.

ALLIED expands down traceability with lot-level carbon footprint data

ALLIED Feather + Down has expanded its TrackMyDown traceability platform to include validated cradle-to-gate carbon footprint data linked to individual down lots. The initiative is designed to provide brands and consumers with more detailed environmental information on the materials used in finished products and could also support future data requirements associated with Digital Product Passports.

VDMA Textile Machinery with new Executive Board

At the general meeting of VDMA Textile Machinery held in Hanover at the end of September, Dr Janpeter Horn, Managing Director of A. Herzog Maschinenfabrik, was re-elected as Chairman of the trade association. Regina Brückner, managing partner of Brückner Trockentechnik, and Verena Thies, managing partner of Thies Textilmaschinen, will once again serve as vice-chairs for the next four years.

Rieter appoints Daniel Lippuner as new CEO as Thomas Oetterli steps down

Thomas Oetterli has decided to step down from his function as CEO, effective October 31, 2026, and hand over the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors. “After the successful implementation of the Next Level performance program, the structural measures initiated to consolidate the sites and the acquisition of Barmag, the time has come to hand over responsibility to new hands,” explains Thomas Oetterli.