#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.”

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.