#Raw Materials

2025-04-30

Official approval granted for Esquel Group’s new Sea Island Cotton variety "Yuan Loong 30"

Esquel Group Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed a new self-bred Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) variety named "Yuan Loong 30," which has been officially approved and designated by the 11th Main Crop Variety Assessment Committee of Xinjiang. With this addition, Esquel has now successfully bred and named a total of six Sea Island cotton varieties, including "Xinhai 33", "Xinhai 50", "Xinhai 55", "Xinhai 63", "Yuan Loong 17" and "Yuan Loong 30".

The breeding process of "Yuan Loong 30" spanned over a decade, undergoing one year of variety comparison trials, two years of regional trials, and one year of production testing. Notably, this variety is the first ELS cotton variety from Esquel to receive both official approval and plant variety rights—a significant breakthrough in cotton breeding.

"Yuan Loong 30" demonstrates exceptional characteristics, featuring vigorous growth and high yield with good disease resistance, achieving over 16% increase in yield. It also boasts high lint percentage and excellent fiber quality, which not only enhances production efficiency but also effectively meets the demands for high-quality yarn production.

Premium ELS cotton serves as a cornerstone of Esquel’s vertically integrated supply chain. The successful approval of its sixth new variety provides essential raw material support for building an advanced textile industry chain. This further aids in the development of high-count combed yarns, premium functional fabrics, and luxury garment series, enhancing product value and market competitiveness. These breeding breakthroughs also inject strong momentum into the transformation and upgrading of Xinjiang’s ELS cotton industry, promoting high-quality and sustainable development of China’s cotton and textile industries.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

HKUST & Esquel unveil five-year study: Empowering students for sustainable innovation

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”) has partnered with Esquel Enterprises Limited (“Esquel Group”) to launch a five-year study program that allows HKUST students to conduct biannual field research at the textile manufacturer’s 500,000-square-meter Sustainable Development Garden Integral, recognized as one of China’s top 20 sustainable development projects by the United Nations.

Integral highlights sustainable innovation at GREENEXT EXPO

Integral, the sustainable development garden of Esquel Group, a leading global knowledge-based innovation company, participated in the prestigious “GREENEXT EXPO” in Shanghai, unveiling its innovative achievements in sustainable development. Coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)’s advocacy of ESG principles, the event brought together industry leaders to explore the future of sustainable development and ESG practices.

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.

ICAC’s 84th Plenary Meeting to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt

Registration will soon be open for the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s 84th Plenary Meeting, to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt. The local Organizing Committee in Egypt has chosen “Building a Resilient and Competitive Future for Cotton and Textiles” as the theme for the event, which will be held at the Rixos Montaza Alexandria Resort.

HeiQ & Archroma and Lenzing & Armedangels win ITMF International Collaboration Awards 2026

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has named two industry partnerships as winners of the ITMF International Collaboration Awards 2026. The awards go to collaborations between HeiQ and Archroma as well as Lenzing and Armedangels, highlighting joint approaches to innovation and sustainability across different parts of the textile value chain.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

German textile industry and retailers form alliance to shape textile EPR system

Germany’s textile and fashion industry and retail sector have joined forces to establish the “Alliance for Textile Circularity” (Allianz für textile Kreisläufe). Initiated by the German Textile and Fashion Industry Association (Gesamtverband textil+mode) and the German Retail Federation (HDE), the alliance aims to contribute industry expertise to the development of Germany’s future Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for textiles and footwear.