#Natural Fibers

2025-05-07

Cotton consumption and sourcing are under pressure

If a projected 7% increase in world cotton lint production to 25.8 million tonnes happens, the projected 2% increase in consumption to 25.5 million tonnes would mean the global market is heading toward a bearish outlook.

And unfortunately, it's coming at a time when the cotton trade is already facing supply chain issues due to its highly fragmented structure, not to mention geopolitical factors like the security issues on the Suez Canal and worldwide logistics delays.

Trade has been revised downward to 9.45 million tonnes due to decreased import demand from China; minor gains from other parts of the world — primarily Bangladesh, Egypt, Turkey, India, and Vietnam — likely will be insufficient to offset the decrease in imports.

The Secretariat’s current price forecast of the season-average A index for 2024/25 ranges from 79 cents to 88 cents, with a midpoint at 83 cents per pound. ICAC’s price projections are made by Lorena Ruiz, Economist, ICAC.

Please note that the cotton balance sheets have been moved to the ICAC Data Dashboard. This ensures that the season balance sheets are always up-to-date and available whenever you need them. This also helps to reduce errors because the data is compiled directly from our database. They are included in this PDF report, but we strongly encourage users to obtain all data from the Dashboard.

Dr Matthew Looney has resigned as Data Scientist at the ICAC. The new author of Cotton This Month is Parkhi Vats, ICAC Economic Affairs Officer. You can email her with comments and questions by clicking here.

The next Cotton This Month will be released on June 2, 2025.

If you are a subscriber to Cotton This Month, please access your account.

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Organic cotton at the crossroads: Ideology, evidence, and the road ahead

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Dr N Vigneshwaran is named 2026 ICAC Researcher of the Year

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KARL MAYER's HKS 2-SE Expands Possibilities for Premium Stretch WARP KNITS

Warp knitted fabrics with a woven look are more in demand than ever in the fashion and apparel industries. Stretch WARP KNITS, in particular, impress with their freedom of movement, breathability, and virtually wrinkle-free wear – thereby opening up new style worlds such as smart casual or business casual. When it comes to the highly efficient production of premium-quality stretch WARP KNITS, the HKS 2-SE has long been the machine of choice. KARL MAYER’s best-selling tricot machine produces standard elastic fabrics characterized by high gauges, smooth, delicate surfaces, and a soft hand feel.