#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.

www.icac.org

Global cotton consumption to exceed production in 2026/27 as Asian demand remains resilient

Global cotton consumption is projected to exceed production in the 2026/27 season as output declines across several major producing countries while demand remains relatively stable, according to the November edition of Cotton This Month, published by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

ICAC announces 84th Plenary Meeting in Egypt with focus on cotton industry resilience

Registration is now open for the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s 84th Plenary Meeting, which will take place from 24 to 26 March 2027 in Alexandria, Egypt. The conference will address climate resilience, technological developments, sustainability and competitiveness across the global cotton and textile value chain.

New Cotton Review examines competitiveness, market risk, and opportunities

From moving record volumes of Brazilian cotton to market, to managing price volatility, unlocking Ethiopia’s production potential, and strengthening African textile trade, the latest edition of Cotton: Review of the World Situation examines some of the most consequential opportunities and challenges facing the global cotton industry.

Trützschler expands technical service capabilities for spinning mills in Pakistan

Faster support, shorter downtime and advanced repair capabilities: customers across Pakistan can now benefit from the Trützschler Service Station at its new location in Lahore. By combining Trützschler service expertise with state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment, the new facility helps spinning mills resolve technical issues more quickly and maintain reliable production.

Cotton Brazil strengthens international partnerships and advances natural fiber dialogue at ICA 2026

Cotton Brazil participated in the ICA Trade Event Istanbul 2026, one of the leading international gatherings of the cotton supply chain, bringing the importance of promoting natural fibers to the global discussion and strengthening relationships with industry partners. Held on October 14 and 15 at the Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, ICA 2026 brought together approximately 600 delegates from the global cotton community, including growers, exporters and representatives of major consumer markets.

Stäubli to introduce new S3292 dobby for high-speed weaving at ITME India 2026

Stäubli will introduce its new S3292 dobby at ITME India 2026, taking place from December 4 to 9 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Designed for high-speed air-jet weaving, the new machine will be among the highlights of the company's presentation, which also includes warp preparation systems, cam motions, Jacquard technologies and digital services.

DITF develops bio-based binding fibers for wood-fiber insulation materials

As part of the CelluWoodFlex project, the German Institutes of Textile- and Fiber-Research in Denkendorf (DITF) are developing bio-based cellulose ester fibers as alternative binding fibers for flexible wood fiber insulation materials. In addition to the spinning process and the production of suitable staple fibers, the institute is also investigating how wood and cellulose fibers can be separated and recycled at the end of their useful life.

Reju expands textile-to-textile recycling network with six international fabric manufacturers

Reju, a textile-to-textile regeneration company, is expanding its industrial network through collaborations with six fabric manufacturers in Europe and the Americas. The initiative aims to accelerate the integration of regenerated polyester into textile manufacturing and support the development of finished fabrics for commercial applications.

Magnera highlights HighPleat™ filtration media technology at FiltXPO 2026

At FiltXPO 2026, held on October 28–29 at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Magnera highlighted advances in air filtration media architecture, with a particular focus on its HighPleat™ platform for MERV 8–10 applications. The technology combines a lofted fiber structure with optimized pore architecture to address the challenge of balancing filtration efficiency, airflow resistance and contaminant-holding capacity.