[pageLogInLogOut]

#Spinning

Mesdan cotton stickiness testing method recognition

If “sticky cotton” is not detected in time and properly handled, it can generate excessive maintenance costs in spinning, affect the production and compromise yarn quality. There are several testing techniques for determining cotton stickiness: chemical, mechanical and thermo-mechanical methods.

In the latest findings of the ITMF International Committee on Cotton Testing Methods, in cooperation with CIRAD, Fiber Institute Bremen and ICA Bremen, one important conclusion has been outlined:

due to its highest correlation with processing behaviour and yarn quality, only thermo-mechanical methods are recommended (in both production and trade).

In fact, the high variation in stickiness within a sample, as well as within a bale and within a lot, makes the thermo-mechanical method suitably designed for daily massive testing, in a trading context as well as in the spinning mill, thus overcoming the constraints of other methods (chemical and physical).

Among different thermo-mechanical equipment used in the ITMF-ICCTM proficiency testing, the CONTEST-S results were proven to provide the lowest inter laboratory CV% variations.


In order to supply a solution to overcome the troublesome effects of cotton stickiness (honeydew/sugar content), Mesdan developed a specific testing method as an integral part of its CONTEST-S and CONTEST-F equipment.


The STICKINESS module is distinguished by:

  • fully automatic high-volume testing equipment designed to detect, measure and classify cotton stickiness,
  • its unique feature of simulating the carding process like in real spinning conditions provides a reliable evaluation of the effective stickiness (cotton fibres tendency to stick to cotton-processing surfaces),
  • stickiness grade and cotton stickiness risk probability assessment enables spinners to anticipate proper actions (how to process & blend different cotton bales),
  • fast testing (30 sec/sample) designed for massive stickiness classification of bales and lots (>500 tests/shift),
  • testing method for stickiness grading recognised by ITMF - ICCTM.




CONTEST-F © 2020 Mesdan
CONTEST-F © 2020 Mesdan

 

Mesdan is proud to announce that its Stickiness testing method has recently received an official and full recognition by the ITMF International Committee on Cotton Testing Methods (ICCTM) in April 2020. The ITMF-ICCTM committee members recognised its usefulness and its benefits for the complete cotton supply chain: it assists spinners to achieve consistent yarn quality standards, it sustains traders and cotton suppliers to monitor season crop, it provides grading for research laboratories and classification institutes.

The complete document with all inter-laboratory evaluation details is available at the ITMF web site and can be downloaded at the following link:

https://www.itmf.org/images/dl/icctm/recognition/Recognition_MESDAN_20200429.pdf

The recognised testing method complies with the international standard EN 14278.



More News from Mesdan S.p.A.

More News on Spinning

#Spinning

Barmag expands its portfolio for PA6/PA6.6 applications — also available as a retrofit solution

With the new type 6020 ceramic oiler, Barmag is introducing a powerful addition to its product portfolio for processing PA6 and PA6.6 yarns. The solution is specifically designed for low-titer applications in the range of 5 to 100 denier.

#Spinning

Pre-Cleaner CL-X: Proven in cotton cleaning – creating value beyond the spinning mill

Since its market launch, the CL-X has firmly established itself in blowroom lines worldwide. Hundreds of installations confirm its ability to deliver superior cleaning efficiency, lower waste, higher productivity and significant energy savings. Now, new customer applications show that the CL-X not only continues to excel in spinning preparation – it is also entering a completely new field of application: ginning.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.

#Spinning

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

Latest News

#ITMA 2027

ITMA 2027 receives strong industry response

ITMA 2027 has unveiled its sector plan, marking progress towards the 2027 edition as planning continues ahead of the show. The ITMA 2027 sector plan covers 12 halls at the Messegelände Hannover venue, spanning over 180,000 square metres, and features 20 sectors of the textile and garment making processes, from spinning to finishing, software and automation, recycling, and fibres, yarns and fabrics.

#Heimtextil 2027

Heimtextil expands Bed, Bath & Living with new ‘Comfort & Connect’ area

Heimtextil is expanding its product range for Bed, Bath & Living in a targeted manner: ‘Comfort & Connect‘ is creating a new meeting place in the foyer of Hall 5.1 for high-quality bed, bath and lifestyle collections. Following on from ‘Sleep & Meet‘, this is now the second area where Heimtextil is further refining its offering for exhibitors and buyers. The new area brings together established brands, high-profile returning exhibitors and international buyers in a central location with easy access.

#Associations

Business situation weakens slightly, but the industry stays cautiously optimistic

The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) has published the results of its 39th Global Textile Industry Survey (GTIS), conducted from 14 to 22 July 2026 among companies along the entire global textile value chain. Worldwide, 10% of participants rated their business situation as good, 53% as satisfactory and 37% as bad — a balance of -26pp, down from -17pp in May but still well above the 2023 lows. All regions are now in negative territory, from South Asia at -3pp to North & Central America at -58pp.

#Man-Made Fibers

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

TOP