#Natural Fibers

2025-09-04

Decreasing production and the critical role of traceability

Cotton production estimates have decreased significantly since last month, dropping from 25.9 million tonnes to 25.5 million tonnes, while shifts in trade patterns and demands from retailers and brands are making cotton's origin increasingly important.

The decrease in production is largely coming from three countries: the United States (-400,000 tonnes), Pakistan (-100,000 tonnes), and Sudan (-50,000 tonnes). Water shortages and unusually dry weather are the issues for the US and Pakistan, while Sudan's crop damage is the result of pest infestations.

Although consumption and trade numbers are largely unchanged from last month, import and export partners are shifting. China accounted for 40% of US cotton exports in 2023/24, but that number has dropped to 8% as the US has increased its trade with Vietnam, Pakistan, Turkey, and India. Those changes — combined with a US executive order that allows products made from US raw materials to be exempted from import tariffs — mean textile manufacturers must provide traceability. Retailers and brands are increasingly demanding traceability as well.

There are two other notable developments since last month:

+ India’s levels of cotton lint imports increased by nearly 3.3 times in 2024/25 compared to the prior season.

+ Bangladesh and India are expected to increase their US imports.

ICAC data rectification process

The ICAC Secretariat is undertaking data rectification work, during which we will perform data adjustments for all our reported regions and countries. ICAC is the primary source for all of our statistical data. For this month, changes to cotton market variables have been made for Ethiopia from 2014/15 to the present, and the projected season. The data has been updated using information from the Ethiopian Cotton Organization, Ethiopia Revenue and Customs Service, and the Trade Data Monitor.

ICAC’s Statistical Data Portal

For the most current statistics, please refer to the ICAC’s Statistics Portal. It is updated with new data constantly, and that new information is immediately reflected in the Portal, making it a valuable resource all month long.

ICAC’s Price Projections

The Secretariat’s current price forecast for the 2025/26 season, based on current supply and demand estimates, ranges from 60 to 96 cents per pound, with a midpoint of 76 cents per pound. ICAC’s price projections are made by Ms Lorena Ruiz, ICAC Economist.

Dr N Vigneshwaran is named 2026 ICAC Researcher of the Year

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is pleased to announce the selection of Dr N Vigneshwaran, Principal Scientist and Head of the Chemical and Biochemical Processing Division at the ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, India, as the ICAC Researcher of the Year 2026.

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.

European Flax-Linen & Hemp step into advanced manufacturing: Enabling filament winding, 3D printing and high-performance composite processes

The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp announces a new wave of technological advancements demonstrating how flax-linen and hemp fibres are now being successfully integrated into advanced composite manufacturing processes. These developments mark a transition beyond traditional hand lay-up techniques, positioning natural fibres as credible, scalable solutions for high-performance industrial applications.

The Good Cashmere Standard expands Animal Welfare Assessment on audited farms

With the Animal-related Animal Welfare Assessment (ARAWA), the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) conducts a pioneering project for the second consecutive year in 2025, parallel to the independent verifications of The Good Cashmere Standard® (GCS). ARAWA assessments provide a comprehensive overview of the health status of a herd on an audited farm, going beyond standard verification procedures. They are inherently complex, which still makes them a rarity in the standard sector, but offer support in identifying non-conformities and provide a holistic overview of the herd's well-being. Therefore, the Aid by Trade Foundation will continue this crucial project and even further expand it by 2027.

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.

Mario Jorge Machado re-elected President of EURATEX

The EURATEX General Assembly has re-elected Mario Jorge Machado as President of EURATEX, renewing its confidence in his leadership at a crucial moment for the European textile and clothing industry. The sector is facing rising costs, global competitive pressure and an increasingly challenging transition towards sustainability and digitalisation.

ITM 2026 makes happy participants with its international and qualified visitor profile

ITM 2026 International Textile Machinery Exhibition, one of the most prestigious meeting points of the textile machinery sector, attracted attention in its first three days, particularly with its diverse international visitor numbers. Industry professionals from all over the world had the opportunity to closely examine the latest technology machines and solutions displayed in operation. Thousands of visitors from approximately 100 countries, primarily Egypt, Pakistan, India, Uzbekistan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, met at the Tüyap Fair and Congress Center for new investment and cooperation opportunities.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.