#Natural Fibers

2025-11-20

Better Cotton Initiative partners with Uzbek government agency to offset certification costs

Photo credit: Better Cotton Initiative. Location: Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 2025. Jannis Bellinghausen, Senior Director of Systems Integrity at the Better Cotton Initiative (left) and Nozim Kholmuradov, Director at the Light Industry Agency (right).

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) has today announced a strategic agreement with Uzbekistan’s Light Industry Agency to increase financial support for cotton farming clusters adopting sustainable agricultural practices.

The agency, established this year by the Uzbek government to drive improvements in the country’s textile sector, will manage a new fund to reimburse the cost of farm and supply chain-level certification against BCI standards, in order to incentivise compliance.

Katerina Gorbunova, head of the Better Cotton Initiative’s Uzbekistan programme, said: “Our continued engagement with the Government of Uzbekistan and its entities is testament to their collaborative spirit and commitment to transforming the country’s cotton sector. The cost of certification can be a barrier to entry not only for cotton clusters in Uzbekistan but farms around the world, so the launch of this fund will be pivotal to accelerating sustainability efforts.”

The agreement updates the roadmap BCI signed last year with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture and the Textile and Garment Industry Association (Uztekstilprom). It represents a transition from planning to operationalising sustainability systems via programme financing, institutional roles, and policy incentives within national structures.

Nozim Kholmuradov, Director at the Light Industry Agency, said: “Our strategic focus is to boost cotton-producing enterprises’ income and grow the number of Uzbekistan companies positioned to compete confidently on the global textile stage. A close partnership with the Better Cotton Initiative will be essential to reaching this ambition.”

The collaboration was announced at BCI’s annual multistakeholder meeting in the Uzbekistan capital, Tashkent. The event convened cotton producers, government representatives, civil society, knowledge partners, donors, brands, and retailers to discuss challenges and opportunities in both field and market, from strengthening social due diligence to championing regenerative practices.

Among the participants were government ministers, BCI staff, and representatives from the National Commission on Combating Human Trafficking and Decent Work, the International Labour Organization, the Cotton Campaign, Food & Agriculture Organization, and Uztekstilprom.

BCI warns against ‘dangerous dilution’ of EU corporate directives

The approval of the European Commission’s Omnibus I proposal by the European Parliament’s Committee on Legal Affairs, accepting controversial changes to key sustainability directives is of great concern. These changes, namely to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), threaten to significantly dilute business reporting and due diligence obligations.

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories fulfilling order for customized spider silk application from leading performance sports brand

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“Company” or “Kraig Labs”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced that it is fulfilling an order for spider silk from a globally recognized performance sports apparel brand as part of a confidential pilot development program.

38th International Cotton Conference Bremen launches registration and unveils key topics

Participants can now register online for the 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen, which will be held on 25-27 March 2026 at the Haus der Bürgerschaft parliament building on market square. All visitors can look forward to a high-calibre conference programme, numerous additional meetings and a valuable exchange of knowledge and information. The comprehensive range of topics covering the entire value chain will provide practical expertise, address current developments, answer key industry questions, and provide new impetus for the future.

ICAC to collaborate with Uzbekistan and Bizpando on regenerative agriculture

The Government of Uzbekistan has allocated 55,000 hectares of land to implement a regenerative agriculture program for cotton as part of a collaborative project with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and Bizpando, a company with a a blockchain-based internet platform designed to ensure supply chain compliance.

Techtextil India 2025 commences: Ushering in a new era for functional textiles

Techtextil India 2025, a premier trade fair for technical textiles, non-wovens and composites, organised by Messe Frankfurt Trade Fairs India, has opened today at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, marking its 10th edition. Running from 19 – 21 November 2025, this landmark edition connects 215 exhibitors, including 100 first-time exhibitors to the textile value chain, featuring innovations across 12 application-based textile segments.

Solution for lower energy consumption proves itself in practice

Getzner Textil is one of KARL MAYER’s first customers to use PROSIZE with CASCADE. The innovative weaving specialist has tested the steam and condensation system by KARL MAYER and determined the energy savings it achieves. Karl-Heinz Vaaßen, Head of Textile Drying at KARL MAYER, assisted Getzner Textil’s production specialists both with the tests and with all questions relating to CASCADE. In a conversation with Werner Egger, Head of Weaving, and Thomas Rossi, Head of Warp Preparation at Getzner Textil, he learnt more about the system’s benefits for his customer.