#Raw Materials

2019-06-25

Cotton: Review of the world situation

The June 2019 review contains four articles that address a wide array of topics, including Gender Equity, China`s Vision and Garment Weight

Gender Equality:

Authored by Dr. Amal Saber Owis, former Director of Egypt’s Cotton Research Institute, this article makes the case that women’s economic empowerment is a prerequisite for sustainable development and poverty alleviation, and that gender-specific perspectives must be integrated at the design stage of agricultural policy and programming.

Changes in Garment Weight:

Cotton Incorporated’s Senior Economist Jon Devine presents a wealth of data showing that one of the lesser-understood shocks the cotton industry has faced in recent years is the decrease in average garment weight. It has been a challenge for consumption growth in the past, although recent market stabilisation and gentle increases in average weight may be positive signs for cotton demand in the future.

China’s Belt & Road Initiative:

ICAC Director of Trade Analysis Andrei Guitchounts provides an overview of China’s 2013 economic program, the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI). The ambitious plan would have a major impact on trade flows and could go a long way toward improving infrastructure and logistics in the countries where it is implemented.

Trade Tensions and Rising Stocks:

The cotton market faces continued uncertainty due to the escalating US-China trade war, with prices under additional pressure due to a projected increase in global stocks. Prices have suffered from the escalating tariffs, dropping to a season-low of 76 cents per pound on May 14th.

For more information, please visit www.icac.org

ICAC to support European Commission on pending PEF legislation

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is proud to announce that it has been included as a member of the European Commission’s Technical Advisory Board (TAB) on the Product Environmental Footprint methodology. The Commission developed the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) to assess and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organizations.

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.

ICAC announces postponement of the 83rd Plenary Meeting in Tanzania

Due to unforeseen circumstances arising from the recent developments in Tanzania, the ICAC has announced that its upcoming 83rd Plenary Meeting has been postponed. Scheduled for Nov. 17-20 in Mwanza, the delay was recommended by Tanzania, and the decision was made out of an abundance of caution, prioritizing the safety and well-being of all participants.

Lenzing AG to become majority owner of TreeToTextile AB and accelerates industrialization of new fibers

The Lenzing Group is taking another strategic milestone by acquiring a controlling majority in the Swedish innovation company TreeToTextile AB. This step strengthens Lenzing’s position as a leading provider of sustainable, wood‑based specialty fibers and expands its innovation pipeline with a highly scalable, patent‑protected technology platform. The transaction is executed through the issuance of new shares.

Cotton Incorporated appoints Bev Sylvester as Chief Marketing Officer

Cotton Incorporated announces the appointment of Bev Sylvester as chief marketing officer. In this newly created role, Sylvester will oversee Cotton Incorporated’s marketing strategy, brand positioning, consumer engagement and global outreach to increase demand for cotton and strengthen its relevance in the marketplace.

OEKO-TEX® chooses TextileGenesis to advance digital traceability for organic cotton

OEKO-TEX® today announced a full collaboration with TextileGenesis, a Lectra company, to digitally trace and authenticate organic cotton, strengthening fraud prevention across the supply chain. This announcement follows a successful pilot and brings together OEKO-TEX®’s certification expertise and closed testing system with TextileGenesis’ digital traceability platform to deliver a secure, end-to-end solution for managing certified organic cotton flows.

Perfect quality through collaboration: Machinery from Trützschler, Toyota and Murata at Zirve Tekstil

In today’s textile industry, excellence is not achieved by chance – it’s the result of deliberate decisions, technical expertise, and the courage to go beyond conventional paths. The Turkish company Zirve Tekstil has done just that: by combining the best technologies from Trützschler, Toyota and Murata, they’ve created a production setup that delivers outstanding yarn quality – recognized worldwide.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Award-winning research for sustainable carbon fibre cycles

Sustainable recycling of carbon fibres is possible through targeted electrochemical surface modification, which makes the sizing of carbon fibres resistant to solvolysis. ITA PhD student Sabina Dann was awarded the MSW Award from RWTH Aachen University for her master's thesis on this development. The award ceremony took place on 12 November 2025 in Aachen.