[pageLogInLogOut]

#Raw Materials

‘Cotton: Review of the world situation’

(c) 2020 ICAC
For more than a year and a half, the trade war between China and the USA has injected uncertainty into the global cotton trade, so the announcement of a Phase I agreement between the countries was very welcome news — and you can read all about it for free.
  • Analysis of the potential impact of the Phase I trade agreement between China and the USA
  • An updated review of various governments’ support of cotton production
  • The steps needed to reinvigorate the Latin American cotton sector
  • An overview of the CSITC and instrument testing of cotton

Each issue of The Review, which is a paid subscription, offers access to one article at no charge. For the March 2020 edition, that article is ‘Possible Impacts of the US China Phase One Agreement’, authored by ICAC Statistician Lihan Wei.

‘Geopolitical tensions in the past 20 months across the globe appear to indicate a move away from globalisation and the renegotiation of trade agreements across major economies’, she explains. ‘If uncertainty and trade tensions are the new normal, prices may remain low’.



The second article, ‘Current Developments in Cotton Support to Production’, was authored by ICAC Director of Trade Analysis Andrei Guitchounts and looks at the actions some governments are taking to support domestic cotton production — particularly the USA and India.

The third article was authored by Adrianna Gregolin, a Regional Coordinator with the FAO, and is entitled ‘The recovery of Latin American cotton depends on restoring inter-institutional coordination in the sector’. It outlines the history of cotton production in the region, why it declined 30 years ago and what steps are required to re-energise Latin American cotton production.

The fourth article in the issue has three authors: Andrew MacDonald, Chair of the CSITC; Axel Drieling, Senior Manager of Cotton, Faserinstitut (FIBRE), Bremen; and Yana Pomerants, Executive Assistant with the ICAC. They explain the many benefits that the industry enjoys when cotton is instrument tested, as well as discussing exactly how the efforts of the Task Force on the Commercial Standardisation of Instrument Testing of Cotton benefit the cotton supply chain — and why all labs should be participating in CSITC Round Trials.

PLEASE NOTE: ICAC has revised its distribution process for subscribers. Sending attachments via email frequently gets that email sent to a spam folder, so links are now provided to allow subscribers to log into their accounts and download documents directly.

https://www.icac.org/Publications/PastIssues?Id=1144

More News from International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)

#Raw Materials

The 83rd Plenary Meeting: Reports from the ICAC Secretariat

Every year, one of the most anticipated sessions at the International Cotton Advisory Committee's (ICAC) Plenary Meeting is the Reports from the Secretariat — and the 83rd edition in Bremen, Germany, did not disappoint.

#Raw Materials

ICAC projects slight decline in production, relative stability for consumption

Global cotton production is projected to decline by 4% in the 2026/27 season to 24.8 million tonnes, while consumption is expected to remain relatively steady at 25.0 million tonnes, according to the March 2026 edition of Cotton This Month.

#Europe

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.

#Natural Fibers

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.

More News on Raw Materials

#Raw Materials

Fashion for Good mobilises industry to adopt mass balance attribution and accelerate decarbonisation

Fashion for Good launches today the Mass Balance Demonstrator project, a collaborative industry initiative to implement and scale the mass balance attribution (MBA) chain-of-custody model for biomass-attributed PET in textile applications. The project represents a concrete step toward accelerating brand-driven decarbonisation across the apparel value chain.

#Raw Materials

A Powerful Opening: Global thought leaders launch the International Cotton Conference Bremen

The International Cotton Conference Bremen will open on 25 March 2026 in the Parliament building of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen with a keynote session of exceptional calibre. Distinguished international experts will set the stage for the conference by offering incisive perspectives on the most pressing challenges and the defining trends shaping the future of the global cotton trade. Their insights will span a broad spectrum — from geopolitically driven disruptions affecting global supply chains to the opportunities emerging from innovation-led agriculture capable of supporting a growing world population. Together, these opening keynotes will frame the dialogue of the conference, highlighting both the complexity of today’s market environment and the pathways toward a resilient and forward-looking cotton sector.

#Raw Materials

Lenzing Group positions bio‑based materials as a strategic asset for Europe’s economic security

The Lenzing Group, a leading supplier of regenerated cellulose fibers for the textile and nonwovens industries, hosted a high‑level roundtable in Brussels to discuss how bio‑based materials can strengthen Europe’s economic security and support the shift toward a fossil‑free future. Organized in cooperation with Euractiv, the event brought together representatives of the European Commission, the UK Mission to the EU, academia, civil society, and industry.

#Natural Fibers

Beyond Cotton: Natural Fibres in the Spotlight at the Bremen Cotton Conference - Branded by DNFI

Climate targets, fragile supply chains, and rising regulatory requirements are fundamentally changing the perspective of the textile industry - the focus is increasingly shifting toward the base material. Not only cotton, but natural fibres are gaining significant importance: they stand out not only because of their outstanding functional properties, but also because they make a valuable contribution to the bioeconomy and responsible product development.

Latest News

#Techtextil 2026

Performance Apparels: Functional textiles drive innovation at Techtextil 2026

From high-performance fibres and advanced membranes to smart textiles and sustainable material concepts – functional apparel is becoming one of the most dynamic innovation fields in technical textiles. At Techtextil 2026, exhibitors demonstrate how new materials, finishing technologies and digital functions are shaping the next generation of protective, workwear and outdoor systems.

#Textile chemistry

A flagship for chemical production: BASF inaugurates world-scale Verbund site in China

BASF today (March 26, 2026) celebrated the official inauguration of its newly built, world-scale Verbund site in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Covering an area of around four square kilometers, it is more than a major BASF project in the chemical growth market of China. “Zhanjiang shows what the future of chemistry looks like: efficient, digital and sustainable by design. The site showcases a smart integrated Verbund structure on an industrial scale,” said Dr. Markus Kamieth, CEO of BASF, at the ceremony attended by representatives from government, customers, business partners and employees.

#Nonwovens

VEOCEL™ Lyocell production expands to Asia – Launching a new chapter for nonwovens in the region

VEOCEL™, Lenzing's flagship specialty nonwovens brand, expands production at its Thai plant in Prachinburi. This is the first-ever production of its nonwoven-grade lyocell fibers in Asia. Built in 2022 with a 100,000-ton annual production capacity, the facility - previously focused on fibers for textile applications - now can directly meet the demand for VEOCEL™’s biodegradable¹, wood-based lyocell fibers for nonwovens products. These fibers are an essential ingredient for high-quality nonwovens products, ranging from baby wipes to facial sheet masks and everyday personal hygiene items.

#Research & Development

Hof University develops sustainable textile coating for the fashion of tomorrow from mushrooms

Clothing is often treated as disposable: T-shirts for events, general merchandise, or short-term campaigns frequently end up in the trash after only a few uses. This is particularly problematic given that their production still largely relies on fossil-based materials. This is precisely where a new research project at Hof University of Applied Sciences comes in.

TOP