#Raw Materials

2020-09-30

‘Cotton: Review of the world situation’: Latest outlook, yields in India, African exports and price volatility

‘Cotton: Review of the World Situation’: Latest Outlook, Yields in India, African Exports and Price Volatility Although the September 2020 edition of 'Cotton: Review of the World Situation’ doesn't directly focus on COVID-19, it's impossible to disregard the pandemic's impact when discussing the current and future outlook for the cotton industry — especially when the topics include the near-term market outlook and price volatility.

Highlights from the September 2020 issue of the ‘Review’ include:

Summary of the outlook for cotton

Is yield always a concern for Indian growers?

Improving the export competitiveness of African countries

Cotton price volatility in 2019/20

Those are two of the four feature articles in the September 2020 Review; the others address whether yields should be important to Indian cotton growers (they are and should be) and how to improve the export competitiveness of the countries in Africa, which primarily export their raw cotton fibre.

Keeping the fibre and transforming raw cotton into finished goods like clothing and apparel would generate far more income for those countries.

Going forward, both demand and supply factors are putting downward pressure on cotton prices and are likely to increase the range of movement of cotton prices in the short term. However, if the global economic situation stabilises and cotton consumption prospects improve, then volatility in 2020/21 could remain low.

New Cotton Review examines competitiveness, market risk, and opportunities

From moving record volumes of Brazilian cotton to market, to managing price volatility, unlocking Ethiopia’s production potential, and strengthening African textile trade, the latest edition of Cotton: Review of the World Situation examines some of the most consequential opportunities and challenges facing the global cotton industry.

ICAC’s 84th Plenary Meeting to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt

Registration will soon be open for the International Cotton Advisory Committee’s 84th Plenary Meeting, to be held March 24-26, 2027, in Alexandria, Egypt. The local Organizing Committee in Egypt has chosen “Building a Resilient and Competitive Future for Cotton and Textiles” as the theme for the event, which will be held at the Rixos Montaza Alexandria Resort.

Global cotton production projected to outpace consumption, but risks remain

Global cotton production is projected to reach 26.2 million tonnes in the 2026/27 season, marginally outpacing estimated consumption of 25.9 million tonnes. However, early-season production risks — including weather volatility and pest pressures — could narrow that buffer as the crop progresses, according to the September 2026 issue of Cotton This Month, published by the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC).

Kraig Labs ships first commercial spider silk yarn

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced the shipment of its first commercial order of recombinant spider silk yarn. The custom-engineered yarn was produced to fulfill a purchase commitment from a globally recognized performance sports brand and is slated for development into a first-of-its-kind performance textile.

ALLIED expands down traceability with lot-level carbon footprint data

ALLIED Feather + Down has expanded its TrackMyDown traceability platform to include validated cradle-to-gate carbon footprint data linked to individual down lots. The initiative is designed to provide brands and consumers with more detailed environmental information on the materials used in finished products and could also support future data requirements associated with Digital Product Passports.

Cotton Brazil Dialogues 2026 concludes with 50 international participants immersed in Brazilian cotton production

The Cotton Brazil Dialogues concludes its 2026 edition after a series of technical visits to farms, cotton gins and reference centers, as well as workshops focused on Brazilian cotton production. A total of 50 participants from 14 countries took part in the field trips. The initiative is led by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers (Abrapa) and the National Association of Cotton Exporters (Anea), with support from the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil).

Long John puts KARL MAYER's RDJ 7/3 into operation and strengthens its position as a market leader

KARL MAYER has just unveiled its new RDJ 7/3 Jacquard Double Needle Bar Raschel Machine in the international trade press, and the innovation is already causing a stir in the market: The Long John Group, a leading manufacturer of performance footwear fabrics and a long-standing partner of renowned brands, was the first customer to invest in the new machine and celebrated its official launch at its Indonesian plant on August 20.

An eco-friendly alternative to fluorocarbon treatments

Protective and outdoor clothing derives its durable water-, dirt- and oil- repellent properties from the application of fluorinated polymers or per- and polyfluorinated low-molecular- weight chemicals (PFCs). The beneficial properties thus achieved on textiles are offset by environmental and human health risks. For manufacturers of sports, medical, protective and automotive textiles, researchers at the Sächsisches Textilforschungsinstitut e.V. and the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research have developed liquid-applied dispersions and solutions to functionalise textiles without the use of fluorine.

VDMA Textile Machinery with new Executive Board

At the general meeting of VDMA Textile Machinery held in Hanover at the end of September, Dr Janpeter Horn, Managing Director of A. Herzog Maschinenfabrik, was re-elected as Chairman of the trade association. Regina Brückner, managing partner of Brückner Trockentechnik, and Verena Thies, managing partner of Thies Textilmaschinen, will once again serve as vice-chairs for the next four years.