#Raw Materials

2021-11-18

COTTON USA meetings in Turkey result in U.S. cotton sales

Turkish textile mills expect to purchase an estimated 700,000 bales of additional U.S. cotton or cotton products in the next year as a result of attending Cotton Day Turkey on Oct. 28, the first in-person event hosted in the country since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. At Cotton Day, representatives from the American Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA), AMCOT, the American Cotton Producers and Supima met with over 100 representatives from Turkish textile mills at the conclusion of a weeklong COTTON USA Executive Delegation from Oct. 23-29.

Cotton Council International (CCI) hosted the COTTON USA Executive Delegation in Turkey due to the country’s importance in the global cotton and textile industry. In MY 20/21 Turkey was the 4th largest importer of cotton and expects to increase its cotton imports in the future. This represents an opportunity for U.S. cotton exports, especially after the Turkish government lifted an anti-dumping duty on U.S. cotton in April of 2021, making it easier for textile mills in the country to purchase the high-quality U.S. cotton they prefer.

As part of the trip, five U.S. cotton industry leaders, Tommy Hayden (LDC), Steve Williams (Jess Smith & Sons Cotton Co.), Donald Robinson (Carolinas Cotton Growers Cooperative), Marshall Hardwick (Hardwick Planting Co.) and Marc Lewkowitz (Supima), met with their counterparts in the Turkish textile industry during visits to Istanbul, Gaziantep and Adana, Turkey. The group met with the Istanbul Textile and Raw Materials Exports Association, the Turkish Clothing & Manufacturer’s Association and influential textile mill owners to discuss the benefits of U.S. cotton. These meetings also gave the U.S. industry members an opportunity to hear directly from their customers the obstacles they face when using U.S. cotton in their products and learn about the market trends in Turkey that may impact U.S. cotton exports to the country in the future.

On the final day of the trip, the group celebrated Cotton Day in Adana, Turkey. Textile mill representatives, as well as agents of U.S. exporters, joined the group to learn more about the U.S. cotton industry and CCI. Presentations included: “Global Cotton Supply & Demand,” “U.S. Cotton Supply, Demand & Quality Update,” “U.S. Cotton Logistics Update,” “Supima Update,” “The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol,” “The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol®, A Grower’s Perspective,” and “COTTON USA SOLUTIONS Mill Mastery™ Course: The CCI Profitability Model.”

According to a survey conducted after the Cotton Day event, 84% of the participants were very satisfied with the event overall and 80% are very likely to recommend future Cotton Day events to their colleagues. As a result of attending, 93% of the textile mill participants expect to purchase additional U.S. cotton or cotton products in the next year.

“Production is a product”

From technical textiles and AI-driven robotics to the limitations of textile circularity: Professor Dr Thomas Gries looks back on more than two decades of development at ITA Aachen. In the interview, he explains why production technology remains a decisive success factor, discusses international collaborations and innovation ecosystems, and shares his views on the transformation of production landscapes and the challenges facing an increasingly regulated industry.

“We need to move away from the price trap and return to a value-driven mindset.”

With its new Textile Innovation Center, KARL MAYER is sending a strong signal for innovation, collaboration, and the future of textile applications. In this interview, Karl Josef Mayer discusses new opportunities in warp knitting, the processing of staple fibres, recycling, the changing role of machinery manufacturers, and why the textile industry must once again focus more strongly on the value of textiles. by Oliver Schmidt

“Innovation, resilience and international experience remain the great strengths of the Swiss textile machinery industry”

Geopolitical uncertainty, growing competitive pressure from China, new free trade agreements and the shift towards a circular economy are currently reshaping the global textile industry. In this interview, Cornelia Buchwalder discusses the current mood within the Swiss textile machinery sector, the industry’s distinctive innovative strength, new market opportunities in India and Asia, and the technological trends that could shape the upcoming trade fair cycle leading up to ITMA 2027.

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.

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.

180 years of TESTEX: From Zurich silk testing to global certification

For 180 years, TESTEX has developed alongside the textile industry while maintaining the same underlying purpose: creating trust through independent and reliable measurement. Founded in Zurich in 1846 as the Zurich Silk Conditioning Institute, TESTEX has grown from a local institution serving the silk trade into an international Swiss testing and certification institute for textiles and leather.

Moving Advanced Recycling from Innovation to Implementation

The Advanced Recycling Conference 2026 explores technologies, markets, financing and scale-up of innovative recycling solutions for waste streams including mixed plastic waste, textiles and PVC. Europe’s chemical and materials sector faces growing pressure to close carbon loops, strengthen raw-material safety and resilience and meet increasingly ambitious EU recycling targets. Against this backdrop, the Advanced Recycling Conference (ARC) will bring together industry leaders, technology providers, researchers, innovators and policy-makers on 17–18 November 2026 in Cologne, Germany.

German textile industry and retailers form alliance to shape textile EPR system

Germany’s textile and fashion industry and retail sector have joined forces to establish the “Alliance for Textile Circularity” (Allianz für textile Kreisläufe). Initiated by the German Textile and Fashion Industry Association (Gesamtverband textil+mode) and the German Retail Federation (HDE), the alliance aims to contribute industry expertise to the development of Germany’s future Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system for textiles and footwear.

Cascale launches member-led process to shape 2030 strategy

Cascale has launched a member-led process to define the industry alliance’s strategic direction for the next decade. At the Cascale Annual Meeting 2026 in Athens, CEO Ying McGuire announced that members will contribute to an industry system map that will inform Cascale’s 10-year vision, its 2030 strategy and priorities for 2027. The new strategy is scheduled to be finalized in December.