#Raw Materials

2022-07-20

U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol confirmed as ISEAL Community Member

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol was accepted as an ISEAL Community Member following a rigorous and meticulous approval process and only eighteen months after the program’s launch.

ISEAL is a global membership organization that supports credited sustainability systems in their work, with the goal to drive greater impact and establish markets that are a force for good. The organization focuses on a wide variety of global challenges such as the climate emergency, biodiversity crisis and human rights issues among others. ISEAL works to define credible practices for sustainability, foster collaboration and shared experience, deliver expertise and training, and promote innovation to strengthen sustainability systems.

“I’m very happy to congratulate the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol on becoming an ISEAL Community Member,” said Karin Kreider, ISEAL’s Executive Director. “The Trust Protocol supports cotton producers to develop bespoke management plans aimed at improving their sustainability, and innovative use of data and metrics supports measurement of success over time. We are excited to have a fresh perspective in the ISEAL learning community, and to have another member working to improve sustainability outcomes in the cotton sector.”

ISEAL Community Members must be committed to continually improving their systems through learning and innovation, with emphasis on the importance of collaboration. They also are required to be transparent about how their programs work and the how they measure impacts.

The Trust Protocol is the only fiber sustainability system that provides quantifiable, verifiable goals and measurement and drives continuous improvement in six key sustainability metrics - land use, soil carbon, water management, soil loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy efficiency. It also is the world’s first sustainable cotton fiber to offer its members article-level supply chain transparency through the Protocol Consumption Management Solution.

“We are proud that the Trust Protocol was accepted as an ISEAL Community Member understanding the rigorous process and governance ISEAL adheres to,” said Dr. Gary Adams, president of the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol. “ISEAL Community membership provides the Trust Protocol the continued opportunity to set a new standard in more sustainable cotton production where full transparency is a reality and continuous improvement to reduce our environmental footprint is the central goal.”

The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, recognized by Textile Exchange and Forum for the Future, and part of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Cotton 2025 Sustainable Cotton Challenge, Cotton 2040 and Cotton Up initiatives. It has also been recognized and published in the ITC Standards Map and recognized as a standard for sustainable cotton by the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles.

To learn more about the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol visit:

http://TrustUSCotton.org.

“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.

AMSilk and Ajinomoto Foods Europe expand partnership to enable industrial-scale production of silk proteins

AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk”), a global leader leader in biotech produced silk materials, today announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), marking a key step in scaling the industrial production of its silk proteins. Building on the collaboration first established in 2023, the two companies have now entered into a long-term manufacturing and supply agreement, enabling the transition from industrial validation to dedicated, large-scale production.

Rieter sees Barmag integration on track as orders and sales rise

The first half of 2026 was shaped by the successful completion of the largest acquisition in Rieter’s history. The Man-Made Fiber Division enables entry into the growth segment of man-made fibers and sustainably strengthens Rieter’s market position in the Asia region. The expanded Group is now the world’s leading system supplier for the processing of natural and man-made fibers. In the first half of the year, initial cost savings in material costs and operating expenses have already been realized. The targeted synergies are expected to amount to at least CHF 20 million by the end of the 2028 financial year. Due to the completion of the acquisition on February 2, 2026, the first half of the year for the Man-Made Fiber Division only amounts to five months.

C&S strengthens its governance to support its evolution

C&S announces the appointment of Marco Lucietti to its Board of Directors. With extensive international experience across the textile and denim industries, Lucietti will work alongside CEO Federico Corneli, contributing to the company’s managerial development, organizational structure and long-term strategic direction.