#Raw Materials

2022-08-11

The ICAC will give away $9,000 in multiple World Cotton Day contests

With two months to go until 7 October, the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has announced that it will hold a number of contests to celebrate World Cotton Day, totalling $9,000 in prize money. There will be six contests, with each awarding the winner $1,000 and the runner-up $500.

Four of them will be held on Twitter; winners will be those whose tweets get the most points (1 point for each like and 3 points for each retweet) for tweets sent between 1 September and 6 October, with the winners announced on World Cotton Day. Each tweet must include three hashtags — #worldcottonday; #ICAC_Cotton; #cottonforgood (the official theme of World Cotton Day) — as well as a fourth that indicates which contest the tweet is for:

1. #cotton: Tweets about the cotton plant, including the raw fibre.

2. #madewithcotton: Tweets about products made from cotton.

3. #sustainablecotton: Tweets about some aspect of cotton’s sustainability.

4. #cottonresearch: Tweets about the science of cotton.

In addition, two contests will be held at the World Cotton Research Conference, which begins on 4 October in Cairo and concludes on World Cotton Day:

1. Best live presentation, and

2. Best poster.

‘Because cotton alleviates poverty in many of the world’s least-developed countries and helps fight climate change globally, the more visibility cotton gets on 7 October, the better’, said Kai Hughes, ICAC Executive Director. ‘We want to motivate people to spread the good word about cotton with the Twitter contests, and want to reward the scientists whose research is the lifeblood of the cotton industry’s development at the World Cotton Research Conference’.

For more information about the ICAC’s World Cotton Day contests, and see an example of a tweet for the #madewithcotton contest, please click here:

https://www.worldcottonday.com/location/international-cotton-advisory-committee-icac-2/

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).

Aachen Summer School: Textiles become smart through 3D printing and origami

From 21 to 29 September 2026, the Aachen Summer School will transform Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University into a laboratory of the future: over the course of a week, students will use origami folding techniques and 3D printing to develop active textile structures capable of performing programmable movements. This interdisciplinary event combines theoretical foundations with practical prototyping – from digital modelling right through to functional textile prototypes.

Trützschler to showcase innovations in spinning preparation and nonwovens at ITMA Asia 2026

From November 20 to 24, 2026, the Trützschler Group will present its latest fiber processing technologies at ITMA Asia in Shanghai, China. At Hall 5.1, Booth D20, the company will showcase solutions designed to increase productivity, simplify operations and improve efficiency across spinning preparation and nonwoven production. Key highlights include the automated can transport system T-CAN, the next-generation card TC 30, innovative card clothing solutions such as STEELTOP and SUPERFLOW, as well as advanced nonwoven technologies for hygiene, wipes and filtration applications.

ROICA™ brings global textile innovation to Functional Fabric Fair Portland

ROICA™, the premium stretch fiber by Asahi Kasei, will make its debut appearance at Functional Fabric Fair Portland on October 27-28, 2026, at the Oregon Convention Center (Stand 256). Bringing together textile developments from partner companies across Europe and Asia, the ROICA™ booth will present a diverse collection of fabric solutions for performance, outdoor, mobility, swimwear, cy-cling, and lifestyle applications.