#Raw Materials

2022-09-22

Zambia rejoins the ICAC, becomes 11th member government in Africa

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is pleased to announce that Zambia has rejoined the organisation, becoming its 25th member overall and 11th Member in Africa.

While the ICAC is always thrilled to welcome back former Members, the reunion with Zambia is an especially happy moment because the ICAC, through a project with the International Trade Centre (ITC), has been spending a lot of time there over the last few years, training farmers via the ICAC's Four Simple Steps to Sustainable High Yields methodology and Virtual Reality Cotton Training Programme.

ICAC has been partnering with ITC in an effort to increase and even double yields in Zambia. This initiative is being implemented within the framework of the Cotton Production and Handloom Development project in Zambia implemented by ITC and financed by the EU under the ‘ACP Business-Friendly Programme’. Other components of the project target handloom development to diversify farm-level income as well as improving seed cotton marketing practices.

'The ICAC is extremely pleased to welcome Zambia back as a Member government, especially after our productive work together teaching best practices to small holder cotton farmers there through the use of ICAC innovations like our Four Simple Steps methodology and Virtual Reality Cotton Training Programme', said ICAC Executive Director Kai Hughes. 'The effectiveness of those tools, combined with the productive working relationship we established while working hand-in-hand with the cotton professionals on the ground there, allowed Zambian officials to witness first-hand the value that the ICAC can bring to the cotton community in a country and we are thrilled to welcome this critical cotton-producing country back as a Member'.

Dr N Vigneshwaran is named 2026 ICAC Researcher of the Year

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is pleased to announce the selection of Dr N Vigneshwaran, Principal Scientist and Head of the Chemical and Biochemical Processing Division at the ICAR–Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai, India, as the ICAC Researcher of the Year 2026.

China projected to increase cotton production, yields, and imports in 2026/27

World cotton production in the 2026/27 season is projected at 25.9 million tonnes, exceeding global consumption of 25.2 million tonnes, according to the May 2026 issue of Cotton This Month. That means both production and consumption are expected to remain close to current season levels, while global cotton trade is projected to decline by 2.7% to approximately 9.6-9.7 million tonnes.

New U.S. cotton study uses real-world grower data to reveal where fiber impacts occur

Cotton Incorporated has released a critically reviewed life cycle assessment (LCA) of U.S. cotton fiber production that examines how cotton’s environmental impacts are measured and where meaningful improvements can be made across the value chain. The new data, grounded in real‑world grower inputs, measures what drives U.S. cotton’s environmental footprint from field to gin.

ECCO introduces first shoe featuring innovative protein-based fibre

ECCO, in partnership with Spinnova, announces the launch of the limited edition ECCO BIOM® 720, a first-of-its-kind shoe utilising an often overlooked leather by-product, transformed into a protein-based fibre. The fibres are produced using patented technology that advances material innovation while reducing waste and supporting full resource use across the leather and textile industry.

KARL MAYER presents a textile TEXTRONIC® innovation at ITM 2026

With highly efficient machines and continuous textile innovations, KARL MAYER underscores its role as a reliable partner for discerning top-tier customers. Just in time for ITM 2026 in Istanbul, the industry leader is introducing a true innovation: an eyelash lace with its characteristic fringed look – combined with a previously unattainable 4-way stretch. While the established fabric could until now only be produced as rigid version or with one-dimensional stretch, the new elasticity in both dimensions expands the possibilities for cross-band panel fabrics.

DYNEEMA® and NP Aerospace advance personal protection for military servicewomen

Dyneema®, owned by Avient Corporation, an innovator of materials solutions, is supplying its high-performance unidirectional (UD) materials to world-leading armor manufacturer NP Aerospace, enabling the production of armor systems designed specifically to fit the female body. With 2,000 new armor systems, including 4,000 plates, made in the United Kingdom (UK) and delivered in June 2026, this collaboration addresses a long-standing lack of high-quality personal protection specially built for female defense and security personnel.

Textile Exchange publishes comprehensive polyester LCA study

Textile Exchange has released a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study on polyester, providing detailed data on the environmental impacts of both virgin and recycled polyester production. The study aims to strengthen understanding across the fashion, textile and apparel industries and support more informed decision-making regarding polyester sourcing and production.