#Raw Materials

2023-05-17

The ICAC publishes new and improved World Cotton Trade Update

If there's anything these last few years have taught us, it's that change is the norm — and cotton businesses and organisations need to adapt and evolve, or be left behind. That same concept applies to ICAC publications, which is why the just-released 2023 World Cotton Trade Update contains a lot of new information and analysis that didn't appear in prior editions.

Executive Summary

The 2023 World Cotton Trade Update:

Is a mid-year update to the annual World Cotton Trade Report, which is published in December of each year

Has new content that was not published in prior versions of the World Cotton Trade Report

Among the new content is information on all the cotton trading countries, on all the partner countries for each reporting country, and information on value of cotton lint traded

Is designed to complement the ICAC's real-time Data Dashboard by providing comprehensive analysis and evaluating a variety of scenarios that could affect the market

'The current version of the World Cotton Trade Report and the Trade Update are a revamped version of the previous trade reports', said ICAC Commodity Trade Analyst Ms Parkhi Vats, author of the publication. 'We have expanded their scope to include information on all the cotton trading countries, on all the partner countries for each reporting country, and information on value of cotton lint traded.'

The revised Report is one of the many changes made by the ICAC in recent years, one of the most significant of which was the development of the Data Dashboard, a powerful data analysis tool that is free for visitors to use on the ICAC website. It is updated throughout the month to provide the most current information available and serves as an excellent complement to the more analytical, big-picture approach used in the World Cotton Trade Report.

'With the development of ICAC’s Data Dashboard, we moved away from publishing excel sheets and instead, will provide a written trade report update in the second quarter of each year, on active economic and market scenarios and the ongoing causes, concerns and variables that are impacting or may impact cotton trade', Ms Vats said. 'The data dashboard will provide constant, updated trade data at all times to all the users. Together, they provide a very powerful suite of data and analysis on the global cotton marketplace'.

The ICAC World Cotton Trade Report is published in December of each year and costs $250. An Update is published in April or May of each year and is included with the subscription. If you purchase the Update, you also will have access to the full Trade Report when it is released at the end of the year.

ICAC to support European Commission on pending PEF legislation

The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) is proud to announce that it has been included as a member of the European Commission’s Technical Advisory Board (TAB) on the Product Environmental Footprint methodology. The Commission developed the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) to assess and communicate the life cycle environmental performance of products and organizations.

ICAC to collaborate with Uzbekistan and Bizpando on regenerative agriculture

The Government of Uzbekistan has allocated 55,000 hectares of land to implement a regenerative agriculture program for cotton as part of a collaborative project with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and Bizpando, a company with a a blockchain-based internet platform designed to ensure supply chain compliance.

Beyond the wardrobe – innovative cotton takes the spotlight

Cotton can do more – a lot more. Cutting-edge textiles and high-tech products made from 100% cotton prove just how powerfully performance and sustainability can come together. That very surge of innovation is front and centre at the 38th Bremen Cotton Conference, taking place March 25–27, 2026, at Bremen’s Parliament on the historic market square – culminating in a bold and dedicated closing session on Friday. In the spotlight: performance upgrades for pure cotton, smart strategies for circular textile waste solutions, and pioneering concepts for demanding technical applications. From natural fibre–reinforced composites to highly effective flame-retardant solutions, cotton steps out of the closet and shows the future potential woven into every fibre.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

Aid by Trade Foundation reaches new milestones in supply chain transparency

The Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is reaching new milestones as it leads the way towards greater physical traceability for Cotton made in Africa® (CmiA) cotton. With around 700 suppliers and producers in a total of 25 countries, the Aid by Trade Foundation has reached a new record number of partners who can trace CmiA cotton from the product back to its origin. This is more than double the previous year’s figure.

Modern testing methods for raw cotton

The 38th International Cotton Conference Bremen will take place from 25 to 27 March 2026 at the Bremen Parliament. This conference has traditionally stood for in-depth expertise and international exchange. The program will focus on technical innovations, market trends, and regulatory frameworks across the entire value chain – from agriculture to the circular economy. With high-profile speakers, the conference is regarded as the key meeting point for the global cotton industry. Today’s focus: Cotton quality and testing methods.

Barmag presents the next generation of POY production – energy-efficient and partial-automated

With POY 2.0, Barmag is introducing a completely redesigned spinning concept that takes the production of partially oriented yarn (POY) to a new level in terms of technology and economy. The solution, which was presented to a selected audience of experts for the first time at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, was met with great enthusiasm: several yarn producers worldwide immediately expressed their interest in a pilot plant.

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem to accelerate technology scale‑up

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem (consortium) to help advance the scale‑up of Spinnova’s technology. Spinnova has actively sought partners to accelerate commercial scale‑up, and Circulose, as a key player in textile recycling, strengthens the ecosystem by providing a raw material that is in high demand across the industry.