#Raw Materials

2023-06-22

Better Cotton hosts inaugural Member Awards

Better Cotton yesterday hosted its inaugural Member Awards at its conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The two-day Better Cotton Conference got underway on 21 June, convening supply chain actors from the cotton sector and beyond to discuss four key themes: Climate Action, Sustainable Livelihoods, Data & Traceability, and Regenerative Agriculture.

On the evening of the opening day, at a networking dinner held at Strand Zuid, Better Cotton Chief Executive Officer, Alan McClay, and Chief Operating Officer, Lena Staafgard, presented the awards. The Member Awards were established to celebrate the contribution of members to the growth and success of the Better Cotton framework and will be replicated annually at future conferences.

The first of four awards was the Global Sourcing Award, which was given to the Retail and Brand Member and Supplier & Manufacturer Member that sourced the highest volume of Better Cotton in 2022. The winners were H&M Group and Louis Dreyfus Company, having surpassed all other members in the volume of Better Cotton sourced.

The second honour was the Impact Storyteller Award which recognised an organisation with which Better Cotton has collaborated to spotlight compelling stories from the field. The winner was IPUD (?yi Pamuk Uygulamalar? Derne?i – the Good Cotton Practices Association), following the production of content from a field trip to Turkey – covering the topics of decent work and children’s education – which generated the most coverage on Better Cotton’s website last year.

The Outstanding Contribution Award followed, and was bestowed upon organisations who contributed “in an exceptional way” to Better Cotton’s revision of its Principles & Criteria, announced earlier this year. Representatives from the Alliance for Water Stewardship, High Conservation Value Network, Pesticides Action Network, and Solidaridad were all recognised at the ceremony for their support and input in refining the framework.

The fourth and final honour – the Transformer Award – was awarded to an organisation that’s been instrumental in shaping Better Cotton’s work since its conception. IDH – the Sustainable Trade Initiative – claimed the inaugural award due to its continued and priceless contribution since 2010.

Photo credit: Better Cotton/Dennis Bouman. Location: Amsterdam, 2023. Description: Better Cotton Conference 2023 flag.

"I’m grateful for this opportunity to demonstrate Better Cotton’s gratitude to the businesses and organisations that have helped shape our initiative. Without them, our mission to help cotton communities survive and thrive while protecting and restoring the environment, wouldn’t be possible."

Alan McClay, CEO, Better Cotton

Texprocess 2026: Automation, digitalisation and AI redefine textile processing

Making investment decisions in textile processing has become significantly more demanding. Increasing energy costs, a shortage of skilled labour and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties are compelling companies to focus on technologies that deliver clear gains in efficiency and process reliability. This applies equally to apparel manufacturing and to the processing of technical textiles and high-performance materials. As a result, modernisation initiatives are assessed more carefully – even as the need to upgrade production systems continues to intensify.

Techtextil 2026: Between innovation pressure & market reality

From 21 to 24 April 2026, Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main will once again become the central meeting point for the international technical textiles and nonwovens industry. Running in parallel, Texprocess will focus on the industrial implementation of textile processing technologies as the leading platform in this field. Together, the two trade fairs form a closely integrated presentation and working platform along the entire textile value chain – from material development to finished applications.

Between geopolitical pressure and industrial resilience

In this interview, Dr. Janpeter Horn (VDMA) discusses the current challenges facing textile machinery manufacturers, shaped by geopolitical tensions, regulatory developments and subdued investment. He also outlines why innovation strength, integrated solutions and strategic positioning remain key to global competitiveness.

Lenzing commissions 14 MW power‑to‑heat facility, strengthening grid stability and heat management

The Lenzing Group has successfully commissioned a new power‑to‑heat (P2H) facility with an electrical capacity of 14 megawatts. The installation converts renewable electricity directly into process heat, is fully integrated into the existing heat network at the industrial site, and represents a key building block for a fossil‑free heat supply. As project partner, VERBUND was responsible for the energy‑market integration and will operate the facility for balancing energy marketing, enabling it to respond flexibly to short‑term fluctuations in the power grid.

Kraig Biocraft reaches next step in production growth

Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. (OTCQB: KBLB) (“the Company”, “Kraig Labs”, or “Kraig’s”), a world leader in spider silk technology*, today announced that it has produced more than 1.3 metric tons of recombinant spider silk cocoons in a single month. This is a new world record and shatters the Company’s previous production record by a factor of five. Today marks a pivotal step forward in the transition of spider silk from laboratory innovation to an industrial-scale material platform.

New study shows low environmental impact by Cotton made in Africa Organic Cotton from Tanzania

Today, the Aid by Trade Foundation (AbTF) is announcing the results of a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA) for cotton produced in Tanzania under the Cotton made in Africa Organic (CmiA Organic) standard. The study emphasises the small ecological footprint of CmiA Organic verified cotton. This can largely be traced back to the absence of synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilisers, and artificial irrigation. Consequently, CmiA Organic cotton can help the textile industry meet regulatory requirements as well as science-based targets. The results also show that the consequences of climate change threaten the livelihoods of these cotton farmers, even though the type of agriculture they practise barely contributes to climate change.

Speed and connectivity: Techtextil and Texprocess provided market-ready solutions for industries under pressure

With more than 36,000 visitors and 1,700 exhibitors from a total of 112 countries, Techtextil and Texprocess 2026 demonstrated how innovation comes into industrial use. The convergence of research, industry and application proved to be a breeding ground for new material solutions, manufacturing and processing technologies. Natural fibres, performance apparel, connected systems and AI-driven processing technologies emerged as key growth and future markets.

Italian Textile Machinery heads to Geneva for Index 2026

An important delegation of Italian companies will exhibit at the upcoming INDEX 2026, the world’s leading event for the nonwovens sector, taking place from May 19 to 22 in Geneva (Switzerland). Numerous Italian exhibitors will be present within the Italy Pavilion, organized by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT, an exhibition area of over 140 square meters dedicated to the latest innovations proposed by the Italian industry.