#Raw Materials

2024-08-01

An inspiring vision for the future of cotton & design

Cotton Incorporated announces winners of Cotton Forward: 3D Fashion Design Challenge in collaboration with Arts Thread. This exciting competition invited future industry professionals to create innovative fashion designs using cotton fabrics and 3D technology.

The competition received entries from 27 design schools across the United States. Themes of travel, versatility and contemporary forms resonated across the collections.

“The judges were astonished by the talent, creativity and technical capabilities of the participants, their collections and extensive resources available through the CottonWorks™ platform,” says Megan Peterson, director of marketing and industry programs for Cotton Incorporated. “These talented professionals truly demonstrated how cotton and digital design is an integral part of fashion’s future and the ability for cotton to be a key element in travel and outdoor apparel.”

“An inspiring vision for the future — The Arts Thread x Cotton Incorporated competition created a path for young designers to showcase their talents through innovation and creativity. Drawing on the value of digital fashion design and use of cotton fabrics, the Cotton Forward competition opened up the potential for the digitalization of the fashion industry,” comments Clare Tattersall, founder of Digital Fashion Week. “The level of skill, imagination and technical knowledge was remarkable, we now have a new slate of designers to watch out for.”

The winners:

1st Place White Attribution cotton forward featured 1024x661 - An Inspiring Vision For The Future Of Cotton & Design

First Place | $5000 prize

Jacob Frothingham, Buffalo State University | graduating 2025 | LinkedIn | @jacobfrothingham

Collection Name: True Delusion

Designer Statement: Introducing the True Delusion Collection, a captivating exploration of modern identity and self-expression through looks tailored for both men and women. Each ensemble is meticulously crafted with CottonWorks™ digital fabrics, selected for their superior quality, versatility, and sustainability to embody the ethos of contemporary fashion.

2nd Place cotton foward - An Inspiring Vision For The Future Of Cotton & Design

Second Place | $3500 prize

Britney Spangenberg, Missouri State University | 2024 graduate | LinkedIn| @nightcire.arts

Collection Name: Making Outerwear a Statement

Designer Statement: This 3D Mini Collection focuses on making Outerwear a Statement through fabric volume, featuring ruched design elements, a subtle original chain print, and a contemporary color palette. This collection was produced in Browzwear Vstitcher and crafted exclusively from digital fabrics downloaded from the CottonWorks™ Digital Fabric Library. My ensembles feature fabrics treated with STORM COTTON™ durable water-repellant finish and are designed with longevity in mind.

3rd Place cotton forward - An Inspiring Vision For The Future Of Cotton & Design

Third Place | $1500 prize

Kailey Itri, Texas Tech University | 2024 graduate |LinkedIn| @kailey.itri

Collection Name: The Urban Cotton Essentials Collection

Designer Statement: The Urban Cotton Essentials Collection is a contemporary fusion of streetwear and commuter wear, designed for today’s modern explorer. Featuring modular designs and innovative fabrics from CottonWorks™, each piece blends style, functionality, and versatility to meet the demands of today’s active lifestyles. Inspired by the natural world and urban environments, this collection empowers individuals to navigate their daily journeys with ease and confidence.

Open to students in the U.S. and recent graduates, the competition challenged participants to submit their cotton digital fashion creations from the CottonWorks™ Digital Fabric Library, a unique collection of over 400 free-to-download digital cotton fabric files compatible with CLO3D and Browzwear. The competition’s judging panel comprised experts in apparel design and 3D technology:

Clare Tattersall, founder of Digital Fashion Week

Soojin Kang, assistant professor of fashion technology at Parsons School of Design

Katherine Absher, manager of fashion and digital design at Cotton Incorporated

Cotton Incorporated unveils reimagined CottonWorks platform

Cotton Incorporated today announced the launch of a reimagined CottonWorks™ website, an ambitious digital transformation designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s global textile professionals across every stage of the value chain. The new platform is more than a redesign – it is an intuitive, fashion-forward platform built to support compliance, product development, sourcing, and education across the textile industry.

Cotton Incorporated hosts global dialogue in Hong Kong to lead cotton forward

In a powerful display of global collaboration, more than 255 industry leaders from 124 companies including over 41 top global brands and sourcing organizations gathered in Hong Kong on May 15 for Cotton ConneXions: Where Innovation Meets Opportunity, a one-day summit hosted by Cotton Incorporated. The event united the global cotton supply chain to discover innovations, recognize industry contributions, generate business orders, network, and address the challenges and opportunities shaping the fiber’s future amid regulatory shifts and evolving market dynamics.

Cotton Incorporated calls for investment in quality cotton fashion

When it comes to selecting the best fashion and home style pieces, quality matters. One key aspect that stands out among consumers is the choice of fabric, especially with cotton being a popular favorite for its comfort, durability, and sustainability. Whether it’s clothing or home textiles, the fiber label “cotton” signifies comfort and quality especially when looking for value per use in a down economy.

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.

Textile Exchange publishes cotton Life Cycle Assessment study to strengthen impact data

Textile Exchange has published the first in a series of seven Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies designed to improve the quality and robustness of environmental impact data for raw material production across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry. The first LCA study focuses on cotton and addresses critical data gaps and methodology variability through new high-quality data across key producing countries. The study includes organic, regenerative, recycled, and country averages for conventional cotton production systems, providing a clearer picture of the associated environmental impact.

RE&UP partners with Madewell and ISKO on textile-to-textile denim capsule

RE&UP Recycling Technologies is accelerating the shift toward a closed-loop textile economy through a collaboration with American denim brand Madewell and global fabric manufacturer ISKO. By transforming approximately 20,000 pairs of post-consumer jeans into recycled feedstock for a textile-to-textile denim capsule, RE&UP demonstrates the commercial viability of circular systems in the denim sector.

Sedo Treepoint will exhibit smart technologies for technical textile production

As technical textile production becomes increasingly complex and sustainability requirements intensify, digital integration is evolving from an efficiency tool into a strategic task. At Techtextil 2026 (April 21–24, Frankfurt am Main), Sedo Treepoint will present smart digital systems designed to address the demanding production environments of technical textile manufacturing. The company’s focus will be on practical technologies that enhance process transparency, reproducibility, and efficient resource use. Visitors will meet Sedo Treepoint in Hall 12, Booth D05.

ITM presents cutting-edge textile research at Techtextil

From April 21 to 24, 2026, the Chair of Textile Machinery and High Performance Material Technology (ITM) at TUD Dresden University of Technology will be presenting its current research at Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwovens. In Hall 12.0, Stand D41, the team will be demonstrating how it combines high-performance fibers, AI-supported digital development tools and innovative machine technologies to develop textile solutions for lightweight construction, construction, medical technology and sustainable production from atom to product.

CHT Group to showcase intelligent specialty chemical solutions at Techtextil 2026

At this year's Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt am Main, the CHT Group will be presenting its comprehensive portfolio of tailor-made specialty chemicals and process solutions for technical textiles. As a reliable partner to the global textile industry, the company offers innovative products and in-depth technical expertise across all areas of the textile value chain – from pretreatment, dyeing, and printing to finishing, coating, and fiber auxiliaries.