Cotton

Research from Clemson University in the US is shedding light on how to make cotton more climate-resilient through improved water use efficiency.

As climate change leads to more frequent and severe droughts in many cotton-growing regions, developing varieties that can thrive with less water is crucial, and new research offers hope for developing more resilient varieties of cotton that can maintain high yields even under water-stressed conditions.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has partnered with the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) on a project that would focus on small and marginal farmers and workers to address their vulnerabilities and ensure better institutional support mechanisms for the cotton growing community.

The African cotton sector has received a shot in the arm as some key global players have joined hands to galvanise financing to promote cooperation in developing programmes that support private sector engagement and investment in the Cotton-4 countries and other cotton-producing countries in West and Central Africa.

Culminating more than a decade of research, researchers in the US have come up with a new cotton quality module that works with GOSSYM, a computer application that simulates the processes affecting cotton plant growth and yield.

The subject of cotton farmers keeps raising its head time and again, though in the context of broader discussions about cotton, but invariably the disconcerting issues facing them often languish on the periphery. An analysis of a Solidaridad paper that spotlights on the plight of farmers.

In a bid to integrate West African cotton-growing countries more closely in the global value chain for football clothing, Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) will now be a part of the joint initiative of the WTO and FIFA that aims to open up new markets to African cotton farmers and producers, for example in the area of sportswear.

There is feasibility and value in engaging in circular, textile-to-textile recycling systems for cotton, as also benefits for all involved stakeholders, affirms Accelerating Circularity's much-anticipated Global Cotton Report.

Researchers in the US have concluded that cellulosic microfibres from flushable wipes, tissue paper, and cotton fibres generated from bleached cotton jersey knit fabric biodegrade extensively across all tested conditions.

A consulting firm in 2020 that transitioned into a membership-based supplier-driven and brand support organisation, Sourcery has since shifted its goal post, evolving into a digital trading platform that empowers supply chain stakeholders to secure cotton fibre with access to assurance and impact data. texfash.com talks to Co-Founder Imran Asghar to learn how their innovative sourcing solution is aiding deeper collaboration between growers and fashion brands.