Cotton

Cotton is fraught with its own problems (ranging from climate risks and disruptions to trade wars) and polyester comes with its own driving forces (from costs to consumer preference). There are relatively lesser elements that are not deliberated as much in the public domain as they should be. For instance, why are the myths about cotton allowed to flourish? texfash looks at the story behind some numbers crunched out in the public domain.

The Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has been spearheading some key collaborative projects in the cotton sector aimed at enhancing productivity, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and promote sustainable farming practices. A texfash report.

Most environmental issues in the cotton industry are being discussed and addressed, but the question remains: is enough being done? Award-winning innovation and sustainability leader, Michela Puddu, touches on a diverse range of subjects, from the cotton production and recycling landscape to its huge and fragmented supply chain, the role of standards & certifications, traceability, impact of global climate change, water challenges, livelihoods and more.

The road to widespread adoption of conflict-free cotton won’t be easy, but it’s a path being paved by a mix of legislative action, corporate responsibility, and consumer demand. While much remains to be done, the progress made so far is promising. Continued collaboration between governments, corporations, and consumers is imperative to ensure conflict-free cotton becomes a reality.

Cotton cultivation has been majorly impacted with the noticeable loss of biodiversity and effects of climate change in south of the Sahara, says a Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) survey.

Embroiled in controversies in recent times, Better Cotton will soon launch a new product label with evolving traceability capabilities to enable its network of retailers and brands to showcase their commitment to sustainable cotton production.

Researchers have used a combination of an HD digital camera and a cutting-edge software to develop a non-destructive and convenient method for measuring cotton growth. It does not require professional knowledge of computer and machine learning and thus, can be utilised by ordinary farmers or researchers.

Disease in cotton crop leads to an 8% reduction in yield and to check this the Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC), in its largest ever single investment in a first-of-its-kind collaborative approach, has forged a $13 million partnership with Australian cotton growers to mitigate its economic impacts.

A new project has been launched in India to promote fundamental principles and rights at working among cotton growers in India. The project, a collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), will lay emphasis on small and marginal farmers as well as migrant labour working in the sector.

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