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"Like every other industry, textile and specifically cotton producers need to get tech savvy to become more efficient and profitable. In the US, Randy Norton, Director, University of Arizona’s Safford Agricultural Center (SAC), has been mulling over the possibility of tech intervention for sometime. Currently, he is researching on 38 cotton projects in the Grand Canyon State (mostly varietal trials) designed to evaluate inputs, reduce costs, protect the crop, and increase yields. During his work, he found out equipment is a major expense on cotton growers’ operations, including the infamous cotton picker."
Like every other industry, textile and specifically cotton producers need to get tech savvy to become more efficient and profitable. In the US, Randy Norton, Director, University of Arizona’s Safford Agricultural Center (SAC), has been mulling over the possibility of tech intervention for sometime. Currently, he is researching on 38 cotton projects in the Grand Canyon State (mostly varietal trials) designed to evaluate inputs, reduce costs, protect the crop, and increase yields. During his work, he found out equipment is a major expense on cotton growers’ operations, including the infamous cotton picker. Today’s price tag for a new round bale picker or a square bale module picker is in the $750,000 ballpark; which is exorbitantly high. With new pickers, you need just one or two people and one machine to harvest the crop. This allows the grower to accomplish multiple tasks in a single pass. It’s a tremendous cost savings for growers, Norton said.
Picker technology
Norton points out the latest pickers eliminate the need for multiple buggies and module builders to service one older standard picker and its fiber load, and the employees to operate it. New systems allow growers to focus their employees on more important and timely tasks. Another benefit of ‘all-in-one’ pickers is the operational speed. Older pickers traveled down cotton rows at a snail’s pace from 2 to 2.5 miles per hour (mph). Today’s pickers about double this with a 5 to 5.5 mph picking speed, covering more ground in less time, which saves the grower money. New picker benefits and other technology are changing the harvest landscape in Arizona and across other cotton-growing areas. With higher picker costs, more producers are shifting to custom harvested cotton. In southeastern Arizona’s Cochise County, about 75 per cent of the cotton is now custom harvested.
As far as crop protection is concerned, Arizona cotton farmers used to spray an average of 15-plus times per season to control a handful of different pests. Today, the average is less than two sprays per season. Norton added that today’s transgenic cottonseed technologies combined with specific targeted insecticides have really made insect control much more efficient today.
Water use
Advances in irrigation continue to improve water use efficiency in irrigated Arizona cotton. Norton estimates consumptive water use in cotton is about 40-45 inches per acre. With lower irrigation efficiencies, it may take up to 60-65 inches to meet the demand and also manage higher salinity levels in the soil. Cotton can withstand electrical conductivity in the soil up to 7-8 decisiemens per meter before you see yield decline. It’s a very salt tolerance crop. Different growing stages of the cotton plant are more sensitive to salt, including seedlings. To combat salt, many Arizona growers use alternate furrow irrigation to push salt across the seed row. In Buckeye located west of Phoenix, cotton is planted dry and then irrigated up every other row to push the salt line across the seed row.
Most Arizona cotton fields use a furrow-flood type irrigation system with more than 50 per cent water efficiency, and reused tail water on another field. The maximum efficiency for this irrigation system is about 70 per cent. In sprinkler and drip systems, water use efficiency tops out at about 80-90 per cent efficiency. In the Coolidge area of Pinal County, many growers are flooding cotton on the flat without furrows. They can flash water more quickly on the field to gain higher water use efficiency.
Minya is the capital of the Minya governorate in Upper Egypt, located about 245 km South of Cairo. The minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr met members of the Council to discuss the possibility of involving the private sector in developing a free zone specialised in textile industries in Minya. Mohamed Kassem, Head of the Supreme Council for Textile Industries, said work is in progress to establish a partnership with a major Chinese company to develop this project which is looking at developing a free trade zone that will specialise in textile industries in Minya. He said the establishment of a company will commence, post issuance of approval to establish the zone.
A statement from the Ministry of Investment confirmed they are coordinating with the governor of Minya to complete all necessary project procedures to transform mainly Minya and Egypt, in general, into a regional hub for the textile industries in the Middle East and Africa.
Two industrial parks will open in Ethiopia by the end of this month. The Adama and the Dire Dawa industrial parks specialize in textile, apparel and agro processing. Both parks are close to the port of Djibouti, so it is expected that they will contribute to the facilitation of foreign trade for the country.
The parks are expected to create a total of 50,000 jobs on going operational. Anchor companies are being invited to enter the parks. As the parks are fitted with the provision of one stop services, companies that enter the parks will get services within the compounds.
The Hawassa industrial park in Ethiopia has attracted 18 leading global apparel and textile companies. It has the capacity to create employment opportunities for 60,000 people. As an eco-park, Hawassa is mostly powered by renewable electricity sources. The design and construction of Hawassa was conceived around energy and water conservation principles – including maximization of natural lightning and natural ventilation, fitting of low consumption bulbs, recycling of rain water, and solar powered LED street lights - making it Ethiopia’s first major eco-friendly development.
Ethiopia is Africa’s second most populous country, with an average GDP growth rate of 11 per cent for the past 11 years and a stable government with an ambitious 2025 vision to become Africa’s leader in light manufacturing.
The global technical textile market is likely to grow at a CAGR of 4.7 per cent over the next 10 years. By that time Asia-Pacific will be the world’s largest market for technical textiles. It has been estimated more than 50 per cent of global technical textile revenues will be earned by the Asia-Pacific region. The infrastructural development of this region increases the demand for technical textiles.
The meditech segment is projected to soar in the coming years because of its application in the areas of patient clothing and surgical equipment. By 2027 this segment is projected to show a rise of 4.9 per cent CAGR.
Demand for geotextiles is also increasing. These are being used in civil engineering, geotechnical and environmental design. Rise in civil engineering activities is also expected to promote the uptake of this material in the near future.
Companies like DuPont, Low and Boar, Ahlstrom, 3M, Avintiv, Arville Textiles, Milliken, Dickson-Constant, Baltex and Freudenberg are playing a leading role in the technical textile market. Possible chances of newcomers in the global market are likely to intensify the overall competition. Players are expected to focus on delivering customized solutions in the years to come to widen their consumer base.
For the period from July to September, the order index for Italian textile machinery manufacturers rose by six per cent compared to the same period in 2016. The primary foreign markets for Italian textile machinery showed a constant demand while growth has been ongoing for Italy’s domestic market, even if at a lower overall rhythm compared to the quarter from April to June.
Creativity, sustainable technology, reliability and quality are the characteristics which have made Italy a global leader in the manufacturing of textile machinery. Exports amount to more than 85 per cent of total sales. About 30 per cent of Italy’s revenue from the sale of textile machinery derives from the production of technical and innovative textiles. Demand for such products has consequently also driven a demand for ad hoc machinery specifically designed for this sector. The offering promoted by Italy’s textile machinery industry is thus expanding to the new demands of customers operating in this specific sector.
Italy is the world’s second largest producer of machinery for the textiles industry. In the production of machinery for tanning, and for the footwear and leather goods industry, Italy accounts for over 50 per cent of world production. The dynamic trend for Italy’s domestic market originates from a renewed climate of enhanced trust that is currently perceived in the textile sector. This has been triggered by the government’s commitment to enact a range of significant incentives for the country’s manufacturing system.
Lenzing, Core Denim and Unifi have launched a new denim. This is Future Black, the industry’s first certified fade-resistant black denim made using Lenzing Modal black fibers and Repreve black recycled fibers.
As many as 17 recycled plastic bottles go into making Future Black jeans—which also happen to boast superior softness, color retention and stretch—all the while leaving a smaller footprint on the environment. To prevent denim from fading, Future Black with Lenzing Modal black fibers uses an innovating dope dyeing technique that adds pigment during production so that the entire body of the fiber gets colored instead of just the surface, and there’s no need for a dye bath down the line.
In testing, Future Black denim showed no signs of color loss after more than 20 washes. Adding a recycled element to further expand the product’s sustainability, Repreve yarns mean plastic bottles that would have landed in landfills make their way instead into a pair of jeans. The Lenzing Modal Black fibers has a 50 per cent to 60 per cent less harmful impact on the environment than conventionally dyed fabric does because the manufacturing process uses less chemicals, fewer energy inputs and uses 64 per cent less water during the dyeing process.
An enterprise from India is creating an ecosystem of thousands of self-employed women, who work where they are than in far-off traditional garment factories. Industree Foundation was founded in 2000. Some 30 million women in India rely on fashion for employment. Industree aims to tackle poverty in the garment manufacturing industry and enable the garment industry to grow sustainably, embracing new technologies and empowering women.
Industree goes to tribal artisans and works with them in mud huts. It helps organise them into production units and create a sustainable business at the lowest possible cost.
In a traditional Indian garment factory, women commute on an average four hours a day. They either have to pay rent if they live away from home, or pay high daily travel costs, and are then vulnerable to having their wages, which are sent home to support the family, taken by a man.
Industree’s goal is to decentralise manufacturing, with the micro-entrepreneurs required to commute no more than five kms. This means women can keep more of the money they earn, and put more into child nutrition, the household, and the local community. This is also linked to a fall in domestic violence. Educating women on ethical production practices could also have an impact on climate change.
Indonesia wants Mitsubishi to pour in more money in the garment sector and forge partnerships with local industries. The Japanese giant is seen as having the potential to boost competitiveness and productivity among Indonesia’s manufacturers. Indonesia is revitalizing its textile industry by boosting the production capacity of rayon fiber.
Rayon has become the new basic material for textiles and Indonesia looks forward to producing rayon fiber from forest pulp in large quantities. Mitsubishi may also invest heavily in the petrochemical sector as its subsidiary, Asahi Glass, which operates in Indonesia under the name Asahimas Flat Glass, has started to expand its caustic soda and glass factory.
Mitsubishi is looking to expand its business in infrastructure and the automotive sector as well as consumer goods, such as food products. Its investments in textiles and textile products have contributed 1.16 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product. Indonesian shipments of textile and textile products rose 8.2 per cent in 2016.
Indonesia is also inviting Chinese investors. China’s investment, especially in the automotive sector, is growing rapidly. There are two Chinese vehicle factories that are already showing good sales results. China sees Indonesia as a potential production and export base. In addition a very large domestic market already exists.
Cotton futures had their largest percentage gain in more than a year as forecasts call for near-freezing temperatures for Texas. Fears of an early freeze could cut into yields of cotton in Texas. Texas is the largest cotton growing state in the US. India’s decision to increase minimum support price for its cotton could push some business back to US exports. Price supports were above expectations.
About 30 per cent of the cotton was harvested in Texas as of the week ended October 15. If bolls are mature and ready to open, the freeze shouldn’t have much of an impact on yields. But if a green boll gets a freeze, it will never open and will rot.
Cotton for December was up 3.1 per cent, on track for its largest percentage gain since July 12, 2016. Monday’s bounce should lure index funds to sell out of long positions early as they roll out of positions in the December contract. Expectations of a record cotton yield this year in the US may be dashed. The main reason is the hurricane damage to crops. Another reason is strong competitor shipments. The downgrade reflected reductions to expectations for both harvested area and yield.
Julie Driscoll has been appointed the managing director of London trade show Pure London. She was previously the show’s portfolio director. Working with the Pure team, its partners, suppliers and exhibitors, Driscoll will drive the next step in Pure’s evolution as the event unveils the new We Are London campaign for its February show.
The next edition of Pure London will take place from February 11 to 13. The event will host 800 brands across eight sectors and is expected to attract over 17,000 UK and international visitors. The campaign centers on the show’s location in the heart of the British industry, and invites the public to celebrate the carefully curated global line-up, described as inspirational and diverse.
To help exhibitors and visitors prepare for the show, organisers have launched a brand new website featuring a host of new tools, including a brand wish list, a live chat function and instant messaging to make appointments at the show.
Visitors to the show can add brand profiles and will receive tailored recommendations based on their interests and behavior, while exhibitors can now enjoy a quicker and easier process for creating their profile and uploading imagery.
Brands can also benefit from unlimited product tagging, which should result in better search and filtering functions.
