The International Cotton Conference, taking place in Bremen from March 21 to 24 under the theme 'Cotton Insights', takes this up systematically. This is a part of a session with top-level speakers speaking on current results of sustainable economic activity using the example of cotton and textile production.

Jürgen Jansen, will moderate the discussion in his capacity as Head of the Secretariat of the German Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, and introduce the topic and define the key points using the example of the Textile Partnership. Allan Williams, R & D Manager, Cotton Research & Development Corporation (CRDC), Australia, will emphasises in his presentation the need to measure progress in sustainable cotton production using objective, internationally recognised methods. Jesse Daystar, VP, Cotton Incorporated USA and Head of Sustainability, will present latest Life Cycle Assessment results covering the lifecycle of fibres and textiles through to end consumers. In 2016, the OECD and FAO developed a guideline to help companies comply with standards for responsible business practices.

Eddie Jernigan, Jernigan Global, USA, will speak on how era of cheap polyester is coming to an end in China. The impact on environment and its control are gaining in importance at the political level. He criticises that until now there has been a global failure to keep an eye on the environmental impact of chemical fibre production. Richard A. Venditti, Professor at North Carolina State University, USA, will explain the impact of the release of different types of microfibers from household laundry on bodies of water and the state of biodegradability.