Index for cotton plunges 4.5% in partial of October

Cotton prices in the Brazilian market have been decreasing since early October. Center for Advanced Studies on Applied Economics (CEPEA)/ESALQ Index for cotton type 41-4 (delivered in São Paulo city, payment in 8 days) dropped 4.54% in the partial of October (Sept. 30 to Oct. 14), closing at 1.7543 real or 1.0128 dollar per pound on Oct. 14. On balance, only a few trades have been closed, mainly when cotton growers were more flexible concerning prices. Purchasers were pressing quotes down, since some of them were still receiving the product from contracts and/or not able to transfer prices of the raw material to the final product. Many purchasers remained only observing the behavior of the market.

Overall, the cotton available in the spot market was also considered of low quality, which also limits trades. Buyers were mostly interested in the high quality cotton, which has low supply.

According to Secex (Foreign Trade Secretariat), 140.4 thousand tons of cotton were exported, an increase of 19.5% compared to August (117.5 thousand tons). Comparing to September 2010, the volume upped 55.8%. In 2011, shipments have amounted 335.7 thousand tons, 5.7% more than in the same period last year.

Read more about Index for cotton plunges 4.5% in partial of October @ Fibre2fashion

'Ahimsa' silk to be produced in Indore

Indore has been selected by the Forest and Sericulture Departments for undertaking production of Tussar silk from Antheraea Pernyi genes of worms.

Tussar is popularly known by its Sanskrit name ‘kosa’ and is cherished for its natural golden colour and texture. It is extracted from cocoon only after the silk worm larva leaves it, and hence, it is also known as ‘Ahimsa’ silk, or non-violent silk.

The proposal for setting up a Tussar silk production unit on an area of 950 hectare in Indore circle has been devised under the Vanya Scheme, PC Dubey, Chief conservator of forest (territorial) said. The project has been launched from Tincha village in Indore district.

Around 600 hectares of the proposed area would be in other districts of Indore circle, while efforts would be made to procure 350 hectares of land under the scheme in Indore district.

As per the estimates of Sericulture Assistant Director SS Thakur, if the proposed project goes on successfully, it would facilitate collection of around 20 to 25 million cocoons from Indore circle.

According to Sericulture Field Officer AK Verma, the Antheraea Pernyi worms are found on leaves of arjun, legestromia, saja and wild berry trees which are naturally found in clusters in the wilds of Indore forest circle.

Read entire post 'Ahimsa' silk to be produced in Indore @ Fibre2fashion

Made in Pakistan carpets back in demand

Pakistan made hand knotted carpets are again in demand due to the efforts of Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA).

While speaking at the Pakistan Hand Knotted Carpets Exhibition 2011, Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim congratulated PCMEA for being able to attract customers in the US and Europe towards hand-made carpets with ‘Made in Pakistan’ label.

Pakistan Hand Knotted Carpets Exhibition was jointly organized by the PCMEA and Trading Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

The Minister said hand-knotted carpets play a major role in alleviation of rural poverty and generating employment opportunities for women in the country.

PCMEA Chairman Kahlid Saeed informed that 85 overseas buyers from different corners of the world visited the Expo.

Factors like global financial crunch and a drop in the purchasing power of the buyers in Western markets have adversely affected carpet exports and resultantly the earnings of the weavers in Pakistan, Mr. Saeed said and thus requested a special mark-up for the industry.

Read more about Made in Pakistan carpets back in demand @ Fibre2fashion

TechnicalTextile.Net receives tremendous response at Techtextil India

TechnicalTextile.Net, the first ever Global Portal with detailed information for over 200 products in the technical textiles and nonwovens sector participated in the recently concluded Techtextil India held in Mumbai. The company received tremendous response from domestic and international visitors and attracted around 1,200 visitors during the three-day event.


Most of the visitors were from textile companies who were looking to diversify their business and enter into the nascent but lucrative segment of technical textiles. Project and Market Reports on Spunbond Nonwovens and Baby Diapers offered by the company were the key attraction for the visitors. Among visitors, upcoming entrepreneurs from Surat and Icchalkaranji textile hubs too visited the stall to gain knowledge about the technical textiles products.


The booth was visited by representatives of Major Indian and Global companies like, Siyarams, Arvind, Century Rayon, Indorama Ventures, SRF, Clariant, Huntsman, Garware, Dow Chemicals, Teijin, Staubli, and others.


Among senior Industry stalwarts, Mr Dilip Jiwrajka, MD of the Rs 64 billion plus Alok Industries took keen interest and discussed the future and prospects about the industry with Dr. PR Roy, our Director.

Read More about TechnicalTextile.Net receives tremendous response at Techtextil India @ TechnicalTextile.Net

Cape Wool market strengthens

The wool market changed direction at this week’s auction after falling sharply over the previous two weeks, and the Cape Wools’ Merino indicator gained 3.4% on last week to close at R89,58/kg (clean).

Although it is just under the key R90/kg level, it still is up 46% on the same sale last season. The Australian market has also steadied with a slight increase in prices.

Prices increased despite a stronger rand, which was up 3.3% against the US dollar compared with last week’s sale and was trading at R7,79. At R10,69, the rand was 0.4% stronger against the euro.

A fresh seasonal high of R137/kg (greasy) was obtained for a bale of 15,8 microns belonging to Mike Palmer of the farm Albany in the Grahamstown district. The previous high was R132/kg.

A total of 7 815 bales was offered of which 96% was sold. Major buyers were Standard Wool SA (2 633 bales), Modiano SA (1 873 bales), Stucken & Co (1 511 bales) and Lempriere SA (1 050 bales).

Read entire post Cape Wool market strengthens @ Fibre2fashion

Cotton researchers win CSIRO's top award

Based in Narrabri, NSW, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry's Cotton Breeding and Biotechnology Team spent years developing the new more environmentally friendly, disease-resistant, high-yield variety – Sicot 71BRF.

CSIRO Chairman, Simon McKeon, said the team's success in producing a variety which now – just two years after its commercial release – dominates the industry landscape, highlights CSIRO's continuing ability to deliver the advancements required to maintain the Australian industry's competitiveness.

"In providing a highly desirable package of advantages over other cotton varieties, the team has delivered significant economic, social and environmental benefits to growers throughout Australia," Mr McKeon said.

"In 2010–11 the industry’s high adoption rate of Sicot 71BRF benefited the industry and the regional communities dependent on cotton production (gross value $1.7b; marginal value $61m), and the flow-on is helping many rural communities recover from a period of decline brought on by prolonged drought.

"The team's research also shows more yield is being obtained with the same water inputs – so, Sicot 71BRF is contributing to a better environmental profile for cotton."

Read more about Cotton researchers win CSIRO's top award @ Fibre2fashion

Evonik to build hydrogen peroxide plant in China

Evonik Industries will build a new production plant for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in Jilin Province in northeastern China. An investment of more than one hundred million Euro in the project sees Evonik moving another step forward in its endeavor to access new sales markets for this environmentally friendly oxidant.

Scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013, the plant will boast an annual production capacity of 230,000 metric tons, thus increasing Evonik’s current overall annual capacity of around 600,000 tons for H2O2 production by nearly 40 percent. The Group believes it is the world’s second largest manufacturer of hydrogen peroxide.

Evonik will supply its H2O2 from Jilin directly to the adjacent propylene oxide plant run by Jishen Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. via a pipeline that will link the two facilities. A long-term supply agreement has already been concluded between the companies. Jishen will use innovative technology—the so-called HPPO process— to make propylene oxide from the hydrogen peroxide.

Evonik and ThyssenKrupp Uhde GmbH, a Dortmund/Germany based engineering firm, this summer entered a licensing agreement with Jishen Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. for its use of the HPPO process. Propylene oxide is mainly used in manufacturing polyurethane intermediates. The polyurethanes then go into making things like upholstery for car seats or furniture. The HPPO process was developed by Evonik in collaboration with Uhde.

“Our investment in Jilin”, explains Dr. Dahai Yu, member of the Evonik Executive Board, “is an excellent example of how we’re developing innovative technology in order to enable us to access new sales markets for hydrogen peroxide. This move is also part of our growth strategy that sees us making targeted investments in Asia and that will help us to achieve growth in that region.”

Read more about Evonik to build hydrogen peroxide plant in China @ Fibre2fashion