ITMF: Investigation Shows That The Level Of Foreign Matters And Sticky Contamination Of Raw Cotton Has Decreased

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The International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) cotton pollution survey in 2022 shows that the level of foreign matter and viscosity pollution of raw cotton has decreased compared with 2019. At the same time, the appearance of seed coat fragments also remained unchanged. The survey results show that there are significant differences between cotton varieties. The cotton pollution survey in 2022 covered 104 textile mills in 21 countries, and evaluated 78 different cotton growth conditions.

Spinning mills around the world believe that the level of moderately or severely polluted cotton will drop from 25% in 2019 to 22% in 2022. Careful observation of the degree of pollution shows that 6% of all cotton evaluated were seriously polluted by some foreign matter, while 16% were only moderately polluted.

Since the summary data are the arithmetic mean values of different pollutants, the results of individual pollutants fully illustrate the degree of pollution. Among all processed cotton, 5% is polluted by "tar", of which 43% is polluted by "organic matter", such as leaves, feathers, paper, leather, etc. Other serious pollutants include "rope made of plastic film (31%)," fabric made of plastic film "(39%)," rope made of woven plastic "(30%) and" inorganic matter - sand/dust "(29%).

The 10 most polluted cotton considered in the survey are from India (MCU-5, DCH, Shankar-4/6, J-34), Pakistan (NAIB, MNH93), Afghanistan, Togo and Tanzania (coastal). The 10 least polluted cotton are produced in Spain, China (Anhui, Shandong), Australia, the United States (Memphis, Pima, Arizona, Southeast) and Mexico (Juarez).

The spinning mill believes that the existence of sticky cotton has been decreasing for nearly 10 years (that is, 23% in 2013 and 12% in 2022), and remains at the lowest level since 1989. The 10 most affected by stickiness are from Afghanistan, the United States (Pima, Arizona), Tajikistan (Central Staples), Cameroon, Brazil, Argentina, India (DCH), Sudan (Barakate) and Zimbabwe. Cotton from Pakistan (MNH93), China (Shandong, Anhui, Hebei), Greece, South Africa, Mozambique, Sudan, the United States (Memphis) and Uganda are not affected by stickiness.

Seed coat fragments are still a problem faced by spinning machines around the world. About 33% of cotton consumed contains moderate or large seed coat fragments (the same as in 2019). The 10 sources most affected by seed coat fragments are Afghanistan, Pakistan (MNH93, NAIB), India (MCU-5, DCH, S-4/6), Tanzania (coastal), Egypt, Turkey and Togo. The 10 cotton varieties with the least seed coat fragments are Sudan (Sudan, Barakat), Cameroon, Australia, Greece, Spain, China (Shandong, Hebei, Anhui) and Mexico.