Global Monitoring
International cotton assessments compile feedback from spinners worldwide to rate the cleanliness of cotton origins based on foreign matter and sticky points. The ITMF contamination survey collects this evaluation every two years to identify the most contaminated cotton growths in the global market. This data helps mills negotiate prices and adjust yarn cleaning settings based on the risk associated with each cotton origin.
Reporting System
Spinning mills evaluate different cotton growths for various types of contamination, including plastic films, fabrics, and organic matter. These evaluations are compiled into a global report that ranks cotton producing countries by the percentage of mills that found their cotton contaminated. This document provides a transparent overview of cotton quality trends over time.
Spinners Strategy
Textile manufacturers use this regional data to select cotton bales that minimize the risk of yarn defects. When a mill buys cotton from an origin known for high plastic contamination, it must increase the sensitivity of its optical sorters. This preventive step reduces the speed of the spinning line but prevents expensive fabric claims.
Production Limit
The survey relies on the subjective feedback of participating spinning mills rather than on standardized laboratory tests. Since different mills have different tolerances for yarn contamination, the reported levels can vary based on the sample size of responding factories. For this reason, the survey is a market indicator rather than a strict laboratory certificate.
