FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date Posted: February 19, 2026
Washington, DC — The February 2026 edition of the Textiles Observer — the ICAC’s free publication dedicated to textiles policy, investment, and system performance, is now available. The 56-page issue opens with an editorial by ICAC Head of Textiles and Editor of the Textiles Observer, Kanwar Usman, emphasizing textiles policy coherence, investment readiness, and measurable system performance as strategic priorities for ICAC member governments .
In his editorial, Usman outlines ICAC’s expanding engagement in textiles, including preparations for the first-ever Global Cotton and Textiles Investment Summit, to be hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan, and previews textiles-focused sessions at the 83rd ICAC Plenary Meeting (March 23–24, 2026). The issue underscores the need to move beyond narrative-driven sustainability toward enforceable standards, credible data systems, and investment-aligned policy frameworks .
The February 2026 issue features two in-depth technical articles:
- “The Benefits of Participating in CSITC Round Trials,” by Dr. Marinus (René) van der Sluijs, Principal Consultant at Textile Technical Services and Chair of the Committee for the Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton (CSITC). The article provides a comprehensive overview of ICAC’s Round Trials, explaining how standardized instrument testing supports accuracy, reliability, and global confidence in cotton fiber measurement. It details participation trends, evaluation methods, and the advantages of CSITC engagement for classing facilities, growers, traders, and spinners.
- “Circularity in Textiles: The Systems Framework,” by Kanwar Usman. This extensive analysis examines circularity as a structural redesign of the textile economy rather than a downstream waste-management tool. The article addresses biological and technical material cycles, material pathway realities for cotton and polyester, the structural limits of bottle-to-fiber recycled polyester (rPET), the distinction between bio-based inputs and true circularity, and the economic and governance conditions required to scale use-phase circular models. It also highlights the importance of design alignment, data infrastructure, and enforceable policy frameworks in delivering measurable circular performance.
Together, the articles reflect ICAC’s continued emphasis on measurement integrity, enforceable circularity, and investment-ready textile systems.
To read the February 2026 edition of the Textiles Observer, please click here.
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About the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC)
Formed in 1939, the ICAC is an association of cotton producing, consuming, trading, and investing countries. It acts as a catalyst for change by helping Member governments maintain a healthy world cotton economy; provides transparency to the world cotton market by serving as a clearinghouse for technical information on cotton production; and serves as a forum for discussing cotton issues of international significance. In addition, Members can take advantage of the ICAC’s global network of cotton researchers, whose expertise covers the supply chain from farm to textile manufacturing, and have free access to its cutting-edge technologies like the voice-based app and virtual reality cotton training program. Committed to ensuring cotton’s continued sustainability, the ICAC is the only intergovernmental commodity body covering cotton that is recognized by the United Nations. For more information, please visit www.icac.org, Twitter or LinkedIn.