From the Sector

The GoodTextiles Foundation, in collaboration with Dibella India, Gallant Regenerative Organic Private Limited, and Spoorthi Raith Producer Company Limited, announces the launch of its new flagship project Common Ground. This initiative marks a significant step toward fostering sustainable, regenerative cotton cultivation among smallholder farmers in southern India. 

A Shared Vision Rooted in the Land 
Set in the rural landscapes of Karnataka’s Haveri district, Common Ground brings together farmers, local communities and agricultural experts with a unified goal: to restore harmony between people and nature through organic and regenerative farming practices. 

The foundation for this initiative was laid as early as 2024 through site visits, farmer dialogues and collaboration with the University of Agricultural Sciences Dharwad. In 2025, the project entered its implementation phase, including soil assessments, team training, community engagement and the registration of participating farmers. 

Seven carefully selected villages now form the core of the project. Chosen for their accessibility, strong community structures and development potential, they provide fertile ground for a scalable model that can be replicated across other regions. 

Empowering Farmers Through Knowledge and Structure 
At the heart of Common Ground lies a commitment to people. To date, 510 farmers have been identified, with 475 already in the final stages of enrolment into a newly established Organic Cotton Grower Group (OGG). 

The project combines technical expertise with hands-on support close, continuous support. A dedicated team—comprising an Internal Control System (ICS) Manager and trained field staff—is being steadily expanded to ensure effective on-the-ground implementation. Farmers participate in targeted training sessions that introduce them to organic cultivation practices and certification requirements, equipping them with the knowledge needed for long-term success. 

In parallel, external experts are developing location-specific “Packages of Practice” tailored to local conditions, alongside watershed-level strategies that promote sustainable resource management. To ensure transparency and traceability from the outset, all farms are digitally documented, including GPS-based mapping of agricultural plots.

Beyond Cotton: Building Resilient Futures 
Common Ground goes far beyond sustainable cotton production. It is an investment in the long-term resilience of farming communities. By improving soil health, conserving water resources and enhancing biodiversity, the initiative supports both environmental sustainability and economic opportunity. 

At the same time, it strengthens farmers’ independence and confidence in an agricultural system capable of sustaining livelihoods for generations to come. 

Together the partners are building a scalable model for regenerative value creation – from seed to finished textile. Step by step, a transparent and responsible supply chain is emerging. 

With every field converted, every training delivered and every partnership formed, Common Ground is cultivating more than cotton – it is nurturing a growing community committed to shaping a more sustainable future.

FET has received the Techtextil Innovation Award 2026 in the New Production Technology category. The Techtextil Innovation Award honours outstanding ideas in textile technology, sustainability, AI and the creation of technical textiles, selected by an international jury of experts. Ranging from new materials to new production technologies, this award recognises progressive ideas that are driving forces for numerous industries, such as automotive, medical and construction.

The new FET-500 Series now allows rapid, small-scale gel spinning of UHMWPE without the use of the toxic solvents typically associated with the process. This game-changing equipment will finally unlock R&D and new product development in UHMWPE yarns, which was previously blocked by the large-scale nature of UHMWPE yarn production, enabling significant savings in cost, footprint and environmental factors.

“We are proud that the Techtextil Innovation Award recognises our intensive work. It shows that we are at the forefront of technological developments supporting the textiles of tomorrow.” - Richard Slack, Managing Director.

This reinforces FET’s success in processing over 130 different polymer types in multifilament, monofilament and nonwoven formats, collaborating with specialist companies worldwide to promote greater sustainability through innovative manufacturing processes.

In the first quarter of 2026, order intake for Italian textile machinery manufacturers recorded a decrease of 5% compared to the same period in 2025, reflecting a still challenging start to the year. The decline affected foreign markets (-7%), while the domestic market showed growth (+21%).

Compared with the previous quarter (October–December 2025), total order intake increased by 18%. The orders index for the January–March 2026 period stood at 37.3 points (base year 2021=100). In Italy, the index reached 35.3 points, while in foreign markets it stood at 37.6 points.

In the first quarter of 2026, the order backlog guaranteed a workload of approximately 4.5 months.

From a sector perspective, weaving and other manufacturing segments showed relatively more dynamic signals.

Forecasts for the second quarter of 2026 (compared with the previous quarter) indicate pessimism for the domestic market and stability for the foreign one.

Marco Salvadè, President of ACIMIT, commented:
“It is encouraging to see the first positive sign in the domestic market, but forecasts still reveal a degree of pessimism. The difficult international context and the slow actions of government institutional representatives do not allow companies to plan investments. As an Association, we are working in close synergy with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) to strengthen promotional activities across several strategic markets. We also look with confidence to the upcoming ITMA 2027 in Hannover, which will represent an important opportunity to relaunch the sector, stimulate new investments, and strengthen the international presence of Italian manufacturers.”

ACIMIT (the Association of Italian Textile Machinery Manufacturers) was established in 1945 with the primary aim of promoting the Italian textile machinery industry by supporting its activities both in Italy and abroad. ACIMIT represents an industrial sector comprising around 300 companies (employing approximately 12,500 people) and producing machinery with a total value of approximately €1.9 billion, about 86% of which is exported. Creativity, sustainable technology, reliability, and quality are the key features that have made Italian textile machinery a world leader.