Editorial: Uncertainty Over Cotton Prices Continues to Depress EU and US Textile and Clothing Markets

EU and US clothing buyers are continuing to cut back on their purchase volumes in response to higher prices charged by suppliers. At the same time, average import prices are continuing to climb as producers in supplying countries try to pass on extra costs they are having to pay for materials, energy and labour. The main cause of the increase in material costs was the hike in the price of cotton in the year to March 2011. This is still working its way along the pipeline. Producers are also facing demands by their workforces for higher minimum wages. Many producers have been switching to man-made fibres or using a greater proportion of man-made fibres in blends. But man-made fibre manufacturers have responded by raising their prices. At the same time, buyers are adjusting their sourcing strategies by seeking out countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam where price increases have been more moderate than elsewhere. In this report, Robin Anson provides valuable insight and analysis into the uncertainty over cotton prices and the effect this is having on the global textile and clothing industry. He also questions whether the cotton price hike could be repeated, given that the Indian government has put a ban on cotton exports and China is buying up large amounts of US cotton exports. This report is essential for anyone who needs to understand what the future holds for textile and clothing markets in the coming months

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• Survey of the European Yarn Fairs for Spring/Summer 2013, (April 2012)
• Forecasts of Global End Use Demand for Textile Fibres, (September 2011)
• Editorial: Are Global Denim Prices Set for a Major Price Hike?, (September 2011)

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