The ITMF International Committee on Cotton Testing Methods (ICCTM) is making substantial progress in identifying the sources and causes of stickiness in cotton. The Committee’s goal is to establish a commercially relevant definition of stickiness and to develop improved, standardized measurement methods.
The ICCTM convened in Bremen, Germany, during Cotton Week at the International Cotton Conference Bremen 2018, to review its latest findings and research initiatives.
Round Trials Reveal Key Insights
In 2017, the ICCTM initiated a collaborative project involving CIRAD (Agricultural Research for Development), the Faserinstitut Bremen, and the Bremen Cotton Exchange to conduct a Stickiness Round Trial. Two editions of the trial were carried out, with 35 laboratories from around the world participating, using 12 different stickiness testing methods.
Each laboratory tested three cotton samples with varying stickiness levels, six times per sample. Results showed wide variability among different testing methods—mechanical and chemical approaches, for example, were not directly comparable. However, laboratories employing the same method achieved consistent outcomes, suggesting the potential for developing a standardized testing protocol.
Toward Solutions for Spinning Mills
Committee members agreed that effective measures to mitigate stickiness in spinning mills depend on identifying the source and type of sugars causing the issue. Continued collaboration and data sharing through ICCTM are expected to lead to more reliable testing standards and practical solutions for the textile industry.
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