ICE cotton futures closed lower on concerns about the macroeconomic outlook and geopolitical tensions. Rising short positions added pressure on US cotton, while higher harvesting rates and good crop progress also weighed on the market.

ICE’s most active December 2025 contract settled at 65.50 cents per pound (0.453 kg), down 0.90 cent or 1.36 per cent.

ICE cotton futures closed lower amid macroeconomic and geopolitical concerns, along with pressure from increased harvesting and good crop progress.
December 2025 contract settled at 65.50 cents per pound.
USDA reported 47 per cent of US cotton in good to excellent condition and harvest at 16 per cent.
CFTC data showed speculators raised net short positions, while export sales dropped sharply.

Market analysts said the market is currently in a wait-and-see mode, with many unresolved factors likely to influence cotton prices. Broad macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, combined with the possibility of a US government shutdown, are keeping all markets on high alert.

The Atlantic region is closely monitoring the potential impacts of Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda on agriculture and energy infrastructure.

After the market closed, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a crop progress report showing that 47 per cent of US cotton was in good to excellent condition for the week ending September 28, 2025—unchanged from the previous week but significantly higher than 31 per cent in the same period last year.

The US cotton harvest rate reached 16 per cent, compared to 12 per cent the previous week and 19 per cent in the same period last year, aligning with the five-year average of 16 per cent.

Data from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) showed that speculators increased their net short positions in ICE cotton futures and options by 3,304 contracts to 68,812 contracts in the week ending September 23.

The USDA’s export sales report released last week showed that US cotton export sales for the current marketing year rose by 86,100 bales in the week ending September 18. This represented a 54 per cent drop from the previous week and a 53 per cent decline compared with the previous four-week average.

ICE data showed that as of September 26, deliverable No. 2 cotton contract stocks remained unchanged at 15,474 packages.

Currently, ICE cotton for December 2025 is trading at 65.32 cents per pound (down 0.18 cent), cash cotton at 63.50 cents (down 1.40 cent), the October 2025 contract at 63.05 cents (down 0.90 cent), the March 2026 contract at 67.23 cents (down 0.21 cent), the May 2026 contract at 68.66 cents (down 0.11 cent) and the July 2026 contract at 69.65 cents (down 0.15 cent). A few contracts remained at their previous closing levels, with no trading recorded today.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KUL)

At SPGPrints, innovation is part of our DNA. Since inventing rotary screen printing in 1963, we’ve continued to shape the textile printing industry — from pioneering high-speed rotary printing to leading today’s digital transformation. With decades of experience and a strong customer-first approach, SPGPrints empowers businesses worldwide to achieve more through reliable, sustainable, and high-quality printing solutions.

SPGPrints will showcase innovation at ITMA Asia 2025 (October 28–31, Singapore).
Highlights include the launch of its new digital textile printer for faster, sustainable production, plus rotary systems Teak and Eucalyptus for quality, flexibility, and efficiency.
The eco-friendly Larch CO₂ laser engraver enables precise, water-free screen production.

A New Digital Milestone

At ITMA Asia 2025, we will unveil our newest digital textile printer, designed to meet the evolving needs of modern textile production. As the market shifts toward digital printing — demanding shorter runs, faster turnaround, and more sustainable workflows — our new solution combines high resolution, speed, and efficiency to help printers stay ahead.

SPGPrints’ complete digital ecosystem — including advanced printers, tailored inks, and global service — enables cost-effective production without the need for engraved screens, while reducing ink, water, and energy consumption.

Rotary Printing: Proven Technology, Future-Ready

Rotary screen printing remains the benchmark for consistency, versatility, and return on investment. At ITMA Asia, we proudly present two highlights from our rotary portfolio:

• Teak – The latest generation of our Pegasus system, offering top-quality output with unmatched flexibility for fine lines, half tones, and special effects. Sustainable features such as eco-paste and a water-saving package minimize waste.
• Eucalyptus – Built for wider-width applications, delivering robust performance, high registration accuracy, and flexibility for shorter runs.

Together, they represent the heritage, innovation, and future of rotary textile printing.

Sustainable Engraving with Larch

Also on display is the Larch CO2 direct laser engraver — a cost-efficient, eco-friendly gateway to high-precision rotary screen production. Using a single-step dry process, Larch eliminates water usage, consumables, and wet processes, enabling fast, sustainable, and accurate engraving.

Discover SPGPrints at ITMA Asia

Visit booth H6-C301 at ITMA Asia 2025 in Singapore (October 28–31) to explore our full portfolio. See our new digital printer unveiled live, experience the power of Teak and Eucalyptus, and learn how Larch can transform your workflow. Experience the difference with SPGPrints — where heritage meets innovation.

Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)

On Holding AG appointed a new chief operating officer (COO) as the Swiss brand looks to scale up innovations like its Lightspray shoemaking robots and take more market share from rivals Nike Inc. and Adidas AG. 

Scott Maguire, who joined as On’s chief innovation officer in March after stints at Specialized Bicycle Components and Dyson, will now have a dual role to “oversee the integration of innovation and operations,” the company told Bloomberg Tuesday. He will take over as COO in January.

His task will likely involve efforts to scale up the Lightspray robots that On has used to make high-end marathon sneakers and talked of expanding for the production of other footwear. The project is already overseen by Maguire.

The current COO, Samuel Wenger, is leaving to pursue other opportunities in the startup world, according to an internal memo he wrote seen by Bloomberg. 

Wenger joined On in 2017 and helped steer it through a period of hyper growth. He helped build On’s sourcing office in Vietnam, set up its first retail stores and oversaw the finance division following its initial public offering in 2021.

Founded in 2010, Zurich-based On has achieved rapid growth by winning fans in the running world with its light and comfortable footwear and expanding its business into tennis, outdoors and apparel. The company is entering the final year of its three-year strategy outlined in October 2023, which called for a doubling of net sales and achieving high profitability.

Going forward, On will need to keep expanding into new markets, especially in Asia, to maintain growth. Its sneakers are among the most expensive in the industry, with the popular Cloudsurfer Max model selling for 180 dollars. That’s helped it stay highly profitable despite the turmoil caused by President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and other macroeconomic uncertainty.

Even so, shares of On have dropped 20 % this year, slightly less than Adidas but more than Nike, which is recovering after a series of recent stumbles.