World Cotton Day | 7 October

Cotton, the fabric of our lives.

Cotton touches us every day, it is a source of livelihoods for millions of smallholders and labourers, including women and their families, and contributes significantly to the economies of many developing countries.

The World Cotton Day is an excellent opportunity to renew our commitment to enhancing the sustainability of the cotton sector and bring it to the forefront of the global agenda.

Wednesday, 7 October 2026, 8:00 hours (GMT+5)

Hyatt Regency, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

World Cotton Day 2026 – Cotton for Good: Building Prosperity Through Trade, Transformation and Partnership

The sixth global celebration of World Cotton Day will take place on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event will bring together governments, international organizations, cotton and textile businesses, farmers, researchers and development partners from across the global value chain.

This year’s celebration will explore how cotton can create economic opportunities, strengthen rural communities, support sustainable development and contribute to shared prosperity. High-level discussions and expert-led sessions will focus on trade, innovation, value addition, investment and international cooperation to help build a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive cotton and textile sector.

World Cotton Day is also an opportunity to recognize the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on cotton and to highlight the value of this natural fibre as a global public good.

The conference is free to attend, but registration is required. Participants may also register for a Technical Tour on 8 October, featuring visits to cotton and textile facilities and a firsthand look at Uzbekistan’s rapidly developing value chain.

View provisional programme

Celebrating cotton

Cotton is a culture, a way of life, and a tradition with its roots at the heart of human civilization. In August 2021, the General Assembly of the United Nations recognised the unique benefits of cotton by proclaiming 7 October of each year as World Cotton Day. The objective of this global celebration is to raise the visibility of the cotton sector and awareness of the critical role that it plays in economic development, international trade and poverty alleviation.

Cotton is the most important of the natural fibres, used daily in apparel and home furnishings. Cotton is a critical means of livelihood for millions of smallholders and their families by providing employment and income. It represents an important source of export revenues for some of the poorest countries in the world. The World Cotton Day offers a unique opportunity to renew the commitment to a sustainable cotton sector for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Key Messages

Cotton is an important means of livelihood for millions of smallholders, workers and their families, providing employment and income.

The sector needs to transform to achieve greater efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability-through science and innovation, research, digitalization, better governance, and targeted investments.

Cotton exports represent an important source of foreign exchange earnings for a number of low-income countries, helping to cover their food import bills.

Value addition-including local manufacturing and by-product development-can help unlock cotton’s economic potential by boosting job creation and increasing returns.

Cotton demand has declined over the past decades while synthetic fibres have seen substantial growth due to their lower cost of production and versatility.

Quality, transparency, traceability and sustainability are becoming increasingly important drivers of competitiveness in the cotton sector, creating new opportunities for product differentiation, market access and investment.

Weather shocks, supply chain disruptions, rising competition from synthetics, shifting regulatory frameworks, and frequent changes in consumer preferences are among the key challenges that cotton faces—and must be addressed—if the sector is to realize its full potential.

A rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, inclusive, predictable, and transparent international cotton trading system is key to providing a livelihood to hundreds of millions of vulnerable people around the globe.

The cotton sector, at all levels of the value chain, represents a way to address wider development concerns by promoting sustainable livelihoods, empowering women, boosting youth employment, and ensuring decent work for all.

The cotton sector also needs greater coordination across the value chain to boost efficiency, transparency, and value, including developing by-products.

Interesting facts about cotton

Where is cotton grown?

Cotton is grown in subtropical and seasonally
dry tropical areas in both the northern
and southern hemispheres.

World cotton volume

In 2025, world cotton production was estimated at 27 million tonnes, with nearly 10 million tonnes traded.

China, India, Brazil and the United States of America together account for over 70 percent of global cotton production, while more than half of global cotton mill use is concentrated in China and India.

World cotton value

In 2025, the value of global cotton production was estimated at around USD 46 billion, while the value of world cotton exports was estimated at nearly USD 17 billion.

Key world traders

Brazil and the United States of America are the world’s largest cotton exporters, while China, Bangladesh and Viet Nam are the largest importers.

Cotton demand

Demand for cotton is mainly driven by the
demand for textiles and depends on its
competitive position with respect
to synthetic fibres.

Cotton’s market share

Cotton’s share of global fibre consumption has declined over the past decades, while synthetic fibres have seen substantial growth.

Cotton mill-use outlook

Global use of cotton is expected to rise over the next decade, driven by growing textile demand, with Asia as the main processing hub.

Cotton and women

Women account for an estimated 43 percent of the labour force in cotton production, playing a vital role in tasks such as planting and harvesting—particularly in Africa and Asia.

Did you know?

The top five cotton-producing countries are China, India, Brazil, the United States of America, and Pakistan, which together account for more than three-quarters of global production

More than half of global cotton mill use is concentrated in China and India.

Cotton is grown by around 24 million farmers worldwide and provides employment for an estimated 125 million people across the value chain.

Cotton is the second-most used fibre globally after polyester, making up approximately 20 percent of total fibre demand.

Approximately 80 percent of cotton is used in apparel, with the remainder used in home textiles and industrial products.

Why is World Cotton Day important?

World Cotton Day (WCD) acknowledges the historical and economic significance of cotton, recognizing the livelihoods and subsistence it provides for millions and its broader economic and social impact worldwide. It helps raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities within the sector, particularly for low-income countries, while underscoring the sector’s relevance to achieving the 2030 Agenda. WCD serves as a valuable opportunity to renew our commitment to fostering a sustainable cotton sector for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Publications

Recent trends and prospects in the world cotton market and policy developments - Executive Summary

2021

The cotton sector contributes significantly to the economies of a number of developing countries, as well as to the livelihoods of millions of rural smallholders worldwide.

Recent trends and prospects in the world cotton market and policy developments

2021

The cotton sector contributes significantly to the economies of a number of developing countries, as well as to the livelihoods of millions of rural smallholders worldwide. In 2019, world production of cotton was valued at about USD 46 billion, while global trade reached USD 15 billion.