The document summarizes the findings of the International Textile Manufactures Federation's (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey from 2009. The survey quantified the level of contamination in cotton samples from different countries. It found that 22% of cotton samples were modestly or seriously contaminated, with 6% seriously contaminated and 16% moderately contaminated. The most common contaminants were organic matter (42%), strings made of jute hessian (32%), and strings made of woven plastic (29%). The most contaminated cotton originated in India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Mali, while the cleanest cotton came from the USA, Israel, Australia, Brazil and the Ivory Coast. The degree of contamination has remained constant since the previous survey in

1. Cotton Contamination data Analyses Quantification and highlight the presence of contamination cotton. Data from the ITMF Survey, ©2009 Cotton Catchment Communities CRC, ITC Cotton Guide and USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service .

3. Groups II – with medium levels of contamination

4. Group III – with high level of contamination.2 Table I Source: M.N. Vijayshankar, Vice President, PT ApacInti Corpora, Semarang, Indonesia. Information takenfrom the ITC Cotton Exporter’s Guide

5. The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey In order to quantify and evaluate the level of cotton contamination worldwide, the International Textile Manufactures Federation conducts a survey of cotton users in every two years. The level of cottons modestly or seriously contaminated did not increase compared to the last survey in 2007 remaining constant in 22%. Below there is a graphic with the percentage of contamination between all cotton evaluated in 2009. 3

7. “strings made of woven plastic” (29%),

8. “fabric made of cotton” as well as “ “fabric made of plastic film” and “strings made of cotton” (26%) each.IMTF Cotton Contamination Survey Ed. 2009. 4 The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey Hand pickedcotton in Burkina Faso Classification of cotton and qualitycontroll.

9. The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey Evaluating countries levels. The most contaminated cotton descriptions considered for the survey originated in India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Mali. In contrast, very clean raw cottons were produced in the USA, Israel, Australia, Brazil and the Ivory Coast, as we can evaluate in the figure 2. 5

10. Main results of the survey 6 The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey Analyzing the results, it is perceived that the degree of contamination is always present, what changes is the level and how the market accept the cotton. In 2009, 110 companies were evaluated, but since 1989 the ITMF has been doing the survey with different companies in countries willing to participate. The table below will give you an overview about how cotton was classified in the last years among the companies evaluated. Table IV. ITMF Contamination Survey resultsfrom 1989 to 2009.

11. Main results per country. 7 The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey Table V. The most contaminated sources of cotton

12. 8 The International Textile Manufactures Federation (ITMF) Cotton Contamination Survey Main results per country. Table V. The least contaminated descriptions