The Gdynia Cotton Association

Internationa Project Coordinator

The Gdynia Cotton Association has been acting since 1935. The members of our Association are domestic and foreign companies as well as institutions connected with cotton and allied fibres, i.e.: cotton producers, raw cotton processing mills, manufacturers of cotton products, merchants, superintendence companies, forwarders, scientific institutes and others connected with cotton and other fibres turnover.

The mission of the Gdynia Cotton Association is to create an economically and structurally strong cotton sector in Poland as well as on the international arena. The GCA performs this mission acting as a cooperation and consultation forum in the scope of issues concerning turnover and processing of cotton and other fibres as well as ready-made-goods and semi- product made thereof. The Association represents interests of its members towards authorities, administration as well as decision-making centres in Poland and in the world.

The GCA organises the Cotton Classification Courses as well as specialised trainings encompassing the knowledge of fibres, yarns and fabrics.

The Gdynia Cotton Association is an active member of the International Cotton Association (ICA) with the seat in Liverpool and of the European Committee of Cotton and Allied Textiles Industries (EUROCOTON) and it cooperates with the significant European and international cotton organisations, including the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC), the Committee for International Cooperation between Cotton Association (CICCA) and the Bremen Cotton Exchange (BBB).

The GCA’s representatives participate in works of local, national and European authorities
within the scope of technical, technological, commercial and legal issues which serve to
protect as well as to optimise interests of not only cotton, but the whole European textile and clothing sector.

Furthermore, the GCA popularises the observation of the sustainability in the whole cotton supply chain as well as promotes cotton and other natural fibres as human-friendly and having a beneficial environmental effect. We are a member of the International Forum for Cotton Promotion and the Discover Natural Fibres Initiative.

Institute of Natural Fibres and Medicinal Plants

The Institute of Natural Fibers and Medicinal Plants is an interdisciplinary research unit with international importance, dealing with wide research on the acquisition and processing of natural bast fibers and herbal raw materials.

The Institute carries out a number of national and international research projects; conducts multidirectional cooperation with numerous scientific units in the world; works for the needs of agriculture, textile sector, environmental protection, construction, transport, food and pharmaceutical industries and medicine.

At INF&MP, there are two Accredited Laboratories: Flammability, and Textile Laboratory (Polish Center for Accreditation No. AB 225) for evaluation of raw materials, textiles and other products.

The Institute also works on revitalization of areas contaminated by industry for the purpose of cultivation of non-edible crops, the use of by-products generated during the processing of textile raw materials and modern composites based on textile raw materials. INF&MP has undertaken work to determine the physiological impact of fibers, textile materials and fabrics on human physiology.

Association for Research and Development in Materials from Renewable Resources

Since 1998, the “Association for Research and Development in Materials from Renewable Resources” (WNR) has been supporting collaborations between sciences and industries. Managing a pool of members, the WNR represents their interests to enhance the state of the art for solutions in the field of materials from renewable resources. The aim is to achieve and assure sustainability from an economic and environmental point of view. For cross-sector collaborations, the WNR is in close dialogue with associations in different fields of science and industry. The findings from research projects were presented on congresses and exhibitions to support their industrial application and to inform the public. Furthermore the WNR counsels regional policy makers in regard to the industrial use of materials from renewable resources.

Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems

The greatest challenge facing mankind in the 21st Century is the question of sustainability in all spheres of life, especially in the efficient use of limited raw materials. The Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems conducts applied research in the field of material efficiency and is a major driving force, an innovator and a problem solver for the industry and public-service clients in the fields of reliability, safety, service life and functionality of materials used in components and systems. The institute's industrial clients include companies from the field of microelectronics and microsystems technology, photovoltaics, plastics engineering, chemical industry, power engineering, construction industry and automotive or aircraft construction. The Fraunhofer IMWS is networked in many varied ways. This includes its integration in groups, alliances and project groups of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft as well as its work with universities, activities in special research areas and clusters. Current flagship projects include the BioEconomy Leading Edge Cluster and activities in Circular Carbon Technologies in cooperation with TU Bergakademie Freiberg, several Fraunhofer Institutes and partners from the industry.