The openend spinning mills in Tamil Nadu are in crossroads as there is a pressing need to modernise leading to higher demand for raw materials, which is waste cotton. But, the cost of waste cotton is affecting operational margins.The Openend Spinning Mills Association and the Recycle Textile Federation have urged the Union government to control export of waste cotton.Price of waste cotton has reduced by ₹20 a kg in the recent days and should come down by another ₹10 a kg so that the users of yarn made from waste cotton benefit, they says.Most of openend spinning mills in the north have modernised their mills and nearly 40% of the Tamil Nadu openend spinning mills should also modernise. With modernisation, yarn production has doubled and demand for waste cotton has increased.However, the price of waste cotton (comber noil) peaked to ₹140 a kg in May. If the openend spinning mills increase the price of yarn, the home textile factories in Karur and powerloom weavers are affected as they are unable to absorb the price, said G. Arulmozhi, president of the Openend Spinning Mills Association.Waste cotton is a byproduct from the textile mills and it is usually priced at 65 % of the cotton price. However, with higher exports of comber noil and increase in domestic demand, its prices have shot up, they say. Published - July 06, 2026 09:58 pm IST