Panda Biotech and Culturewell Establish Partnership

Panda Biotech, America’s leading zero-waste industrial hemp processor and operator of the largest hemp decortication facility in the Western Hemisphere, has announced the launch of India’s first fully integrated hemp fiber-to-yarn supply chain ecosystem in partnership with Culturewell Trading LLP and its subsidiary, Culturewell Hemp Pvt. Ltd. Together, the companies have established the infrastructure needed to transform certified U.S.-grown hemp from mechanically-cottonized fiber into finished yarn, including degumming and spinning capabilities that were previously unavailable in India.

The partnership positions both companies at the center of one of the most significant growth opportunities in the global textile supply chain. India is home to some of the world’s largest and most sophisticated textile manufacturing systems, supplying yarns, fabrics, denim, garments, technical textiles, and home furnishings to leading global brands. As demand accelerates for traceable, sustainable raw materials, Indian mills are increasingly seeking reliable hemp fiber partners capable of delivering at scale with consistent quality.

“India represents one of the most strategically important textile markets in the world,” says Panda Biotech president Dixie Carter. “The country’s mills and manufacturers are searching for high-quality natural fibers that can compete globally on consistency, performance, traceability, and price. Through our partnership with Culturewell, we now have a trusted, experienced partner on the ground to accelerate adoption of American-grown hemp across India.”

By combining Panda Biotech’s premium, mechanically-processed hemp fiber with Culturewell’s market expertise and established distribution network, the companies aim to drive adoption of high-performance hemp materials across India’s textile sector. Every shipment is backed by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and USDA BioPreferred® certifications, reinforcing the partnership’s focus on traceability, quality standards, and sustainability.

“What we have built with Panda Biotech is not simply a supply agreement, it is the foundation of an entirely new industrial framework for hemp in India,” says Culturewell CEO Rajesh Raizada. “Indian customers have been asking for hemp yarn, not just fiber. For the first time, we can deliver it—certified American-grown hemp, degummed, spun, and ready for the mills. We are proud to bring the highest-quality, traceable U.S.-grown hemp products to India and to help build the sustainable hemp supply chain this market deserves.”

Products available through the Panda Biotech and Culturewell partnership include:

Textile-Grade Mechanically Cottonized Fiber sustainably processed using mechanical cottonization without scouring or bleaching. This fiber is ready to be blended with cotton or other cellulosic fibers and spun into coarse count yarns. Mills have successfully spun from 6s to 30s yarns for knitting with this fiber. In addition, it has potetnail ins nonwoven applications such as thermal and acoustic insulation, vacuum insulated panels, carpet backing, mattress ticking, and much more.

Degummed Fiber has been scoured and either bleached or semi-bleached for knits and lightweight fabrics that require medium and fine count yarn. This fiber can be blended with cotton, viscose, lyocell, and other cellulosic fibers to spin yarns for ring spinning 20s and 30s yarn counts for textiles or absorbent hygiene products, filtration, wipes, and medical product industries.

Yarn has been produced by Culturewell and is available in hemp blends that range from 20–100%.

The partnership builds on strong early momentum. Panda Biotech recently made its India market debut at the Yarns & Fibers Expo in Mumbai, where its mechanically processed hemp fiber products drew significant interest from textile manufacturers, fiber processors, and apparel brands across the region. Demand was especially strong for degummed hemp fiber and hemp yarn, particularly 20s and 30s single-count yarns in hemp blends ranging from 30–100%.

Panda Biotech’s hemp fiber enters the Indian market with three distinct advantages over over established suppliers including pricing advantage, quality consitency and scale and sustainability credentials.