Cotton; The Textile Industry’s Backbone

By Author: ColossusTex
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What is Cotton

Cotton is one of the most common fabrics used worldwide. Cotton is organic and is derived from fibers surrounding the seeds of cotton plants. The primary constituent of cotton is cellulose, an insoluble organic compound mostly found in trees and plants, crucial to plant structure. Cotton Yarncomes from small fluffy ball like fiber, encased in the cotton plant.

The History of Cotton

Cotton comes from the Arabic word “quoton”. Cotton is known to be first manufactured in India. The first use of cotton gin; tool used to separate cotton fibers from the seeds and impurities, was seen in India. During the Revolution era, cotton production saw a spike due to technologies like, spinning frames and mules being adopted by the industry.

How is Cotton Made

The first step is extracting the fibers from the boll, where the cotton is mixed with seeds and dirt. This step was done by hand before the invention of cotton gin, which is a mechanical device that makes the separation a lot faster. The next step involves deep cleaning of the ...
... extracted fibres to remove seeds or dirt. Raw cotton is the carded, forming cotton fibres into long strands. After this, the strands are spun to create Cotton yarn.

Different Types of Cotton Fabrics

Short-Staple Cotton

It is a type of cotton where the fibres are up to 1.125 inches long. It has very short fibres and makes up about 90% of the world’s total cotton production. This type of cotton is great for everyday use. It is mostly used to make denim jeans and flannel clothing.

Long-Staple Cotton

It is a type of cotton where the fibres are between 1.125 and 1.25 inches long. This cotton is more soft than short-staple cotton. Items made with long staple cotton have minimised exposed ends due to which they don’t pill or tear as much. It is good for making sheets, towels, and other quality products.

Extra-Long-Staple Cotton

Extra-long staple cotton that consists of fibres that are longer than 1.25 inches. ELS cotton is the most luxurious and soft type of cotton in existence. Fabrics made with this cotton fray less, pill less, wrinkle less, and even fade less than fabrics made with their short-staple counterparts.

Egyptian Cotton

Egyptian cotton is known for its luxurious and silky texture. The name Egyptian is given to it because it is grown in the Nile River Valley in Egypt. Harvested by hand, it’s five times as expensive as other cottons.

Pima Cotton

Pima cotton is a type of cotton that was formed through a partnership between the U.S. government and the Pima Indians. It is one of the most durable forms of cotton. It is a type of cotton considered to be one of the superior cottons with an extra-long staple length, it is extremely durable and absorbent.

Supima Cotton

Supima cotton is the brand name of the Pima cotton. Supima is a trade name used by a group of Pima cotton growers who adhere to certain standards of quality and labelling. Supima cotton is grown in the USA only in the west and southwest states of California, Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico.

Advantages of Cotton

Softness

Cotton is very soft on the body and gives a fluffy and open feel when worn. This makes cotton ideal for summers and moisty weathers.
Breathable

The fibrous structure of cotton makes it more breathable than synthetic fibres. Cotton absorbs sweat and allows it to evaporate through the small pores present. This makes cotton ideal for sportswear, underwear, and sleepwear.

Durable

Since cotton comes from cellulose, it is naturally very strong and a tear-resistant fabric. The interlocking fibres make it suitable for long term use.

Versatile

There are many varieties of cloth that are all made with cotton fibre. These include denim, corduroy, seersucker, chino, broadcloth, calico, and gingham. Cotton also takes well to dye, so it is available in a range of vivid colours.

Conclusion

Cotton is one the most popular fabrics used in the textile industry. We at Colossustex deliver top-quality high-grade cotton, so that your business can never fail to reach heights. Our customer relations are what keeps us at the top of the chart, and gives us the spirit to keep going.