The Cotton Club

The tennis shirt, a t-shaped shirt with a collar, was originally made from cotton fiber. With changing times, trends, and fashions, the tennis shirt is now created from different man-made fibers as well. A typical cotton tennis shirt has a small slit below the collar with two or three buttons, slits on either side at the bottom and a pocket (optional). A cotton tennis shirt is usually made from pique cotton or twilled cotton.

The tennis shirt originated in the twentieth century, when Rene Lacoste, a seven-time tennis Grand Slam winner, thought of bringing changes in tennis apparel. In those days tennis players wore starched long sleeved shirts, pants and ties. This attire, without a doubt, restricted the players’ movements considerably. The discomfort that he and other tennis players faced during his playing days led Lacoste to start his line of Lacoste tennis shirts. The original design comprised a loose non-starched pique cotton shirt with side slits at the bottom, and a collar. The shirt-tail at the back was generally longer, known as “tennis tail”. The collar was thicker than the shirt, so that it could be upturned to protect the neck from the sun.

The present day tennis shirt may have undergone many changes in style, but the originality of the Lacoste design has always been in fashion. Not only is the original style worn by sportsperson, but people of both sexes wear it as a casual wear too. It also forms part of the uniform of certain commercial establishments, where formal attire is not required. The Lacoste style cotton tennis shirts can be seen on employees running supermarkets with company logos printed on them.

The cotton tennis shirt is also worn by sportspersons from different disciplines. Polo is a sport that has adopted the tennis shirt. Golf caddies and retired sportspersons still prefer wearing this comfortable wear. Junior government officials in China wear the tennis shirt as standard business wear. Many schools around the globe have the tennis shirt as part of the school children’s uniform.

The cotton tennis shirt is an evergreen apparel that has continued to rock generations in the past, and will continue its run of popularity among the future generations.

The good old cotton t-shirt had a very humble beginning as part of people’s underwear. World War – I saw European soldiers wearing t-shirts under their uniform. The comfort of cotton t-shirts was recognized by the US Army and these ordinary looking undergarments soon became part of the soldiers’ uniform, and were supplied as standard uniform by World War II.

T-shirts were popularized in real terms by Hollywood movies “A Streetcar Named Desire”, and “Rebel Without a Cause”, where the protagonists Marlon Brando and James Dean contributed greatly to projecting the humble t-shirt as a fashion garment.  T-shirts with denim jeans soon became a craze with the young generation in the 1950s.

The 1960s saw young people merging with many sub-cultures such as the Beatniks, Mods, Rockers and the Hippy movement. The tie-and-dye t-shirts from the Hippy era in the late 1960s soon became endearingly popular. This t-shirt came to represent the psychedelic colors of that era. The hyperactivity in the fashion scene during those times saw t-shirt styles like the ringer, v-neck, muscle and tank-t-shirt emerge. Soon t-shirts with slogans started appearing with the advent of the screen printing technology.

The t-shirt had marched on from the 1960s into the 1970s with rock music having a great influence over its design. Black t-shirts with logos of rock bands ACDC, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd were quite visible. Branded t-shirts too made their appearance with Adidas, Nike, Puma, Reebok and other large corporate houses making their presence felt. The blank t-shirt, all white, made an appearance as an ode to Marlon Brando and James Dean. Thereafter, Star War t-shirts could be seen everywhere, so smitten were the teens by the sci fi. Guys out of their teens preferred the disco variety catering to the “Saturday Night Fever” craze.

The mid 1980s saw the Japanese entering the t-shirt market with their own designs, while Armani had t-shirts being worn under suit jackets. The 1990s still had interest in the good old t-shirt going. Long sleeve Skater t-shirts had people interested in the apparel, while hyper-color heat-fading t-shirts were also popular. Hip Hop music saw the emergence of a new genre of music and along with it t-shirt wearing young people.

The humble-t-shirt will continue to have its say in the 21st century too. The younger generation has always adopted and embraced the cotton t-shirt, and its march from one generation to the next is assured, so long as humanity survives.

What most of us fashion conscious people try to achieve is being different. You would certainly like to stand out in a crowd. Being noticeable is why you go to the extent to which you go to appear fashionable. Vintage t-shirts have caught the imagination of many young and not so young people.  Probably getting bored of the usual t-shirt, the concept of wearing a vintage t-shirt made its appearance on the fashion scene.

If you would like to know what a vintage t-shirt is, it is hard to define one. Basically, you would consider a t-shirt vintage, if it forms part of your old clothing that you may have discarded long back. For that matter, clothes belonging to the previous decade and older could be categorized as vintage. Older clothes could mark you out among your friends. It could spell out your individuality. Wearing a t-shirt belonging to a different era in an informal party, can catapult you to cult status. You could be a trend setter with people enquiring from you if you have more such t-shirts.

A noticeable thing about vintage t-shirts is that they were insignificant during their time, only to gain in importance once they were stamped as vintage. There are many styles that can be made from old t-shirts. Depending on the occasion, you could wear a funny vintage t-shirt, vintage rock t-shirt, vintage band t-shirt, vintage sports t-shirt, and many more.

If you are not interested in wearing those hand-me-downs, there are vintage style t-shirts available that are vintage in appearance. Manufacturers use old or retro prints to make t-shirts look old. Vintage concert t-shirts, vintage music t-shirts and the like vintage styles do not matter much when you compare them with the original vintage t-shirt. They too seem old and worn out and give a real vintage t-shirt look.
 

Cotton is among the traditional textiles that are known for its comfort and ease. This comfortable fabric has been able to keep at bay the stiff competition posed by various new synthetic blends. Cotton has always been there on the market for the reason that it is the most comfortable of all fabrics. Cotton has never been displaced from the world of fashion, as many manmade fabrics have come and gone. It is difficult to dream of t-shirts and undergarments among other apparel that are not made from cotton.

The first quality that comes to mind when we think of cotton is its comfort and power of absorption. Being breathable too, it allows for sweat to dry quickly. It is a very skin-friendly fabric, which makes the wearer fresh all day through. As dictated by fashion, many cotton blends have emerged offering varying levels of comfort.

Cotton is Trendy
With varying blends showing up on the market, cotton has acquired an added characteristic of being trendy. Shirts, trousers, and t-shirts made from cotton are being accepted by designers and used to design trendy outfits. Its biggest selling point is greater comfort, absorbing ability and breathability. Prints on cotton make it look extravagant, especially during the summer. The beauty of cotton is that it keeps you cool during the summer and warm in the winter.

Many people complain of skin problems that occur while wearing different kinds of synthetic fabric. Sensitive skin may react to synthetic fabric touch. Cotton being natural is truly healthy for the skin. It works just perfectly for people with skin complaints.

Cotton clothing is easy to maintain for it can be hand-washed or machine-washed. However, there is no restriction to its being dry-cleaned. The fact that it can be washed at home makes it an attractive proposal. Dump your cotton shirt in the washing machine and iron it after it is washed and dried.

A fabric for the young and old alike, cotton will always be there among all other fashionable and trendy fabrics.

As the world gets more conservationist in its thinking, big fashion houses are becoming more conscious of their responsibilities towards the degenerating environment triggered by modern technology. Eco-friendly products that do not use health harming chemicals at any stage of production, are what Armani is conscious about.

Armani has been among the very first to follow European Oeko-Tex Standard 100 that certifies the elimination of health-harming chemical substances during production. The standard that started in 1995 has become more complex and diversified with time. The year 1996 saw Armani display its first eco-friendly jeans at the Innovations Exhibition at the Science and Technology Museum at Milan. Details describing the process at each stage of production were on display along with the jeans. To ensure reduction in the use of insecticides and weed killers, other recycled materials were used in the autumn/winter 96/97 collections. These included recycled woolen cloth and recycled cross-dyed cotton.

As the younger generation is getting increasingly aware of environmental issues, Armani had its target audience interested in its jeans by introducing hemp to the production process. Hemp that had gone off the fashion producers’ mind, made a come back in men’s and women’s fashion. Hemp is a strong plant that survives tough conditions, and does not require pesticides or insecticides for support. Moreover, hemp efficiently and effectively converts carbon dioxide to oxygen through photosynthesis. After processing, hemp makes a durable and clean yarn that can absorb up to 95% of infrared and ultra violet rays. This makes the fabric cool in the summer months and conversely warm in the winters.

Following the EC directives to develop new industrial ethics, Armani participated in an experiment at the Ecomoda event at the Milan Triennale, where production policies concerning environment improvement, energy saving, and beco-compatible technological advancement were studied.

Armani’s expansion plans include production range in organic cotton free from residues of pesticides and insecticides. This forms part of a fair trade pact with Bolivia and Peru to help resurrect their economy and encourage natural farming. The local farming communities are now growing cotton through natural methods replacing the growth of harmful produces such as cocaine.

Cotton is on a new high, what with newer technologies and designing contributing to better finishes, subtle color disparities, improved textures, bolder designs, and richness. Cotton bath towels are no more a necessity to have in your bathrooms. They are now considered objects of art made to match your bathroom color schemes. Besides that, what most people demand of a cotton bath towel are softness, thickness, and absorbing qualities.

A survey conducted by Lifestyle Monitor reveals the most wanted features of bath towels, which are softness - 83%, absorbency - 83% and durability - 76%. The other preferred features are size - 73%, life - 67%, price - 66% and color – 61%.
According to Restoration Hardware’s towel display, their 100% cotton Paradigm towels are featured as being “exceptionally soft and snuggly” and come in 23 colors. West Elm’s towel promotion is based on the feel that is as luxe as they look. The “long staple, plush cotton towels are loomed with thick, absorbent, silken terry loops in broad dobby pattern”. The Land End’s company makes combed cotton towels that are three inches wider and about six inches longer than the standard bath towel, using a process that makes it more absorbent. The selling line of JCPenny Towel is that it is “larger, more absorbent, and luxurious – combed ring-spun cotton terry for enhanced softness”.

The soft, thick and fluffy features are due to the low-twist yarn technique. This makes the towel more absorbent and at the same time keeps it light in weight. Consumers are demanding more of towels such as features that are quick on absorption, yet dry fast. Despite many new fabrics coming on the scene, cotton remains an all time favorite because of its super-absorbing feature.

According to WestPoint Home, they are always introducing unique and innovative weaves, finishes and dobby treatments on their high-end products. Their Charisma brand uses finer cotton yarns and they are using Microban finish to their cotton towels.

Mercerized cotton is also known as pearl or pearle cotton. This yarn undergoes a number of processes to provide it extra luster and sheen. Cotton is naturally found as a boll. Each string of the yarn is a produce a single seed. The fiber grows on the inner side of a sheath where each night a new layer of cellulose is added. When thirty such layers form, it gives an appearance of cylindrical pole. When the boll at the tip of the cylindrical pole bursts open, the sun and air dry it up.

There have been any number of attempts to alter the appearance of the fiber since long, but not with much effect. John Mercer worked on the cotton fiber for long and got a British Patent for his efforts on cotton, linen and other fibrous products. He was able to bring about certain changes to the fiber when he treated it with caustic soda, sulfuric acid and other chemicals. He recorded these changes, finding caustic soda to make the fiber to swell, rounded and straighten. However, this could not bring change in the luster. The changes that Mercer brought to the cotton fabric hardly had anyone from the British cotton trade and industry interested. His work had remained in the dark for about forty years until Horace Lowe was granted a British patent in 1890. According to Lowe, Mercer’s caustic soda treatment on cotton yarn under tension resulted in providing high luster to the fiber. The idea was accepted by the industry and Mercerized cotton became famous.

Cotton is among the most likeable and preferable fabrics, being natural and soft in texture. It makes for comfortable clothing like jeans, shirts, sportswear, socks, dresses, pants, and other fashion accessories. Of late, there has been an encouraging demand for organic cotton clothing.

Cotton depends heavily on insecticides. 25% of the insecticides used in the USA goes into the cotton crop fields. The ever-increasing demand for high quality cotton has resulted in the use of pesticides. The environment has been bearing the brunt of the increase in chemical use. Soil and ground water are two casualties that harm us most, besides the cottonseed oil that goes into most processed foods that we eat. 

The way out of this predicament is for the consumer to insist on organic cotton products. People are gradually turning to organically grown cotton. Organic cotton is produced without using chemical or synthetic fertilizers. The demand for organic cotton baby clothing is on the rise. No chemical dyes or bleaches are used, which makes the cotton allergy-free and safe for babies. Fertilizers that come from natural sources and compost are used to augment the growth of the crop. The use of natural pesticides like ladybugs is encouraged to destroy harmful pests and insects. Organic cotton products are being seen increasingly on the market.

If you look around, you will find products like shirts, trousers, jeans, socks, dresses, and more such items lined up on store shelves. Designers are working on newer styles to cater to the growing consumer demand. The use of organic cotton is marred by colored dyes made from synthetic products, and chemicals that are toxic. However, to overcome the problem, organically colored cotton is being produced. Colored cotton is being grown that come in shades of green, brown, and yellow. Chemically dyed cotton is expensive than colored cotton grown organically. The advantage of colored organic cotton is that it does not fade away, and is most suitable to people who are allergic or sensitive to colored dyes.

Since clothing business is among the top fashion businesses, the consumer holds the key to its survival. All trends will follow the dictates of the consumer. People’s preference of organic cotton over other cotton treated with insecticides and chemicals, is tilting the balance in favor of naturally grown products. The time is not far when organic cotton will completely rule the fashion roost.

Did you know that cotton, the most popular of fabrics, is also ingested in the form of food? Not in the wildest of our dreams would we think that we are eating cotton. We use 40% of the plant (the boll) for fabric use, while the rest of the 60% goes into making cottonseed oil and some other by-products. Cottonseed oil is used in processed foods such as salad dressings, and snacks in the US. The consumption of the oil annually is around half a million tons. As per conservative estimates, three million tons of raw cottonseed is used in the dairy industry as feed for cattle that produce milk products and beef. Ultimately, when we consume these products cotton enters our system.

Though on the face of it, it all appears harmless. But, the underlying fact is that the cotton plant is most intensively sprayed with insecticides worldwide. Of the entire insecticide usage globally, over 10% is used on the cotton plant alone, whereas the US accounts for 25% of its total insecticide usage on the cotton crop. What requires attention is that insecticides and pesticides that are unfit for spray on food crops are used on cotton. Consumers are normally led to believe that most pesticides break down soon, and are removed during processing, which is not the case. Research has shown that pesticides are not removed completely, as toxic defoliant tribufos (DEF) remains on the cottonseed and the by-products. Moreover, cottonseed oil is hardly tested for the presence of the toxic residues. Cotton is being increasingly genetically engineered. Unlike other food products, no labeling is required on cotton food items to show that these are genetically engineered products. 

The only way out to this situation presently is to use certified organic cotton products - both consumable and non-consumable. It is not only safe for your children and family, but also ensures that the soil and water remain free from the effects of harmful pesticides.

Like many other plants, the cotton plant too has been benefitting from bees. While bees feed on the cotton plant, they play a leading role in pollination. This mutually beneficial relationship is proving to be fatal to the bees ever since insecticide sprays have been resorted to. Cotton spraying is the major cause of bee deaths - more than from spraying of other crops.

Why are bees being killed without any concern for their role in pollination? The main reason is non-adherence to specific label directions concerning bees. Insecticides that are toxic to bees have label directions for use to minimize harm to them. The continuous decline in the population of one of the finest natural pollinators is a cause of concern for the environmentalists. And, all this can be avoided if cotton farmers adhere to the label directions in letter and spirit. It will help to educate the cotton growers that in the long-term, they will be the ones who will suffer from the dwindling bee population. What most people have come to recognize is the huge impact that bees have on our food supply. Beekeepers are doing a great service by domesticating bees and contributing to pollination in a great way.

Bee Foraging Facts

• Bees do not usually forage cotton before bloom. So pest control measures prior to bloom is beneficial.
• Bees do not forage blooming cotton at temperatures above 95º F.
• Nighttime is safe, since they are lodged in their beehives then.
• Bees forage blooming cotton before sunrise and until late morning in temperatures exceeding 90º F. Cotton farmers will need to monitor bee movement.
• When the temperature ranges from 70º - 80º F, bees can forage until afternoon.
• Bees prefer clear weather for foraging. They do forage in overcast conditions, but in reduced numbers.

Bees do not usually forage cotton before bloom. So pest control measures prior to bloom is beneficial.Cotton growers and farmers need be aware that since 1972. label directions are the law, and need to be strictly adhered to. Some samples of label directions are as follows.

Non-residual material
    “This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment on blooming crops or other vegetation. Avoid use when bees are actively foraging. Protective information may be obtained from your Cooperative Agricultural Extension Service.”
Residual material
    “This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or weeds. Do not apply this product or allow it to drift to blooming crops if bees are visiting the treatment area.”