What is cotton fiber?

Cotton fibre is gathered from the seed pod of the cotton plant and ginned. A gin is a machine that separates the seeds from the cotton fiber. It was invented by Eli Whitney in 1793 and is one of the revolutionary events in cotton processing. The fiber is then spun into thread and woven into fabric. The commercial process is actually far more complicated and complex but those are the general steps. One of the most amazing properties of cotton fiber is its ability to breathe. Cotton can retain nearly 30 times its weight in water. Thus it quickly absorbs perspiration from the wearer and releases it to the air through evaporation. Other remarkable properties include the propensity to stand up to high temperatures for sterilizing and ironing without disintegrating. It whitens well with chlorine bleach and absorbs dyes easily. It wears well and stands up to friction. It is often blended with polyester, wool, or other fibers.
Cotton fibre materials also include muslin, flannel, gingham, seersucker, terry cloth, gauze, drill, Swiss, duck, sateen, poplin, organdy, lawn, flannelette, percale, velveteen, outing flannel, whipcord, sailcloth and polished cotton. Currently organically raised cotton is popular. It uses compost and natural fertilizers but not synthetic ones. They utilize ladybug introduction and natural pest control measures. Earth tone cotton fabrics use no dyes, reducing its cost up to 40% as compared to chemically dyed cotton. Not all cotton grows up pure white. Some cotton can be grown that are brown, light purple and rust.

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