Facts about cotton; choosing organic cotton

Few of us are totally familiar with all the facts about cotton - its history, processing, and why choosing organic cotton is better. We believe that once you know the facts, you will choose to support organic cotton farmers and fair trade practices by buying organic cotton.

What is cotton?

Cotton is a soft fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant. The fibers are spun into thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile. Cotton is a valuable crop because only about 10% of the raw weight is lost in processing. Cotton fiber possesses unique properties of strength, durability, and absorbency. Each fiber is made up of twenty to thirty layers of cellulose coiled in a neat series of natural springs. This interlocked form is ideal for spinning into a fine cloth.

History of cotton

Cotton has been used to make very fine lightweight cloth in areas with tropical climates for millennia. Some authorities claim that it was likely that the Egyptians had cotton as early as 12,000 BC, and evidence has been found of cotton in Mexican caves which dated back to approximately 7,000 years ago. (Click here to read about the threat faced by Egyptian cotton growers.) There is clear evidence that people in South America and India domesticated different species of cotton independently thousands of years ago. Cotton has been grown in India for more than three thousand years.

During the late medieval period, cotton became known as an imported fiber in northern Europe. People there were only familiar with animal fibers (e.g. wool) and they didn�t know what to make of this plant-based fiber. By the end of the 16th century BC, cotton was cultivated throughout the warmer regions in Africa, Eurasia and the Americas.

The Indian cotton processing industry was eclipsed during the British Industrial Revolution, when the invention of the Spinning Jenny (1764) and the Spinning frame (1769) enabled cheap mass-production of cotton cloth in the U.K. Production capacity was further improved by the invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793.

In the United States, growing the three crops - cotton, indigo and tobacco - were the leading occupations of slaves. After emancipation, the share cropping system evolved which in many cases differed little from the systems of slavery.

Cotton production

Today cotton is produced in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Australia, using cotton plants that have been bred so that each plant grows more fiber. The cotton industry relies heavily on chemicals such as fertilizers and insecticides, primarily to combat the destructive boll weevil. They include the insecticides acephate, aldicarb, and dicrotophos. Herbicides used include the fungicide PCNB. Seeds have been modified with the Bt gene, which some believe escape into the wild and threaten butterflies. (Read more about GMO crops at our genetically modified organisms information webpage.

Cotton processing

After cultivation, cotton is harvested at the farm, and goes through multiple processes. Before processing, there are 3 stages; ginning, spinning, and weaving. After weaving, cotton typically fabric passes through several processing stages. After some stages the fabric can be directly used in the final product, for example unbleached cloth is used in grain bags. Typical stages are; Singeing, Desizing, Scouring, Bleaching, Mercerizing, Dyeing, and Finishing.
Cotton's Uses
In addition to the textile industry, cotton is used in fishnets, coffee filters, tents and in bookbinding. The first Chinese paper was made of cotton fiber, as is the modern US dollar bill and federal stationery. Fire hoses were once made of cotton. Denim, a type of durable cloth, is made mostly of cotton, as are T-shirts.

The cottonseed, which remains after the cotton is ginned, is used to produce cottonseed oil, which after refining can be consumed by humans like any other vegetable oil. The cottonseed meal that is left is generally fed to livestock.

For up-to-the-minute information about the organic cotton industry today, why not visit the Organic Exchange website?