Where is cotton from

The fibres are separated from the seeds and cleaned, they are then aligned and straightened by the process of carding and combing through metal teeth. The fibres have a rough texture which are bonded together, this enables the fibre to be strengthened and spun to create cotton yarn, the yarn is then woven or knitted to create cotton fabric of many varieties. This process is known to go back as far as BC in the geographical areas now known as Peru and Mexico. The production was also practiced in ancient Egypt, India and Pakistan where cotton plants grew and were easily accessible.

With the advance in world transport and trading links, cotton fabric production spread to the West, including the UK. Initially the production was by way of a cottage industry, families undertaking the process of spinning and weaving at home with merchants delivering the raw cotton to them and collecting the finished product. Traditionally women and children spun the yarn. The yarn was then passed to a weaver, usually a man to work the hand loom.

The invention of the spinning machine in the late eighteenth century revolutionised cotton production. A shift from the cottage industry towards state of the art factories producing cotton on an industrial scale took place.

Lancashire became the home of cotton production changing its landscape completely to a blanket of mills and chimneys, epitomised perfectly in the art work of L. Towards the end of the nineteenth century seventy five per cent of world cotton production took place within the triangle of Manchester, Burnley and Preston.

Lancashire was the perfect location, the Port of Liverpool provided a route for the raw cotton from America. The cool, moist damp climate of Lancashire provided perfect climatic conditions for working the cotton during production and the rivers and streams provided the power to drive the water wheels to turn the machinery.

Coal from local mines was later used as the predominant fuel to drive the steam machines. Next, a single machine harvests the amount of cotton that 50 people could pick, and this same machine removes large contaminants from the cotton fibers and forms it into bales.

High-efficiency automated cotton gins can process up to 60 raw cotton bales weighing pounds each in the space of an hour. These gins remove the seeds from cotton bolls, and they also remove any dirt or trash from the cotton. Once cotton has been cleaned to the extent that it consists of pure cotton fibers without any seeds or trash, it is transferred to a textile production facility. At this facility, the raw cotton is carded, which is the process of forming cotton fibers into long strands.

Next, these strands are spun to create yarn. At this stage, the basic material used in cotton fabrics is complete. This cotton yarn may then be subjected to a variety of chemical treatments, and it may be dyed. Next, it is woven into a particular type of textile material such as a bedsheet, T-shirt, or pair of blue jeans. In sheer numbers, cotton is the most widely used textile fiber in the world, and manufacturers can spin this fabric into a myriad of different types of products.

For instance, most T-shirts contain at least some amount of cotton, and true blue jeans are percent cotton. This fabric is used to make bathrobes, bathmats, and towels, and it is also used to make bedsheets, blankets, and duvets. Manufacturers may even use cotton to make curtains, wall-hangings, and other types of home decorations.

Since cotton is highly breathable and absorbent, it is commonly used to make warm-weather clothing. Its softness makes it a good option for formal and business wear, and its notable draping abilities make it an ideal fabric for dresses. Manufacturers use cotton to make medical supplies, and this fabric is also used to make industrial thread and tarps. In summation, cotton can be used to make practically any type of textile for consumer or industrial use.

India and China are frequently tied as the largest cotton producers in the world. According to Statista , India overtook its East Asian competitor between and by producing 6,, metric tons of cotton. For comparison, China produced 5,, metric tons of cotton fiber during this same period.

At 4,, metric tons, the USA is the next-largest producer of cotton. However, these prices are subject to constant change. Cotton costs significantly more once a producer has formed it into yarn, and its price increases again once this fiber is made into a final product.

Comparatively speaking, cotton is one of the least expensive textile fibers in the world, which has contributed to its popularity. However, the cheapest cotton is cotton that has not been produced sustainably, and better forms of cotton cost much more. For instance, forms of extra-long-staple cotton are significantly more expensive than traditional short-staple cotton.

Examples of extra-long-staple cotton include Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton. These types of cotton cost more for manufacturers to produce, and they also cost more at the consumer level. There are four distinct species of cotton that are used to make cotton fabric. In addition, there are several sub-varieties of cotton fabric that are made from these plant species:.

This type of cotton is the most widely-produced form of this textile crop. Over the years, traders have exported this type of cotton to practically every location throughout the world, and it grows well in practically any climate. Gossypium hirsutum is a short-staple SS cotton fiber, which means that it is not as high-quality as other forms of this textile fiber.

Gossypium barbadense is an extra-long-staple ELS cotton variety, which means that it consists of longer cotton fibers that produce softer and more luxurious textiles. This ELS cotton variation is native to South America, and it has been exported to a variety of locations throughout the world. For instance, Pima cotton is a form of Gossypium barbadense, and producers cultivate this type of cotton in China, India, and other foreign nations.

While most types of cotton grow on small bushes, Gossypium arboretum grows on larger bushes that could almost be considered to be trees. There were an estimated This marked an increase of 0. India produced China is the second-largest producer of cotton, a plant that is cultivated into a raw material, growing The U. Brazil produced Rounding out the top five is Pakistan, which grew 8. Global trade reached China was the largest importer in the world this past season, bringing in 9.