For thousands of years, cotton has been used to make lightweight cloth in tropical areas. Some people claim that the ancient Egyptians used cotton for 14,000 years ago. Proof was found that Mexican people used cotton for 7,000 years ago (cotton cloth and fragments were found in caves). Around 300 BC Alexander the great brought cotton into Europe. When it first came there it was so expensive that only rich people could afford buying it. In the 17th century American colonies began growing cotton. Slaves were used up until the abolition of slavery. The main use of the cotton in that time was for clothing.
In 2002, cotton growing took up 330,000 Km² of farmland. This made 21 million tons of raw cotton. The whole amount added up to a worth of 20 billion US dollars. The industry of cotton relies heavily on chemicals such as fertilisers and insecticides. As the new time has grown farmers have found ways to grow cotton non-chemically and that is a very good thing. Most cotton is harvested mechanically, either by a cotton picker, a machine that removes the cotton from the boll without damaging the cotton plant, or by a cotton stripper which strips the entire boll off the plant. The case of cotton harvesting and processing has been improved by the development of the cotton module builder, a machine that compresses harvested cotton into a large block, which is then covered with a tarp and temporarily stored at the edge of the field.
Preparation of Cotton Fabrics
Before processing cotton, there are three steps to go through
1. Ginning – separates the cotton fibers from the seedpods
2. Spinning – Several fibers are twisted together to bind them into a strong, long yarn.
3. Weaving – To turn the fibres into cloth by interlacing them.
Cotton Processing
After weaving, cotton passes through many processing stages. Many factories use these stages:
1. Singeing – Burning the loose fibres sticking out of the cloth
2. Desizing – Desizing is the process of removing the size material from the yarns in woven fabrics.
3. Scouring – cleaning the yarn off.
4. Bleaching – Apply chemicals to the yarn in order to make it look white.
5. Mercerizing – making the cotton stronger.
6. Dyeing – Changing the color.
7. Finishing – making the last small details.
Uses of Cotton
Cotton is used for many more things than clothes, for example many countries use cotton for their money because it does not get damaged in water. Cotton is also used in fishnets, coffee filters, tents and bookbinding.
In 2002, cotton growing took up 330,000 Km² of farmland. This made 21 million tons of raw cotton. The whole amount added up to a worth of 20 billion US dollars. The industry of cotton relies heavily on chemicals such as fertilisers and insecticides. As the new time has grown farmers have found ways to grow cotton non-chemically and that is a very good thing. Most cotton is harvested mechanically, either by a cotton picker, a machine that removes the cotton from the boll without damaging the cotton plant, or by a cotton stripper which strips the entire boll off the plant. The case of cotton harvesting and processing has been improved by the development of the cotton module builder, a machine that compresses harvested cotton into a large block, which is then covered with a tarp and temporarily stored at the edge of the field.
Preparation of Cotton Fabrics
Before processing cotton, there are three steps to go through
1. Ginning – separates the cotton fibers from the seedpods
2. Spinning – Several fibers are twisted together to bind them into a strong, long yarn.
3. Weaving – To turn the fibres into cloth by interlacing them.
Cotton Processing
After weaving, cotton passes through many processing stages. Many factories use these stages:
1. Singeing – Burning the loose fibres sticking out of the cloth
2. Desizing – Desizing is the process of removing the size material from the yarns in woven fabrics.
3. Scouring – cleaning the yarn off.
4. Bleaching – Apply chemicals to the yarn in order to make it look white.
5. Mercerizing – making the cotton stronger.
6. Dyeing – Changing the color.
7. Finishing – making the last small details.
Uses of Cotton
Cotton is used for many more things than clothes, for example many countries use cotton for their money because it does not get damaged in water. Cotton is also used in fishnets, coffee filters, tents and bookbinding.
You can machine wash cotton on a quite high temperature, from 40-90 degrees. 90 C º for bed linen. Tumble dry it or you can just hang it up on a hanger to dry. When ironing, iron it on a high temperature, if the care label doesn’t suggests anything else. Also iron it when the piece of fabric is damp.
The advantages of cotton are: cool, strong and long lasting. The disadvantages are: Burns very easily, gets wrinkled and shrinks.
The advantages of cotton are: cool, strong and long lasting. The disadvantages are: Burns very easily, gets wrinkled and shrinks.