Exploring the World of Cotton Fabric: Facts, Trivia, and Insights

Cotton fabric is made from natural cotton plants and shrubs native to tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world. It is primarily made of cellulose which is an insoluble organic compound. The word comes from the Arabic word ‘quton’ but earliest its production was in India which is the number one producer in the world and is followed by China and the United States. You can also find them in Brazil and Mexico where you can see the greatest diversity of wild cotton species in Pakistan, Turkey, and Australia. 

Cotton is Completely a Natural Fabric

Cotton is a fluffy and soft fiber which means it is composed of lots of different fibers that vary in length. The term ‘cotton’ refers to the cotton ball which serves as a protective case in form of the ball around the cotton seeds. The plant stems of the genus Gossypium which is from the mallow family Malvaceae. It is woven into yarns that created a super comfortable cotton fabric. It is a natural fabric like silk and wool that is also found naturally on plants.

Cotton Plants Growing Period

The farming starts between December and March. The plants need a high temperature over a growing season. The cotton crops can be grown within 5-6 months of time and it needs a temperature of 20-25 degrees for growing.  Crops will be ready for harvest in autumn, provided they have seen plenty of water during the growing season. 

Discovering the Origins of Cotton: An 8,000-Year Journey

Cotton is a globally recognized fabric that has a rich and diverse history. Interestingly, it has been domesticated in both new and old worlds. As far back as, 6000 BC prehistoric civilizations have been using cotton. Archeological discoveries have confirmed that the use of cotton during the Indus Valley civilization in India and Pakistan may predate Egyptian Mesopotamia and pharaohs. Similarly, cotton has been traced back to ancient Peru with an ancient history of 8000 years. Also, the industrial revolution of the 18th century also impacted the production of cotton, and after this cotton started producing for masses with machines. Print Cotton fabrics have a long history that is celebrated every year in form of new outfits and attires.

Four Types of Cotton

This fact might surprise you that cotton was produced about 8000 years ago. Cotton comes in four different types and which are Puma cotton, American cotton, American Southwest, and native to South America which is the finest cotton known for extra soft fibers. Egyptian cotton is much similar to that grown in the Nile River Valley. It is considered by many due to the softness, strength, and length of the fibers. A longer fiber means a stronger fiber and the ability to create a high-thread fabric. It is, therefore, best known for quality bed sheets and Egyptian cotton is softer, longer, and finer than any type in the world. The third one is upland cotton which accounts for 90% of the world's cotton and the fourth one is organic cotton which is grown naturally without the use of any chemicals or genetically engineered.

The Industrial Revolution Changed The Manufacturing Forever

The industrial revolution started in England which is a significant event in the history of the world. It also has a big impact on everything. When we talk about cotton production after this revolution, the cotton gin becomes the game changer. Let's talk about England where the James Hargreaves presents the Spinning Jenny as one of the key development in the industrialization of textile manufacturing. This system has reduced the amount of work needed to produce clothes. It is also credited with starting as the factory system starting. In the US, at the same time, a few decades later, an inventor named Eli Whitney introduced the cotton gin, short for the cotton engine which is a machine that separates the cotton fibers from the cotton balls. 

Conclusion 

Cotton is a natural, versatile, and most demanding fabric in the plant due to plant-based fibers fabric. It is one of the oldest fabrics in the world and is produced in a large number of countries. Warmer climates are great for its production. Spinning Jenny invented the cotton fabric and Eli Whitney introduced the cotton gin, a machine to separate cotton balls from the cotton flower. Due to its natural qualities, cotton is the most comfortable and unique, and loved fabric of all time.