f you prefer cheap but quality material, cotton fabric is the right choice for you. In fact, cotton has been a staple of the textile and clothing industry since it has a vast variety of uses, properties, and benefits. But of course, it also comes with certain disadvantages. It has different types that are employed in various clothing and other applications.
You can say that it is one of the most commonly used fabric types. This blog is all about cotton fabric. You will learn about its uses, properties, manufacturing, cost, origin, nature, benefits, and disadvantages. Let’s dive into the significant information about cotton.
What Is Cotton Fabric: Introduction and Origin
Cotton is a versatile fabric that comes from the cotton plant, which grows in the boll. It is popular for its breathability and lightweight. Cotton is used in making clothing products like t-shirts, pants, jackets, shirts, tops, and many other products.
Is Cotton Natural Or Synthetic?
Cotton is a purely and chemically organic material, which is soft and fluffy. This fabric is composed of an insoluble natural compound known as the cellulose of the cotton.
Origin of Cotton Fabric
The origin of cotton fabric goes back to the 5th millennium B.C., which leads to the earliest creation of this material in India. In the 13th century, India invented the first cotton gin, a tool to separate plant seeds and cotton fluff. This tool became the easiest way to produce cotton.
Britain stepped into cotton textile production with the innovation of new tools and the latest technologies, such as the spinning frame, spinning jenny, and spinning mule. The machines resulted in increased rates of spinning cotton.
Later, the USA and Europe became the innovating entities of cotton production. Today, we see cotton fabric in its fine form doing wonders in the textile and clothing industry. Different Types of Cotton
What Is Cotton Made Out of?
As mentioned in the above section, cotton fabric is made of cellulose. The ratio of its fibers’ composition is around 87%-90%. The main structural component of plant cells is cellulose, which is a polymer of glucose molecules. Cotton includes a certain amount of water. The rest includes natural impurities, i.e. natural substances, pectins, and waxes.
Different Types of Cotton Fabric
There are four different types of cotton with unique properties and applications:
1- Pima Cotton
Pima cotton is the finest cotton fabric type due to its being extra long and very soft. It has high resistance towards wrinkling, fading, and tearing, making it durable.
2- Organic cotton
Organic means pure of any chemicals. This is what organic cotton is. This comes directly from plants.
3- Egyptian Cotton
Egyptian cotton is similar to pima cotton in terms of properties and scientific classification. However, Egyptian cotton is grown in Egypt’s Nile River Valley.
4- Upland Cotton
Upland cotton features short fibers. It is massively produced across the globe, 90% to be precise.
Cotton Fabric Characteristics
Cotton is a promising material that offers a variety of traits. Here are the cotton fabric properties you should know about:
Durability
Cotton is a durable fabric because of its strong cellular structure. It can withstand daily wear and tear.
Softness
The softness and fluffiness of cotton are its famous traits that make it a popular choice among cozy clothing lovers.
Breathability
The fiber structure of cotton fabric is the reason behind its breathability, making it an ideal choice for summers or warm weather.
Absorbency
The fibers of cotton have space between them, which is why it has reasonable absorbency.
Dyes Well
Cotton fabric holds dyes well and properly due to being highly absorbent. It can be dyed into many colors.
No Static Cling
Static is not a problem with cotton material since it doesn’t conduct electricity.
How Is Cotton Turned into Fabric
There are different steps involved in turning cotton into fabric. Let’s break them down.
Defoliation
The first step is to remove the leaves from the cotton plants. This process is called defoliation.
Harvesting
The second step is harvesting, in which a harvesting machine is employed to remove the contaminants and impurities from the fibers. Then, they are turned into bales.
Ginning
Ginning is the process that removes twigs, seeds, and other debris from the fibers of cotton.
Carding
A carding machine is used to process the cleaned fibers. The fibers are separated and aligned into long strands.
Spinning
Spinning machines twist the fibers to form continuous strands. The strands are spun into yarns.
Dyeing
The cotton fibers go through different chemical processes and are then dyed.
Knitting or Weaving
The yarns are knitted or woven into the fabric using machines.
Finishing
The last step includes treatments like dyeing, bleaching, or finishes to make the fabric perfect for use.
What Is Cotton Used for?
Cotton is used for various products. Here is a list of its applications:
- Cotton is massively produced to create clothing products like tees, jeans, dresses, sweatshirts, pants, and many more.
- Several woven materials are made with cotton. For example denim, canvas, flannel, and damask.
- Cotton is used for household items like towels and bedsheets.
- Cotton makes home decor promising. It is used to make curtains, upholstery, pillows, rugs, and much more.
- It is a popular choice to make comfortable undergarments that are lightweight, soft, and breathable.
- Cottonseed oil is another marvel of cotton fabric, which is created during the production of cotton. This oil is used for margarine, salad dressing, soaps, candles, makeup, and many more things.
How Much Does Cotton Material Cost?
Cotton is a low-cost fabric. Generally it costs about 75 cents per pound. You can spend around $360 for a standard-sized bale. However, its prices can go up and down depending upon the quantity, quality, and availability.
How Do You Care for Cotton?
Here are some simple instructions to care for cotton.
- Wash dark colors in cold water.
- Wash light colors using warm water.
- Pre-wash your fabrics if you are sewing them with cotton because cotton tends to shrink.
- Always tumble dry or hang dry cotton.
- Line-dry cotton fabric to avoid wrinkles. If you are using dryers, keep it for a short time to avoid wrinkles.
Conclusion
Cotton is a fine fabric that is known for its breathability, availability, lightweightness, durability and other properties. It is used for a variety of clothing products and other applications. Its making process is simple, which involves promising steps. Various types of cotton fabric are popular due to their unique characteristics.
I have also mentioned some care instructions to keep your cotton fabric products safe and functional. Lastly, this material is not expensive and is easily available. Since t-shirts are the most common cotton-made products, you can approach t-shirt manufacturers or other manufacturing companies for different products that create cotton for clothing products.