Cotton

:For information on the cotton plant, see cotton plant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:For the British band leader and entertainer, see Billy Cotton.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cotton is a soft fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to the tropical and subtropical regions of both the Old World and the New World. The fibre is most often spun into thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile.

Related Topics:
Fibre - Cotton plant - Shrub - Old World - New World - Thread - Textile

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cotton is a valuable crop because only about 10% of the raw weight is lost in processing. Once traces of wax, protein, etc. are removed, the remainder is a natural polymer of pure cellulose. This cellulose is arranged in a way that gives cotton unique properties of strength, durability, and absorbency. Each fibre is made up of twenty to thirty layers of cellulose coiled in a neat series of natural springs. When the cotton boll (seed case) is opened the fibres dry into flat, twisted, ribbon-like shapes and become kinked together and interlocked. This interlocked form is ideal for spinning into a fine yarn.

Related Topics:
Wax - Protein - Polymer - Cellulose - Spinning - Yarn

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~