Cotton is a natural substance derived from plants. We usually see the cotton when it is turned into clothes. However, the cotton, on the cotton bush, looks like puffy white hair. We make cotton fabrics and clothes from cotton. Everything you see in this picture, are made of cotton.
Cotton Fiber
Cotton strands or fibers grow from the seeds of cotton bush. The shortest fibers are about 2 cm and the longest ones are about 6 cm. Cotton fibers are seen under the microscope.
Planting Cotton
Cotton bushes grow only in areas with warm and sunny weather during the year. After the flowers bloom, the cotton fibers grow.
Collecting cotton fibers from cotton bushes is called harvesting. Cotton Collecting machines move around the cotton field and pull the fibers out of the bushes.
Characteristics of Cotton Fibers
Cotton fibers are thinner than the hair of the head but are somewhat firm. Yarn is made from cotton fibers. Cotton fibers are white or light gray. Water easily penetrates into the cotton. However, when the cotton fibers get wet, they are still firm. It is easy to change the color of cotton fibers by chemical dyes.
The act of Growing Cotton
The cotton fibers that are collected by cotton collecting machines are brought to the factory for operation. In the harvested fibers, there are small branches, cotton bushes and dirt particles. The cotton cleaning machines remove the cotton fibers from the grains. The fibers are then collected and packaged.
Spinning
Most of the cotton becomes cotton yarn. The cotton is brought to the spinning mill in large packages called bales. In the factory, they open the packages and comb the cotton fibers so they can be grouped. Then, the cotton fibers are twisted and changed into long, narrow threads of yarn. This is called spinning.
Knitting and Weaving
By knitting or weaving, cotton yarn is made into cotton fabric or woven cotton. The weaving is done by a knitting machine. The knitting machine weaves a fabric yarn by twisting the strands up and down each other. The knitting machine produces woven cotton by attaching small loops of yarn.
Cotton Clothes
We make a variety of clothes from cotton fabrics: shirts, blouses and trousers. The pieces of fabric are sewn together by cotton yarn. Cotton is a good material for summer clothes. The cotton fabric is light and cool, but it can also be used to make sturdy clothing such as jeans.
Color and Pattern
You can produce colored cotton fabric using a previously dyed cotton. However, sometimes the fabric is dyed after weaving. Various colored yarns have been used in the fabrics with patterns. Color schemes can be printed on plain fabric. In this photo, the artist is printing on the fabric with his own hand.
Refined Cotton and Paper
All cotton is not converted into fibers. Some cotton is used as refined cotton in first aid boxes. The paper is made from a mixture of wood fibers, water and glue. If the cotton fibers are mixed with the wood fibers, the paper becomes elegant but firm.
Other Uses of Cotton:
Only those fibers, which are obtained from cotton bushes, are used for yarn and fabric production. By pressing the inner parts of the cottonseeds, the cottonseed oil is obtained. What remains is a good feed for cattle and sheep. Some cotton fibers are too short to produce yarn. These fibers are used in the cushions of home furniture and car seat.
Cotton around Us
We make bedding, pillow, curtain and tablecloths from cotton. Artists embroider with cotton yarn. The towel is made of cotton. Cotton fibers absorb water very well.
Do You Believe?
All over the world, lots of cotton is used to produce fabrics and clothes. If we put all the cotton in different countries together, there will be a mass of 20 million tons!
