2 : A Miraculous A Unique, Natural Fiber Cotton is a natural fiber with layers of highly organized cellulose surrounding a Even after 8,000 years, cotton remains Why we love Cotton hollow core. The pitch, or angle, of the cell the most miraculous fiber under the sun. Cotton is the most used fiber in the layers alternate, first one way then the No other single fiber comes close to dupli- world. It’s popular because it’s versatile. other, which accounts for cotton’s extraor- cating all the desirable characteristics It’s used in apparel, home furnishings, and dinary strength. combined in cotton. industrial and other consumer products. Recently, a science museum in Newark, Cotton is noted for its versatility, There isn’t a part of your day that you did- NJ, lifted a 3,500-pound car with seven appearance, , and above all n’t use something made from cotton. The pairs of jeans attached to the crane. else, its natural comfort. Cotton in today’s after your shower, the shirt and The hollowness and the layering of the fast-moving world is still nature’s wonder pants you put on, the seats in your car. cells also contribute to cotton’s ability fiber, providing thousands of useful prod- The money you used to buy a biscuit for readily to absorb water and to “wick” ucts and supporting millions of jobs. breakfast. All made from cotton. moisture away from the body.

A 480 pound bale of cotton can produce: 1,200 men’s T-shirts, 3,000 baby , 1,300 pairs of pillowcases, 690 terrycloth bath , more than 730 shirts or blouses, or 215 pairs of 100% Cotton, 100% Usable, men’s denim jeans. 100% Environmentally Friendly

All Parts of Cotton are Used Recycling Cotton Cottonseed oil is used The most important is the fiber or lint, • Cotton stems and leaves are plowed in many products we which is used for making a myriad of tex- back into the soil eat every day. tile products. The cottonseed is crushed to • Cotton’s deep-rooting pattern makes it make oil, which is used in shortening, mar- very efficient at utilizing moisture from garine, cooking oil, and salad dressing. the soil and makes it possible to produce Some cottonseed is also used as a high- top yields with half the water required by Some non-fabric uses concentrate in baked goods and many other crops of cotton fiber include other food products. Cottonseed meal and • Even the meal produced from cottonseed tissues, cotton balls, hulls are used to make livestock feed. as feed for livestock finds its way back to and cotton swabs. Cellulose from cottonseed linters is used the soil as fertilizer to make ice cream, currency, pho- tography , plastics, and mattress and auto cushion coverings. Cotton takes few nutrients from the soil because it is grown primarily for the fiber found in the boll part of the . Farmers have also adopted tillage prac- tices that minimize soil erosion.

Quality, 100% cotton products are easily identified by the distinctive Seal of Cotton. The cotton plant produces more food for man and than it does fiber for cloth. Denim trousers and pants are the favorite in . 4 North Carolina Cotton 5 Cotton’s Importance to our State and Nation’s Economy

Cotton is the leading cash crop in the economy exceeds $120 billion, making cot- United States. The annual average cotton ton America’s number one value-added crop accounts for 5 million tons of lint and crop. The average annual value of U.S. cot- 7.5 million tons of cottonseed. The gross ton and cotton products sold overseas is dollar value of cotton lint and its extensive more than $8 billion. That’s a lot of money system of production, harvesting, and gin- coming back to the U.S. ning provides countless jobs for mechan- Other allied industries such as bank- ics, farm machinery dealers, crop consult- ing, transportation, warehousing, and mer- ants, processors, and people in other sup- chandising also benefit from a viable U.S. The U.S.A. produces port services. cotton production system. more cotton than its mills need. In fact, America’s Cotton Industry approximately 65% of Today, the world uses more cotton the American cotton than any other fiber. At the farm level crop is exported to alone, the production of each year’s crop other countries. involves the purchase of more than $5.3 billion worth of supplies and services. North Carolina’s Cotton Industry Cotton’s comeback in North Carolina has This stimulates business activities for fac- been dramatic. tories and enterprises throughout the Back in the roaring ‘20s, cotton was country. king in North Carolina and the Cotton Belt. Processing and handling of cotton In 1926, growers in the Tar Heel State grew after it leaves the farm generates even an all-time high 1,802,000 acres of cotton. more business activity. Annual business Even into the early 1950s, North Carolina revenues stimulated by cotton in the U.S. was home to a industry using 2 mil- lion bales of cotton yearly. About that same time, however, cotton growers faced a serious threat—a little gray beetle with a long snout. The boll weevil fed on newly developed cotton bolls, destroying its growth. The dreaded boll weevil was responsible for millions of Sometimes called dollars worth of damage to the cotton crop “white gold,” cotton is and was a major factor in the beginning of grown in 55 counties in the economic depression in the South. In North Carolina. 1978, North Carolina producers grew an The boll weevil has been stopped, but is all-time low of 42,000 acres of cotton. still monitored should any come back If it weren’t for the successful Boll Carolina's way. Weevil Eradication Program initiated in North Carolina, farmers wouldn’t be grow- ing the crop across the Cotton Belt today. The program has been so successful that many states, all the way to Texas and New Mexico, have adopted its practices. U.S. cotton production stretches In 2004, cotton provided almost from California to Virginia, cover- ing more than 14 million acres of 75,000 jobs and over 7 billion dollars to about 22,000 square miles. North Carolina’s economy. 6 North Carolina Cotton 7 A Richly Textured History ply large quantities of cotton fiber to the The Industrial Revolution fast-growing Cotton was used in some of the most By 1860, America’s cotton crop important inventions of the 19th century. The cotton plant grows wild in many reached almost a billion pounds or about For instance, Samuel Morse invented the places on the earth, but it has been known 2/3 of the world’s supply. Cotton exports telegraph and a language called Morse about, cultivated, and put to use by people were financing 60 percent of total U.S. Code to send messages over long dis- of many lands for centuries. Archaeologists expenditures for imports of manufactured tances. The messages were sent over elec- have found cloth fragments, proof that cot- goods, including sugar, coffee, railroad trical wires similar to today’s telephone ton was being grown in the Indus Valley of iron, and other products. wires. Cotton was used to insulate the India (Pakistan) dating around 3000 B.C. Today, the U.S. is the 2nd leading pro- metal wires. About the same time, natives of ducer of cotton in the world. When the famous inventor Thomas Egypt’s Nile Valley were making and wear- Edison was trying to develop the first prac- ing cotton clothing. Arab merchants tical electric light bulb, he needed a spe- brought cotton cloth to Europe around Marco Polo reported cial material for the filament, which is part 800 A.D. cotton flourishing in of the light bulb that heats up and glows. India as early as Currently, there are five prominent He tried platinum, silicon, and boron. 6,000 B.C. types of cotton being grown commercially Then he tried a strip of charred cotton— around the world: Egyptian, Sea Island, The Wright brothers it was perfect for the light bulb because, stretched cotton American Pima, Asiatic, and Upland. The unlike other materials, it glowed rather over the wings of their largest producers of cotton include the than melted when subjected to the airplanes that made the USA, People’s Republic of China, India, electric charge. first sustained flights. and Pakistan.

Before the industrial revolution, slave laborers Everyday Inventions – performed the arduous task of harvesting and Today and Tomorrow separating the cotton lint from the seed. Civil War Nearly Wiped Out Cotton As the twentieth century took off, so did cotton. In 1905, Wilbur and Orville Virginia. Americans loved their “home- The Civil War severely impaired cotton Wright covered the wings of their first air- spun” fabric made from cotton and wore it production in the South. When the war plane with cotton. as a symbol of American independence. ended in 1865, the scramble was on to When World War I broke out, fine Alexander Hamilton, the nation’s first begin production again. After the war, cot- cotton were used to make a smoke- Secretary of the Treasury, believed in cot- ton fabric once again became America’s less gunpowder. ton’s promise as a major crop. He recog- favorite. Part of cotton’s comeback can be 21st century inventors found more and nized that the southern states were espe- attributed to the demand for denim jeans, more uses for cotton. It is now used to cially suited for cotton cultivation and pre- or “Levis”, which were created for miners make everything from photographic film dicted in 1775 that the U.S. would one day during the 1849-1869 California Gold Rush. to margarine. “produce enough fiber to clothe the entire We can only won- continent.” der what new uses In 1793, Massachusetts teacher and twenty-first century inventor, Eli Whitney, revolutionized the inventors will find for cotton industry when he invented the cotton, this miracle labor-saving cotton gin. He called it a “gin” Cotton’s Beginnings in America of nature! — short for engine —and claimed it When Columbus came to America in replaced the work of 50 men, mostly slave 1492, he found cotton growing in the laborers. The gin revolutionized the Bahamian Islands. By 1500, cotton was process of separating the seeds from the known generally throughout the world. cotton fiber or lint. Later, the Coronado expedition sighted The invention was considered so sig- cotton crops grown by American Indians in nificant to America’s economy that the the early 1500s. president of the United States, George In 1616, American colonists were grow- Washington, signed the patent issued to ing cotton along the James River in Whitney. The gin made it possible to sup- 8 North Carolina Cotton 9 Production steps in How Cotton is Grown in North Carolina growing a cotton crop

Squares or flower buds begin Cotton seedlings emerge from to appear on the plant a month the soil within two weeks of to six weeks after planting. planting, depending on soil In the spring, North Carolina producers Cotton fields are inspected regularly during the The plant will continue bloom- temperature and moisture. prepare their land either by plowing or use growing season by “cotton scouts”, who are ing for six to eight weeks. conservation tillage for planting in late specially trained to identify and count harmful April and May. insects. Healthy, fast-growing seedlings are the Timely and technically correct applica- best defense against crop damage and tion of insecticides and biological controls poor yield, so producers must be aggres- is essential to preventing crop damage and sive in reducing environmental stresses profit loss. To reduce pesticide use and and managing crop growth to ensure cost, farmers are using integrated pest progress. management (IPM) practices on a limited basis. IPM coordinates the use of insecticides and the dispersal of beneficial insects to aid in suppress- ing unwanted insects. An average boll will Three-week-old squares pro- Prepare for Harvest contain nearly 500,000 duce early-morning blooms Open bolls are very vulnerable to fibers of cotton. that turn pink by evening. adverse weather conditions, and a The resulting fruit is the cot- timely harvest will maintain the ton boll. integrity of the fiber to ensure yield and profit. The use of harvest aids maintains lint quality, reduces trash Bolls open 50 to 70 days content, and expedites a once-over- after bloom. White, fluffy harvest. fibers are dried by the Seeding is done with mechanical planters, which cover as many as 6 to 8 rows at a time. sun. are defoliated to prepare for harvest. Crop Protection Fertilizers and crop protection prod- ucts, which help weeds and early season Cotton is considered a insects from damaging the newly develop- fruit because the boll ing plant, can be applied before, during, or contains seeds from after planting. Growers often cultivate or which the cotton fiber hand rouge their young crop to clean out insect damage can lower grows. weeds and grass between rows. yields by 25 – 85%. 10 North Carolina Cotton 11 Ginning, Classing and After the cotton is ginned, the lint cot- How Cotton is Harvested, Marketing Cotton ton bales are moved to a warehouse for Ginned & Marketed From the fields, seed cotton moves to storage until it is shipped to a textile mill nearby gins for separation of lint and seed. for use. The separated seed goes to an oil While harvesting is one of the final Seed Cotton Storage The cotton first goes through dryers to mill where the linters (downy fuzz) are steps in the production of a cotton crop, it reduce moisture content and then through removed, baled, and sold to the batting Once harvested, seed cotton must be and plastics industries, while the seed is is also one of the most important. It is removed from the harvester and stored cleaning equipment to remove foreign essential that cotton is harvested before matter. These operations facilitate pro- processed into cottonseed oil and meal or before it is delivered to the gin. In the used as whole seed as feed for cattle. weather and rain can damage or ruin its early 1970s, module builders came on cessing and improve fiber quality. quality and reduce yield. Cotton is then conveyed to gin stands, Samples are taken from each bale of the market, greatly improving storage lint cotton and classed according to fiber When enough bolls have opened natu- capabilities. where revolving circular saws pull the lint rally, defoliation aids are applied to the through closely-spaced ribs that prevent strength, length, length uniformity, This implement allows cotton to be color, non-fiber content and fineness. plant to help speed up the maturation dumped from the picker onto the ground the seed from passing through. After the Cotton provides process. By helping the leaves to dry and lint is removed by air blasts or rotating absorbency in towels, and hydraulically compressed to form a fall off, the cotton bolls open faster and brushes, it is then compressed into bales yet provides water module, a tightly pressed stack of cotton. the crop is ready to be harvested. weighing approximately 500 pounds. repellancy in tents. This module can be left in the field for An average bale is Since cotton was first grown in storage and later be hauled directly in a America, the crop was picked by hand. An 55” tall, 28” wide and module mover to the gin’s storage yard. 21” thick. The use of these builders allows the pick- ers to continue harvesting, unimpeded by ginning problems or delays.

Lint from cotton is compressed into 500-pound bales. Cotton is usually harvested in North Carolina from early October to mid-December.

experienced laborer could pick approxi- mately 450 pounds of seed cotton by hand per day. But, by the mid-1930s, mechani- cal cotton harvesters were being used Module builders make modules that hold 12 to widely across the Cotton Belt. 14 bales of cotton. One of the first mechan- ical harvesters, a one-row picker, could gather 8,000 pounds of seed cotton in one day. It replaced the out- put of more than 20 people. Today’s modern cotton harvesters can cover up to 6 to 8 rows at a time and can harvest up to 190,000 pounds of seed cotton a day. A gin typical can produce about 12 bales per hour, while some of Human evaluation is also used in the classing Large trucks move modules from the field to the gin. today’s “super” gins turn out as many as 60 bales per hour. process. Once classed, cotton is ready for sale. 12 North Carolina Cotton 13 How Cotton is Spun, Woven, Dyed, Cotton Fabric Uses Printed and Finished in Textile Mills Cotton is used for virtually every type of clothing from coats and jackets to foun- The manufacture of dation garments. Most of its apparel and fabrics and the usage, however, is for men’s and boy’s production of high quality clothing. Cotton supplies over 70% of this consumer and industrial market, with jeans, shirts, and underwear products involve some of comprising a large part of the market. the most complex tech- In home furnishings, cotton’s uses nologies used in com- range from bedspreads to window shades. merce today. Cotton is also popular in sheets and At the textile mill, the pillowcases where it holds over 60% of bales are opened by the market. machines, and the lint is Industrial products containing cotton mixed and cleaned several are as diverse as wall coverings, book A large, modern mill times before going to the bindings, and zipper tapes. The biggest can produce enough combing machine. The Cotton bales at textile mills are combined to form a uniform cotton users in this category, however, or thread in 30 blend of fibers. combing machine finishes are medical supplies, industrial thread, days to wrap around the job of cleaning and and tarpaulins. the earth 2,300 times straightening the fibers or go to and return and makes them into a soft, untwisted Qualities of Cotton from the moon 235 called a sliver. The twisted and times. Cotton not only has a variety of uses, pulled fibers reach a spinning frame, which but it can be made into medium and heavy gives them a last pull and twist. The fiber weight fabrics. It can be made smooth or leaves the spinning frame wound on bob- textured, Cotton’s versatility makes it bins as cotton yarn. comfortable in warm or cold weather. Modern looms, which work at great It’s durable and launders well. Cotton speeds, weave cotton yarns into fabrics. fabric breathes, making it very comfortable Back in 1880, the US The is sent to a to wear. Navy issued sailors an plant where it is bleached, pre-shrunk, elbow-and hip-length dyed, printed, and given a special finish under-shirt. Laid out before being made into clothing or prod- Cotton can also be found in a myriad of on a flat surface, it ucts for the home. household furnishings. formed a perfect “T”— High-speed carding, framing, combing, and hence the name—T- spinning machines make yarn. shirt.

Knitting machines may use more than 2,500 needles to produce a wide variety of fabrics Cotton supplies 100% of the and shapes. towel and washcloth industry

Cotton’s versatility makes it the prefered fabric for year-round use. Cotton is known for its natural comfort. 14 North Carolina Cotton 15 Cottonseed – Oil and Meal Partnerships for the Future of Cotton Have Valuable Uses, Too

Whole Cottonseed Dairy producers have found that whole cottonseed is a highly effective protein source in cattle feed. Those who use whole cottonseed have found it to be an excellent high-energy feed that also pro- vides a high level of fiber that can become important during times of dry weather and tight forage supplies.

In 1951, a progressive group of North and Consumer Services, and other industry Carolina cotton farmers came together to institutions and agencies in the state. form a cotton organization dedicated to Another important organization head- are only part of the cotton improving the welfare of cotton farmers in quartered in North Carolina is Cotton story. Although fiber is the most valuable the state. Chartered in 1954, the group Incorporated. Cotton growers from across product from a cotton field, the real news later became the North Carolina Cotton the state and the entire Cotton Belt have is that the cotton plant produces more Producers Association. Through a 70-cent invested millions of dollars over the years food for man and feed for animals than it per bale assessment, the group con- for Cotton Incorporated scientists and does fiber, making it a valuable food crop. tributes to the important work of the researchers to develop new uses and Cottonseed Meal Southern Cotton Growers Association and processes for cotton. The mission of Oil from Cottonseed the National Cotton Council of America. Cotton Incorporated, working with cotton Cottonseed meal is the second most Cotton Incorporated cre- Of the four primary products produced The NCCPA continues to help achieve producers and importers of American cot- ates cotton technology by cottonseed processing plants, oil is the valuable product of cottonseed, usually gains through research, efficiency in pro- ton, is to increase the demand for and accounting for about 1/3 of total product today…for worldwide use most valuable. On the average, it duction and marketing, quality improve- profitability of cotton through research and tomorrow. accounts for about 40 % of the total value value. It may be sold in the form of meal, ment, public relations, and legislative poli- promotion. of all four products. Cottonseed oil is used cake, flakes, or pellets. Cottonseed meal cies designed to keep the North Carolina To do so, Cotton Incorporated leaders almost entirely as a food for man. is used principally as a high-protein feed cotton industry strong and healthy. and staff share their unparalleled technical Depending on its stage of refinement, it for livestock. It does so, working with NC State expertise all over the world with mills and Peanut butter, pancake can be used in snack foods, mayonnaise, University, the NC Cooperative Extension manufacturers, promoting the purchase of mix, and corn and potato margarine, baking or frying oils, explo- Cottonseed Hulls Service, the NC Department of more U.S. cotton. In addition to influenc- chips all include cotton- sives, cosmetics, The hulls of cottonseed are used pri- ing the textile industry with new fabric seed oil. rubber, soap, insec- marily as feed for livestock. Hulls differ innovations, Cotton Incorporated also ticides and many from meal, in that they are a roughage works effectively to influence consumers other products. rather than a protein supplement. In feed- through retail promotions, advertising, and Foodstuff cotton- ing value, hulls are comparable to good media exposure. seed oil has superi- quality grass hay and can serve as a prac- or nutritive quali- tical, quality supplement to pastures. ties and is on the American Heart Linters Presidents of the NC Cotton Producers Association’s list of Cottonseed linters, the short fibers Assn. over the past 50+ years. “okay foods.” removed from seed in the first step in pro- Cottonseed oil cessing, are sometimes referred to as “the now ranks 3rd in fabulous fuzz.” Through mechanical or volume behind chemical conversion, they enter a wider soybean oil and variety of end use products than any of the corn oil. other products of cottonseed. ven after 8,000 years, cotton remains the most miraculous fiber under the sun. No other single fiber even comes close to duplicating all the desirable characteristics Ecombined in cotton. It’s a fiber of a thousand faces and almost as many uses— because cotton is noted for its versatility, its appearance, its performance and—above all—its natural comfort.