COTTON USA IS SOFT, SENSUAL AND NATURAL

NATURAL COTTON

Cotton is a natural fibre taken from the cotton plant

Cotton plants are annual or perennial plants of the genus cotton (gossypium) a close relative of the hollyhock family that has beautiful flower blooms. After the cotton flowers bloom, cotton bolls form, grow, ripen, burst open and white cotton fibres come out of the inside. When cotton bolls burst open all at once, it looks as if white flowers bloomed all over the cotton field.

Cotton grown in the United States

American cotton is grown in a wide area called the COTTON BELT that covers 17 states from North Carolina on the East Coast to California on the West Coast. The United States produces two main cotton varieties: Upland and Pima cotton. In 2008, it is estimated that cotton grown in the U.S. accounts for 12% of cotton produced in the world. At present, in the U.S., there are about 150 Upland cottonseed varieties and 10 Pima cotton varieties. The U.S. is the largest exporter of cottonseed, which is used for replanting, livestock feed, cooking oil and many industrial and consumer products.

U.S. cotton is excellent

As production of raw cotton is easily influenced by weather, production volume or quality changes every year. However, a stable supply of raw material both in terms of volume and quality is the most important to continue producing cotton products of quality in highly automated advanced spinning mills. In that respect, we can say that America is the only country that can supply cotton of stable quality in a stable manner.

U.S. cotton varieties

U.S. cotton is grown on 21,100 square miles of farmland, yielding diverse, top quality Upland and Pima cotton to fit any customer’s needs. Upland cotton is grown in the U.S. in four major geographic areas: the Southeast, Mid-South, Southwest and West. American Pima cotton, also called Extralong staple (ELS) cotton, is cultivated in the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and California. Upland cotton represents about 97% of total U.S. cotton production, while ELS cotton accounts for approximately 3%.

About 35% of the Upland crop is grown in the Southwest region, comprised of Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The Mid-South – which spans Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee – accounts for about 34% of the total Upland crop.

The Southeast growing area, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, averages about 22% of the total Upland production. The states of Arizona, California and New Mexico comprise the West region, which accounts for about 9% of total Upland production.

Average staple length by region (in thirty-seconds of an inch):

West 36.6
South West 36.0
Mid-South 34.7
South East 34.1

Due to the long, hot growing season, American Pima cotton has much longer and thinner fibres than Upland cotton. Supima is the trademark protected brand for U.S. grown Pima cotton, the world’s finest ELS cotton. Supima apparel and home fashion products are recognised by consumers around the world for their soft hand, superior drape and natural sheen.

Benefits of cotton

Speaking of functional characteristics of cotton, we think of “good texture”. Cotton gently covers the soft delicate skin of our newborn babies and goes with us through our entire life. Cotton‘s “skin loving touch” is another important characteristic. Cotton absorbs humidity inside and emits it to the outside, and plays a role of natural air-conditioner. And last but not least… cotton is easy to clean and durable. Surprisingly, cotton’s fibre strength improves by 10% to 15% when it is dipped into water.

And most of all: Consumers love cotton. Cotton Council International & Cotton Incorporated’s most recent Global Lifestyle Monitor™ shows that 64% of global consumers would pay more for clothes made of natural fibres such as cotton than for synthetic fibres such as polyester. More than half of the consumers surveyed worldwide believe that better quality clothes are made from 100% natural fibre. Furthermore, 56% would prefer to know the fibre content rather than the brand name of an item.