Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Cotton




The cotton fiber grows in the seedpod, or boIl, of the cotton plant. Each fiber is a single elongated cell that is flat, twisted, and ribbon like with a wide inner hollow (lumen). It is composed of about 90 percent cellulose and about 6 percent moisture; the remainder consists of natural impurities. The outer surface of the fiber is covered with a protective wax like coating, which gives the fiber a somewhat adhesive quality.

These characteristics combined with its natural twist contribute to making cotton an excellent fiber for spinning into yarn. Cotton yarn is used to make fabrics that are universally used for all types of ap­parel, home furnishings, and industrial applications.