COTTON INCORPORATED
By J.BERRYE WORSHAM, III

Since our formation in 1970, Cotton Incorporated has been the leader in the research and development of new, innovative cotton fabrics for the apparel and home products categories.

Under the direction of Eike Heymer, our director of fabric development and research implementation, Cotton Incorporated works directly with mills and manufacturers to best implement 100% cotton and cotton-rich fabrics into their fabric offerings.

FABRIC DEVELOPMENT
In fact, in 1997, more than $2.2 million of our total budget was earmarked for fabric development, and our team came up with more than 50 new cotton fabrics. Sample requests for these fabrics reached 15,000 worldwide.

Fabric development is crucial because perceived limitations of cotton characteristics can hamper our efforts in key apparel and home fabrics markets. Fabric Development works to demonstrate to the industry that cotton can adapt to a variety of looks and performance functions.

Moreover, many of these developments — made from U.S. cotton — provide inspiration to designers and engineers worldwide, who modify these fabrics to fit directly into their product lines.

The department not only develops many novel cotton looks, but also works with the industry to demonstrate how these fabrics can be produced with only minimal adjustments to current equipment.

The bottom line: the development of new cotton apparel and home fabric concepts generates significant increased consumption of U.S. cotton-among mills and manufacturers.

NEW IDEAS FOR APPAREL
This past month, as part of our ongoing effort to create new fabric ideas for the apparel market, Cotton Incorporated has developed five-groups of 100% cotton and cotton-rich woven fabrics. The collection of fabrics represent the culmination of a year's work.

These fabric developments come at a time when consumers' love of natural fibers continues to grow. Seven out of 10 people believe that garments made of natural fibers are of better quality, while 8 out of 10 people are willing to pay more for natural fibers, according to Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitor Research Department.

Among some of the woven apparel fabrics from Cotton Incorporated in 1998 are a group of novelty blended fabrics, a collection of light-weight shirtings and an offering of lightweight indigo products. An extensive denim collection, highlighting a variety of finishes, was also introduced.

One of the most ambitious projects undertaken last year by Cotton Incorporated was the creation of a comprehensive denim swatch book.

Comprised of 64 different finished denim fabrics ranging from mid- to-bottom weight, the fabrics are shown in four different finishes including desize wash, enzyme wash, enzyme and stonewash, and enzyme and bleach wash.

And, consumers are continuing their love affair with denim. In fact, almost all the Monitor respondents said they "enjoy wearing denim," and more than a third plan to purchase new denim clothing within the next six months.

These latest offerings of concept fabrics will give mills and manufacturers fresh design ideas and products their customers will want. •