Cotton Incorporated
Cotton Incorporated

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        • Precision Agriculture Yield Variability Analyzer
        • South Plains Profitability
        • The Agricultural & Food Policy Center
      • Spotlight on Cotton Growers
        • Alternative and Low-Cost Sources of Lime and Fertilizer
        • Satellite Imagery Technology to Manage Variable Soil
        • Year-Round Expert Advice to Cotton Growers
        • Precision Input Cost Reduction
        • Innovative Water Sharing System
        • No-Till, Double-Cropping System Yields Costs Savings
        • Manage Heat with Innovation for Cotton Production
        • Soil Variability Lessons Learned
        • Using Gray Water in Cotton Production
      • Websites & Online Resources
        • Cotton Cultivated
        • Focus on Cotton
        • Regional Breeders Testing Network
        • Seed Matrix
        • COTMAN™ Crop Management System
      • Cotton Harvest Systems
        • Cotton Harvest System Videos
        • Seed Cotton Handling Storage
          • A Brief History of Cotton Modules
          • Case IH Half-Length Modules
          • Forming Covering Conventional Modules
          • John Deere Round Modules
          • Module Covers
          • Module Types
          • Proper Cutting of Plastic Wrap on Round Modules
          • References
          • Safety
          • What Is at Risk When Seed Cotton Is Stored
        • Stripper Harvesting
          • Background of Cotton Harvesting
          • Fiber Quality
          • In-Season Procedures
          • Preharvest Preparation
          • References
          • Safety Is Your Responsibility!
          • Stripper Harvester Preparation
        • The Spindle-Type Cotton Harvester
          • Appendix: Harvest Loss Calculations
          • Basic Safety Precautions
          • In-Season Procedures
          • Maximizing Harvester Capacity & Productivity
          • Preseason Procedures
          • Seed Cotton Handling Systems
          • Suggested Reading on Cotton Pickers
          • Introduction
      • Irrigation Management
        • Cotton Water Requirements
        • Initiating and Terminating Irrigation for the Season
        • Irrigation Scheduling Tools
        • Irrigation Systems Overview
        • Management Considerations for Irrigated Cotton
        • References and Additional Resources
        • Sensor-Based Scheduling
        • Water-Sensitivity of Cotton Growth Stages
        • Why Irrigate Cotton?
        • Why Schedule Irrigation?
    • Ag Research
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        • SeedMatrix.com
        • Rolling High Rye for Conservation of Tillage Cotton Success
      • Cottonseed
        • Cottonseed Market Prices
        • wholecottonseed.com
        • Whole Cottonseed a Super Feed for Dairy Cows
        • Cottonseed Press Releases
        • Cottonseed Storage
        • Cottonseed Goes With the Flow
        • EasiFlo™ Cottonseed Research
      • Engineering
        • ENSO and Cotton Yield Variability
        • Ginning Research
        • Precision Crop Management for Cotton
          • Other Precision Agriculture for Cotton Websites
          • Precision Cotton Technology Providers
        • Ultra Narrow Row Cotton Harvest to Textiles
          • Fiber and Textile Quality
          • Finger Stripper Harvesting Technology
          • Ginning Stripper Harvested Cotton
          • Marketing Stripper Harvested
          • UNRC Research and Production Experiences
      • Entomology
        • Caterpillar
        • Cotton Aphid
        • Plant Bugs
        • Spider Mites
        • Stink Bugs
        • Thrips
        • Whitefly
          • Management of White Fly Resistance to Key Insecticides in Arizona
          • Technical Advisory Committee of the Whitefly Q Biotype Task Force
      • Herbicide Stewardship
        • Herbicide-resistant Weeds Training Lessons
          • Current Status of Herbicide Resistance in Weeds
          • How Herbicides Work
          • Principles of Managing Herbicide Resistance
          • Scouting After a Herbicide Application and Confirming Herbicide Resistance
          • What Is Herbicide Resistance?
        • Take Action Against Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
      • Nematology
        • 2003 Breeding Cotton Nematode Resistance Meeting Presentations
        • 2005 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Nematodes Meeting Presentations
        • 2007 Genetics of Root Knot Nematode Resistance in Cotton Meeting Presentations
        • 2012 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Fusarium and Nematodes Meeting Presentations
      • Plant Pathology
        • Research Coordination Meeting on Target Spot Presentations
        • Review of the Bacterial Blight Research Program
      • Variety Improvement
        • Breeder Fiber Sample Information
          • Fiber Sample Packaging and Labeling
          • Packing Enclosure Form
          • Why Bad Samples are Bad
        • Cotton Breeders’ Tour Archives
        • Sample Project Summaries
        • State Variety Trial Data
      • Weed Management
        • Managing Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth
          • Introduction and Overview
          • List of Attendees
          • Palmer Roundtable Summary
          • Research Presentations
            • Colorado Molecular and Basic Research
            • Segregation and what it means in Palmer amaranth
          • Research Programs from Industry
            • Bayer CropScience
            • Monsanto
            • Syngenta
          • Update from States
            • Arkansas
            • Georgia
            • Louisiana
            • Mississippi
            • North Carolina
            • South Carolina
            • Summary Discussion
            • Tennessee
      • Meetings, Tours, and Presentations
        • 2019 Cotton Breeder’s Tour
        • Cotton Breeders’ Tours Presentations
        • Conservation Tillage Conferences
          • 2007 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2008 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2009 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2010 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2011 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2012 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2013 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2014 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2015 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
        • Cotton Biotechnology Workshops
        • Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2006 Presentations
          • 2008 Presentations
          • 2010 Presentations
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          • 2014 Presentations
        • International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI) Research Conference Presentations
      • Ag Research Staff Directory
      • Cotton Incorporated Fellows
        • Cotton Incorporated Fellowships (CIF)
      • State Support Program
        • State Support Program Bylaws
          • Alabama State Support Committee Bylaws
          • California State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Florida State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Georgia State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Louisiana State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Mississippi State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Missouri State Support Committee Bylaws
          • North Carolina State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Oklahoma State Support Committee Bylaws
          • South Carolina State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Tennessee State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Virginia State Cotton Support Committee Bylaws
        • State Support Program Guidelines
        • State Support Program Projects
    • Cotton Quality
      • Classification of Cotton
        • Acknowledgements
        • Classification of American Pima Cotton
        • Classification of Upland Cotton
        • Dissemination of Data
        • Maintaining Official Standards for Classification
        • Overview
        • Quality and Reliability of Classification Data
      • 2018/2019 U.S. Cotton Fiber Chart
        • Bale Sizes
        • Grades of U.S. Cotton
        • HVI® Color Chart
        • Properties of the Growing Regions
        • Ratings of Fiber Properties
      • Cotton Crop Quality
        • Weekly Cotton Crop Quality Report
        • Most Planted Cotton Varieties for 2019
        • Final Cotton Crop Quality Summary Reports
        • Cotton Properties Legend
        • Cotton Crop Quality Summary
      • Product Evaluation Lab
        • Independent Testing Laboratories
      • Cotton Standards Websites
      • EFS® System Software
        • MILLNet™ Software
        • USCROP™ Software
        • Cotton Communicator™ Software
      • EFS® System Technical Service
      • EFS® System Licensees
      • EFS® Licensee Yarn Benefits
      • EFS® Fiber/Yarn Sourcing Directory
  • Quality Products
    • Performance Technologies
      • NATURAL STRETCH Technology
        • NATURAL STRETCH Technology
        • NATURAL STRETCH Licensed Suppliers
      • PUREPRESS™ Technology
      • STORM COTTON™ Technology
        • STORM COTTON™ Technology
        • STORM COTTON™ Licensed Suppliers
      • STORM DENIM™ Technology
        • STORM DENIM™ Technology
        • STORM DENIM™ Licensed Suppliers
      • TOUGH COTTON™ Technology
        • TOUGH COTTON™ Technology
        • TOUGH COTTON™ Licensed Suppliers
      • TransDRY® Technology
        • TransDRY® Technology
        • TransDRY® Licensed Suppliers
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      • Why Cotton?
      • Marketing Resources
        • Aquatic Degradation
        • The Global Baby Care Market Present and Future Growth
        • Discover What Cotton Can DoTM
        • Incontinence Protection
        • Global Feminine Hygiene
        • Power of the Seal
        • Responsible Cotton Production
        • Trademark Licensing Program
      • Cotton Fiber Tech Guide
        • Agricultural Production
        • Cotton Morphology and Chemistry
        • Cotton Preparation
        • Cotton Properties
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    • Textile Resources
      • Technical Bulletins
      • Standard Fabric Defect Glossary
      • Textile Encyclopedia
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      • Textile Glossary
      • Engineered Cotton Knits Guidelines
      • Cotton Fiber Development and Processing
    • Fabric Inspiration
      • FABRICAST™ Fabric Collections
        • 2018 Part 1
        • Cotton Compilation I
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        • Creative Cotton I
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        • MMXVII Part 1
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        • Cotton Inspiration I
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    • History
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      • Seal of Cotton trademark
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      • Pass-Through Series Podcasts
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      • Educational Series Podcasts
  • Cotton Production
    • Ag Resources
      • Cotton Crop Market News
        • Cotton Market Weekly
        • Cotton Marketing Planner
        • Cottonseed Market Prices
      • Cotton Farming Decision Aids
        • 2019 Upland Cotton Loan Calculator
        • 2018 Upland Cotton Loan Calculator
        • 2018 ELS Cotton Loan Calculator
        • 2017 Upland Cotton Loan Calculator
        • 2017 ELS Cotton Loan Calculator
        • 2014 Farm Bill – Farm Program and Insurance Decision Aid
        • The Agricultural & Food Policy Center
        • Cotton Basis Tools
        • Cotton Harvest Cost Comparison Program/Decision Aid
        • Cotton Irrigation Decision Aid
        • Cotton Module Transport Calculator
        • Cotton Precision Agriculture Investment Decision Aid
        • Cropland Rental Tool (CROPRENT)
        • Precision Agriculture Yield Variability Analyzer
        • South Plains Profitability
      • Spotlight on Cotton Growers
        • Soil Variability Lessons Learned
        • Alternative and Low-Cost Sources of Lime and Fertilizer
        • Year-Round Expert Advice to Cotton Growers
        • No-Till, Double-Cropping System Yields Costs Savings
        • Precision Input Cost Reduction
        • Using Gray Water in Cotton Production
        • Manage Heat with Innovation for Cotton Production
        • Innovative Water Sharing System
        • Satellite Imagery Technology to Manage Variable Soil
      • Websites & Online Resources
        • COTMAN™ Crop Management System
        • Seed Matrix
        • Cotton LEADS™
        • Focus on Cotton
      • Cotton Harvest Systems
        • The Spindle-Type Cotton Harvester
          • Introduction
          • Maximizing Harvester Capacity & Productivity
          • Seed Cotton Handling Systems
          • Basic Safety Precautions
          • Preseason Procedures
          • In-Season Procedures
          • Appendix: Harvest Loss Calculations
          • Suggested Reading on Cotton Pickers
        • Stripper Harvesting
          • Background of Cotton Harvesting
          • Preharvest Preparation
          • Stripper Harvester Preparation
          • In-Season Procedures
          • Fiber Quality
          • Safety Is Your Responsibility!
          • References
        • Seed Cotton Handling Storage
          • A Brief History of Cotton Modules
          • Module Types
          • What Is at Risk When Seed Cotton Is Stored
          • Forming Covering Conventional Modules
          • Case IH Half-Length Modules
          • John Deere Round Modules
          • Proper Cutting of Plastic Wrap on Round Modules
          • Module Covers
          • Safety
          • References
        • Cotton Harvest System Videos
        • Cotton Module Traceability
      • Irrigation Management
        • Why Irrigate Cotton?
        • Why Schedule Irrigation?
        • Initiating and Terminating Irrigation for the Season
        • Cotton Water Requirements
        • Water-Sensitivity of Cotton Growth Stages
        • Sensor-Based Scheduling
        • Irrigation Scheduling Tools
        • Management Considerations for Irrigated Cotton
        • Irrigation Systems Overview
        • References and Additional Resources
    • Ag Research
      • Agricultural Economics
        • Farm Finance
        • Cotton Futures and Options
        • Crop Insurance
      • Agronomy
        • SeedMatrix.com
        • Rolling High Rye for Conservation of Tillage Cotton Success
        • Nitrogen Requirements of Contemporary Cotton Cultivars
        • Cotton Variety Performance & Selection
        • Bronze Wilt Cotton
        • Managing Nitrogen Fertilization In Cotton
        • Sticky Cotton Sources Solutions – A Cooperative Extension
        • Utility of Plant Growth Regulation in Cotton Production
      • Cottonseed
        • Cottonseed Market Prices
          • Cottonseed Market Prices Archives
        • wholecottonseed.com
        • Whole Cottonseed a Super Feed for Dairy Cows
        • Cottonseed Press Releases
        • Cottonseed Storage
        • Cottonseed Goes With the Flow
        • EasiFlo™ Cottonseed Research
      • Engineering
        • Ginning Research
        • Precision Crop Management for Cotton
          • Precision Cotton Technology Providers
          • Other Precision Agriculture for Cotton Websites
          • Cotton Yield Maps: Tools for increasing efficiency & profitability
          • Cotton Yield Monitors – The Entrance Exam & Final Exam
          • Sensor-Based Application of Cotton Inputs – Approaches for plant growth regulators, harvest aids, and nitrogen
        • Ultra Narrow Row Cotton Harvest to Textiles
          • UNRC Research and Production Experiences
          • Ginning Stripper Harvested Cotton
          • Marketing Stripper Harvested
          • Fiber and Textile Quality
          • Finger Stripper Harvesting Technology
        • ENSO and Cotton Yield Variability
      • Entomology
        • Cotton Aphid
        • Caterpillar
        • Plant Bugs
        • Spider Mites
        • Stink Bugs
        • Thrips
        • Whitefly
          • Management of White Fly Resistance to Key Insecticides in Arizona
          • Technical Advisory Committee of the Whitefly Q Biotype Task Force
          • Sticky Cotton Sources and Solutions – The University of Arizona, Cooperative Extension
          • Whitefly Management in Arizona Cotton 2006 – The University of Arizona, Cooperative Extension
      • Herbicide Stewardship
        • Herbicide-resistant Weeds Training Lessons
          • Current Status of Herbicide Resistance in Weeds
          • How Herbicides Work
          • What Is Herbicide Resistance?
          • Scouting After a Herbicide Application and Confirming Herbicide Resistance
          • Principles of Managing Herbicide Resistance
        • Take Action Against Herbicide-Resistant Weeds
        • Weed Resistance in Herbicide-Resistant Cultivars R.L. Nichols
        • Preparing for the Auxin Technologies R.L. Nichols
        • Auxin Technologies Meeting Report R.L. Nichols
        • The Stewardship of Herbicides R.L. Nichols
      • Nematology
        • 2012 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Fusarium and Nematodes Meeting Presentations
        • 2007 Genetics of Root Knot Nematode Resistance in Cotton Meeting Presentations
        • 2005 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Nematodes Meeting Presentations
        • 2003 Breeding Cotton Nematode Resistance Meeting Presentations
        • Accomplishments of a 10-Year Initiative to Develop Host Plant Resistance to Root-Knot and Reniform Nematodes in Cotton 2003 – 2013
        • Managing Nematodes in Cotton-Based Cropping Systems (December 2012)
        • 2009 Status of Site-Specific Nematicide Treatment
        • 2005 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Nematodes Meeting Report – June 9, 2005 Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee
        • 2003 Breeding Cotton for Resistance to Nematodes (Meeting Report)
        • 2006 Non-Transgenic Host Plant Resistance to Root-Knot and Reniform Nematodes in Cotton – R. L. Nichols, Cotton Incorporated
        • 2007 Report of the Research Coordination Meeting Genetics of Root-Knot Nematode Resistance in Cotton
      • Plant Pathology
        • Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus Research Review
        • Identification and Management of Fusarium Wilt Race 4
        • Exotic Polerovirus Infecting Cotton in the Southeast U. S.
        • Research Coordination Meeting on Target Spot Presentations
        • Review of the Bacterial Blight Research Program
        • Identification and Management of Bacterial Blight of Cotton
        • Diagnosis and Management of Foliar Diseases in the United States
        • Site-Specific Management of Cotton Root Rot Using Airborne and Satellite Imagery and Variable Rate Technology
        • Cotton Root Rot(Phymatotrichopsis Root Rot) and it’s Management
      • Variety Improvement
        • 2019 Cotton Breeder’s Tour
        • Cotton Breeders’ Tours Presentations
        • State Variety Trial Data
        • Breeder Fiber Sample Information
          • Fiber Sample Packaging and Labeling
          • Packing Enclosure Form
          • Why Bad Samples are Bad
        • Cotton Breeders’ Tour Archives
        • Sample Project Summaries
      • Weed Management
        • Managing Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth
          • Introduction and Overview
          • Update from States
            • Arkansas
            • Georgia
            • Louisiana
            • Mississippi
            • North Carolina
            • South Carolina
            • Tennessee
            • Summary Discussion
          • Research Presentations
            • Segregation and what it means in Palmer amaranth
            • Plant Population Genetics
            • Colorado Molecular and Basic Research
          • Research Programs from Industry
            • Syngenta
            • Bayer CropScience
            • Monsanto
          • Palmer Roundtable Summary
          • List of Attendees
        • 2016 Biology and Management of Herbicide-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Cotton in the United States
        • 2011 Pigweed Resistance: How Much? To What? And Where?
        • 2010 Impacts of Herbicide Resistant Weeds – Southern States
        • 2010 Meeting the Challenge of Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth in Conservation Tillage
        • 2009 Glyphosate Weed Resistance Update
        • 2009 Control Failures with Ryegrass
        • 2008 Glyphosate-Resistant Populations of Amaranthus palmeri in the United States
        • 2006 Managing Herbicide Resistance in Cotton Cropping Systems
      • Meetings, Tours, and Presentations
        • Conservation Tillage Conferences
          • 2015 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2014 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2013 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2012 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2011 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2010 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2009 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2008 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
          • 2007 Conservation Tillage Conference Proceedings
        • Cotton Biotechnology Workshops
        • Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2014 Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2012 Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2006 Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2010 Crop Management Seminar Presentations
          • 2008 Crop Management Seminar Presentations
        • International Cotton Genome Initiative (ICGI) Research Conference Presentations
      • Ag Research Staff Directory
      • Cotton Incorporated Fellows
        • Cotton Incorporated Fellowships (CIF)
      • State Support Program
        • State Support Program Bylaws
          • Alabama State Support Committee Bylaws
          • California State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Florida State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Georgia State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Louisiana State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Mississippi State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Missouri State Support Committee Bylaws
          • North Carolina State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Oklahoma State Support Committee Bylaws
          • South Carolina State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Tennessee State Support Committee Bylaws
          • Virginia State Cotton Support Committee Bylaws
        • State Support Program Guidelines
        • State Support Program Projects
    • Cotton Quality
      • Classification of Cotton
        • Overview
        • Maintaining Official Standards for Classification
        • Classification of Upland Cotton
        • Classification of American Pima Cotton
        • Quality and Reliability of Classification Data
        • Dissemination of Data
        • Acknowledgements
      • 2018/2019 U.S. Cotton Fiber Chart
        • Properties of the Growing Regions
        • Grades of U.S. Cotton
        • Ratings of Fiber Properties
        • Bale Sizes
        • HVI® Color Chart
      • Cotton Crop Quality
        • Weekly Cotton Crop Quality Report
        • Most Planted Cotton Varieties for 2019
        • Final Cotton Crop Quality Summary Reports
        • Cotton Properties Legend
        • Cotton Crop Quality Summary
      • Product Evaluation Lab
        • Independent Testing Laboratories
      • Cotton Standards Websites
      • EFS® Software
        • MILLNet™ Software
          • MILLNet™ Software Video
        • USCROP™ Software
        • Cotton Communicator™ Software
      • EFS® System Technical Service
      • EFS® Licensee Yarn Benefits
      • EFS® System Licensees
      • EFS® Fiber/Yarn Sourcing Directory
  • Quality Products
    • Textile Research
      • Dyeing Research
      • Fiber Processing
      • Finishing Research
      • Product Development
      • Technical Services & Implementation
      • Product Integrity
    • Nonwovens
      • Why Cotton?
      • Marketing Resources
        • Aquatic Degradation
        • The Global Baby Care Market Present and Future Growth
        • Trademark Licensing Program
        • Power of the Seal
        • Incontinence Protection
        • Global Feminine Hygiene
        • Responsible Cotton Production
        • Discover What Cotton Can DoTM
      • Cotton Fiber Tech Guide
        • Agricultural Production
        • Cotton Properties
        • Cotton Preparation
        • Cotton Morphology and Chemistry
      • Nonwovens Sourcing
    • Performance Technologies
      • NATURAL STRETCH Technology
        • NATURAL STRETCH Technology
        • NATURAL STRETCH Licensed Suppliers
      • PUREPRESS™ Technology
      • STORM COTTON™ Technology
        • STORM COTTON™ Technology
        • STORM COTTON™ Licensed Suppliers
      • STORM DENIM™ Technology
        • STORM DENIM™ Technology
        • STORM DENIM™ Licensed Suppliers
      • TOUGH COTTON™ Technology
        • TOUGH COTTON™ Technology
        • TOUGH COTTON™ Licensed Suppliers
      • TransDRY® Technology
        • TransDRY® Technology
        • TransDRY® Licensed Suppliers
      • WICKING WINDOWS™ Technology
        • WICKING WINDOWS™ Technology
        • WICKING WINDOWS™ Licensed Suppliers
      • Technology Suppliers
    • Fabric Inspiration
      • FABRICAST™ Fabric Collections
        • FABRICAST™ 2019
        • 2018 Part 2
        • 2018 Part 1
        • MMXVII Part 2
        • MMXVII Part 1
        • Creative Cotton II
        • Creative Cotton I
        • Cotton Compilation II
        • Cotton Compilation I
        • Cotton Innovations II
        • Cotton Innovations I
        • Natural Concepts II
        • Natural Concepts I
        • Cotton Inspiration II
        • Cotton Inspiration I
        • Natural Innovations
      • Performance Knitwear
      • Cotton Durability
    • Textile Resources
      • Technical Bulletins
      • Standard Fabric Defect Glossary
      • Textile Encyclopedia
      • Textile Glossary
      • Fabric Defects Classification
      • Engineered Cotton Knits Guidelines
      • Cotton Fiber Development and Processing
    • Textile Sourcing
      • Cut and Sew
      • Dyers
      • Dye and Wash
      • Finishers
      • Knitters
      • Printers
      • Spinners
      • Weavers
      • Textile Associations and Resources
  • Consumer Marketing
    • Advertising & Digital Content
    • Retail Partnerships
      • Retail Partnerships Contact Form
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Cotton Preparation

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Cotton Preparation

Quality Products › Nonwovens › Cotton Fiber Tech Guide › Cotton Preparation

Cotton Preparation

Raw Cotton

Raw Cotton - Cotton Preparation

Raw cotton (gin output) contains cotton fiber along with small plant parts and field trash that are not removed by the ginning process. At this stage, the cotton fiber has a coating of oils and waxes that make it hydrophobic. Raw fiber is suitable for making nonwovens to be used in industrial products in which absorbency and aesthetics are not important. In some cases, nonwoven fabrics made with raw fiber can be wet processed in the same manner as woven and knitted fabrics.

Scouring and Bleaching

For nonwovens in which absorbency, whiteness and purity are desired, cotton must be scoured and bleached. Two techniques of commercial scouring and bleaching are kier (vat) and continuous (line) processes. Both processes achieve the same results by the same chemical interactions but with different mechanical handling. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the sequential operations involved in virgin cotton bleaching for nonwoven applications.

Figure 2 The cotton scouring and bleaching process

The cotton scouring and bleaching process

In order to reduce the number of steps and there by using a more environmentally sustainable process, steps 2 (Alkali Scouring Application, 3 (Alkali Reaction Stage), 5 (Bleach Application), and 6 (Bleach Reaction Stage) could be combined using a continuous scouring and bleaching process. In addition, when using mechanically cleaned virgin fiber (virgin fiber that has gone through an additional mechanical cleaning process), Step 4 (Rinsing) could be eliminated, thereby saving water and energy. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the sequential operations involved in continuous scour and bleaching of mechanically cleaned virgin cotton.  

Figure 3 The Mechanically Cleaned Cotton Continuous Scouring and Bleaching Process

cleanedcottonscouring - Cotton Preparation

Photo courtesy of Barnhardt Natural Fibers Group - http://www.barnhardtcotton.net/

Scouring is accomplished by saturating the cotton fiber with a caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) solution. This alkali solution is allowed to remain on the fiber at elevated temperatures to speed chemical reactions. During this time, the natural oils and waxes are saponified (converted into soaps), the plant matter is softened, and pectins and other noncellulosic materials are suspended, so that they can be washed away. After a predetermined amount of time to allow for complete scouring, the alkali, saponified waxes, and suspended materials are rinsed away with water.

At this point, a bleaching solution is applied to the fiber. A stabilized oxidizing agent, hydrogen peroxide or sodium hypochlorite, is used in the bleaching liquor to whiten the fiber by destroying natural coloring matter. In the United States, hydrogen peroxide is most widely used for bleaching raw cotton in fiber form. The bleaching solution is allowed to remain on the fiber at elevated temperatures for a predetermined amount of time to allow for proper removal of the color bodies, then rinsed away. Cotton bleached with hydrogen peroxide contains no dioxins, because neither lignin nor chlorine is present.

After scouring and bleaching, all impurities have been removed, and the cotton fiber is in the form of pure cellulose. If the process is done properly, the fiber will meet the requirements for U.S. Pharmacopoeia purified cotton (shown in Table 2 ).

Table 2 U.S. Pharmacopoeia requirements for purified cotton
Test Specifications
Absorbency: sinking time 10 sec.
Water retention: from sinking test 24 x original weight
Ash residue 0.2%
Water extract 0.35%
Ether extract 0.70%

Opening and Cleaning: Continuous and Kier Bleached Cotton

Most of the bleached cotton fiber produced in the United States is processed in large kiers designed to handle several hundred pounds of fiber at once, under high temperature and pressure. Before bleaching, cotton is opened and is generally cleaned to remove non-lint content (trash and dust particles and plant contaminants). The remaining non-lint content should then consist of very small particles that are easily bleached. After bleaching, the wet fiber goes through a moisture extraction operation, and the resulting wet cake is deposited on a spiked apron for opening, followed by drying. The dried fiber then typically passes through some type of opening equipment en route to the bale press.

Table 3 Properties of bleached cotton fiber
Property Average or range
Length
Commodity staple 0.75-1.25 in.
Gin motes 0.5-0.75 in.
Comber noils < 0.5 in.
First-cut linters 0.25-0.5 in.
Second-cut linters < 0.25 in.
Fiber diameter
Micronaire 2.0-6.5
Denier 0.7-2.3
Elastic recovery
At 2% extension 74%
At 5% extension 45%
Breaking elongation (dry) 3%-9.5%
Tensile strength
Dry 27-45 g/tex; 3.0 – 4.9 g/denier
Wet 30-54 g/tex; 3.3 – 6.4 g/denier
Moisture regain (standard conditions) 7%
Water absorbing capacity (USP method) 24 g of water per gram of fiber
Specific gravity
Cellulose polymer 1.54 g/cm3
Cotton fiber 1.54 g/cm3
Degree of polymerization 9,000 – 15,000 units
Crystallinity (X-ray diffraction) 73%
Color (Hunter colorimeter)
Whiteness index 90-100
Blue reflectance 75-85
Thermal resistance
Long exposure > 300°F, dry gradual decomposition
> 475°F rapid deterioration
Acid resistance
Hot, dilute acids disintegrated
Cold, concentrated acids disintegrated
Cold, weak acids unaffected
Alkali resistance
NaOH > 18% swelling, but no damage
Organic solvent resistance (most common industrial and household solvents) resistant
Web formation dry lay (carding, garnetting), air lay
Bonding mechanisms needlepunching
hydroentanglement
stitchbonding
chemical bonding
thermal bonding (when blended with thermoplastic fibers)
General properties: absorbent, breathable, high wet modulus (stronger when wet), biodegradable, excellent wicking, wipe-dry performance, sterilizable by all industrial methods, low static potential, printable, dyeable, chemically modifiable, renewable resource
Potential applications: wipes, cover stock, filters, personal hygiene products, interlinings, insulation, absorptive media, high-loft products, composites, disposable garments, medical/surgical components, home furnishings

Bleached cotton finds a wide range of end uses, such as medical and cosmetic swabs and in feminine hygiene products. For such products, unopened fiber clumps and tangles are not so detrimental. However, for bleached cotton going into more critical and demanding items made from lightweight roll goods, such as cover stock and spunlace webs, more uniform fiber openness is essential before web forming, and special opening equipment is required.

Proper opening and cleaning is inherently more difficult with kier-bleached cotton than with virgin, raw cotton because of the fiber entanglement that occurs during the wet processing and the high fiber-to-fiber friction caused by removal of the natural waxes and pectins. Although the bleached cotton may be treated with a lubricant and antistatic agents to improve processability, it still requires special opening and cleaning techniques if it is to be acceptable for use in critical nonwoven roll goods.

The effectiveness of fiber opening at this stage varies with the following factors:
  • Cotton fiber type (e.g., staple, comber noil, linter)
  • Fiber finish
  • Opening equipment design and condition

Continued efforts by Cotton Incorporated to improve cotton opening and cleaning led to the development of an advanced fiber opening and cleaning technology. This four-roll opener and cleaner, named the COTTONMASTER®, initially was built by John D. Hollingsworth on Wheels, Inc., using Cotton Incorporated’s design.

Presently, Truetzschler GmbH uses similar technology in its Cleanomat Four Roller Cleaner, which is equipped with one fully spiked roll and three saw-tooth rolls of different densities. The precise graduation of the clothing density (points per unit area), together with the progressive peripheral speeds of the four rolls, ensures that a high degree of opening and cleaning is maintained as fibers are transferred from roll to roll. The Cleanomat also controls the feed batt density with a batt thickness measuring device, to ensure a consistently even and well-formed batt. The high-performance Cleanomat Four Roller Cleaner (shown in Figure 4 ) is ideally suited for opening and cleaning raw cotton before the bleaching process for any application that requires highly cleaned and well-opened fiber.

Figure 4 The Cleanomat CXL4, for high-performance cleaning and opening

TheCleanomatCXL4 - Cotton Preparation

Fiber Finishing and Testing

When considering bleached cotton fiber as a stock material for nonwoven webs, it is essential to select the proper fiber finish. Because bleaching removes the natural finish, bleached cotton has high fiber-to-fiber friction. A lubricant and antistatic agent must be added to the fiber to allow it to be processed through the high-production web-forming equipment commonly used for nonwovens.

Over the years, such finishes as soap, glycerin and Tween (ethoxylated sorbitan esters) products have been used, with limited success. Cotton Incorporated discovered the value of butoxyethyl stearate (BES), which is now the fiber finish of choice. This chemical finish provides satisfactory lubricity without interfering with absorbency, and it has good acceptability from a toxicity standpoint, which is a more important concern than improved physical properties. A recommended fiber finish system for most bleached cotton includes BES and sodium acetate at add-on levels of 1.0% on weight of fiber (OWF) each. Addition of the salt provides antistatic benefits during mechanical processing, as shown by the trial results given in Table 4.

Table 4 Carding performance of bleached cotton
BES Finish
(% OWF)
Sodium Acetate
(% OWF)
Fiber-to-Fiber
Friction (g)
Electrostatic
Resistivity
Carding
Experience
0 0 2140 11.85 would not card at 33 lb/h
2 0 1790 11.77 would not card at 33 lb/h
2 1 1890 9.96 would card at 105 lb/h

Cotton Incorporated has performed extensive fiber finish evaluations on various bleaching practices and has found the most useful test, with the exception of carding, to be a sled test from Imperial Chemical Industries PLC.1 The apparatus used in this test is shown in Figure 4.

Following is an example of the test procedure:
  • To prepare the fiber sample for testing, 450 grams of fiber were carded through a Shirley card, and the web was collected by layering on a turning cylinder. To ensure sample uniformity, the web was removed from the cylinder and carded a second time.
  • The card web was pulled apart and removed from the cylinder. Test specimens were cut four inches square from a single web thickness, and individual specimens were placed on the apparatus for testing.
  • The sled was placed on the fiber sample, and a 2-kg weight was placed on the sled. The sled was connected to the load cell with a small-diameter flexible cable.
  • The rate of pull by the tensile tester was 25 mm/min, and the force was recorded on a chart. When the chart reached a steady level, the friction force value was recorded in grams.

The method is based on ANSI/ASTM D 1894-78, Standard Test Method for Static and Kinetic Coefficients of Friction of Plastic Film and Sheeting.

Figure 5 Sled test apparatus for fiber finish evaluation

SledTestApparatus - Cotton Preparation

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