The Cotton Story

How cotton grows?
Cotton grows best on fertile, well drained soils. There are many species of cotton, but the most popular ones grown in USA are Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) followed by Pima Cotton (Gossypium barbadense). In Southeast Asia, the Asiatic Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum and Gossypium arboreum) is grown in some regions. Today, USA produces approximately 18 million bales of cotton annually from 11 million acres planted. The largest cotton producing states are Texas, Mississippi, and Georgia. Arizona and California are well-known for their Pima cotton, which is a finer, more expensive cotton fiber with greater staple length.

Cotton is planted in spring when temperatures are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds germinate in 7-10 days. The bud, also known as a "square," appears about five to seven weeks after planting which forms flowers. The creamy-white blossoms become pollinated, turn light pink and then wither producing green bolls. The green bolls mature into cotton bolls with the white fluffy fibers. Plants are irrigated, fertilized and weeded, as needed, during the growing cycle.

Cotton is defoliated a process in which the leaves are removed and then cotton harvested and compressed into truckload sized "modules" and sent to cotton gins. The gin separates the cotton fibers from the seeds. Saw gin is mainly used to process Upland cotton and roller gin is used for Pima cotton. Gins separate the seed from the cotton; while the lint is packed into 500 lb bales and sent out to textile mills to make yarn. A standard bale of cotton is 55" tall, 28" wide and 21" thick. The cotton is carded or combed, making all of the fibers run parallel, and then spun into thread. The cottonseed at the gin is used as animal feed or garden fertilizer. The oil extracted from cottonseed is used in firearm and pharmaceutical industries.