How is cotton processed? Cotton is one of our most ancient textiles. Only recently, though, has cotton processing become mechanized.

First the cotton is harvested from the fields. The cotton seeds and fibers are put into a machine called a cotton gin. The cotton gin separates out the cotton fibers from the seedpods and seeds.

The fiber then goes to a cotton mill to be turned into cloth. The by-products are also used. The cotton seeds and pods are turned into feed for cattle or made into cottonseed oil. Left over lint is also used in paper.

At the cotton mill the raw cotton fiber is a light brownish color. To make it white, is is usually bleached using hydrogen peroxide. This powerful bleach then needs to be removed from the cotton fibers. This is to prevent it from reacting with any dyes that are used after to color the cotton.

The bleach is usually rinsed out of the cotton with water. As a rule of thumb, 40 liters of water per kg of fabric is used. This is a water intensive process. New methods bleach removal that are more economical with water have been developed. However, the industry is very large, and it may take some time before these methods are used in the mainstream.

The cotton fiber is spun and woven into fabric. Cotton can be turned into many types of fabric using pre-shrinking, printing, dying weaving and mixing techniqes.

Cotton is the biggest fiber crop in the world. It produces around half of the world's fiber needs. It is produced in more than 60 countries around the world. The biggest producers are the USA, China, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkey.

It is an important source of income for millions of small farmers. Cotton production is also a major player in the national economies of many developing countries.

The global cotton-growing area has not changed much in size since the 1930s. However the average cotton yields have tripled. This increase has been possible because of several changes in the way cotton is grown.

Farmers are using genetically modified cotton to produce more insect resistant crops. However cotton is vulnerable to insects. So large quantities of insecticides are still used to grow cotton. To get a perspective cotton accounts for about 25% of the global insecticides. By value cotton also makes up 10% of the world's pesticide market.

Organic agriculture prohibits the use of toxic and persistent chemical pesticides and fertilizers, as well as genetically modified organisms. It seeks to build biologically diverse agricultural systems, replenish and maintain soil fertility, and promote a healthy environment.