Cotton Production Process

Overview

• Cotton leaves the United States and is distributed globally.
• Key destinations include Colombia, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
• The transformation from plant to fabric involves minimal human intervention, mainly relying on machines.

Steps in Processing Cotton

1. Spinning Factories

   • Raw cotton is processed in spinning factories.
   • Cotton is:
     • Sucked Up: Collected and laid down in large sheets.
     • Straightened: Prepared for further processing.
     • Pulled into Ropes: Formed into long, feathery ropes, resembling an infinite ponytail.
     • Stretched and Twisted: The cotton is stretched and twisted, which is essential in the yarn-making process.
   • Final twisting transforms the cotton into yarn.
   • Yarn is then placed on big spools for the next steps.

2. Circular Knitting Machines

   • The yarn is fed into circular knitting machines.
   • Fabric is produced from the yarn.
   • The fabric undergoes additional processes:
     • Washing: Cleans the fabric.
     • Dyeing: Adds color to the fabric.
   • Result: Fabric for shirts, characterized as soft, comfortable, and a high-tech engineering marvel.