Cotton Material

COTTON MATERIAL

Cotton is the white, fibrous substance that grows off the seed of the cotton plant.  The fibers are composed mainly of cellulose because it is a plant fiber.  The postharvest process includes three stages.  The cotton first goes through blenders that removes trash by mixing and breaking the cotton into smaller pieces.  This process is called ginning.  Then the cotton is sucked through to beaters that knock out the dirt and break the cotton lumps into smaller pieces.  The cotton is then put though the spinning stage in which the fibers are straightened and then twisted into yarn.

Cotton has been used for over 7000 years and is the most widely used fiber in the world.  Cotton is usually classified by its species.  American Upland Cotton is the most used cotton species in the United States.  American Prima Cotton, another major cotton species in the United States, is a high-quality cotton because it has extra-long staple length.  Sea Island Cotton, possibly the best quality cotton in the world, was once grown in the United States, is now grown in small quantities in the West Indies.  Another species of high quality, long staple cotton is Egyptian Cotton. For common cleaning cotton products, shorter staple is being used or sometimes recycled material is added to improve its strength. These short staple fibers are commonly originating from India, Pakistan or China. 

Besides the fiber length, cotton is also classified by its color, and cleanliness, which all contribute to the cost of the fiber.  The most important is fiber length because the longer the staple length, the better the fiber properties, but adding a very low percentage of polyester dramatically improves the longevity of cotton, in particular with short fibers. This allows to maintain the soft touch and increase the total number of washes. The fiber color and cleanliness can be addressed in processing. 

                Even though cotton is known for being inexpensive and durable, it has poor elasticity and resiliency.  Cleaning with cotton pushes dirt and dust around.  At Eurow, we recommend using microfiber cleaning products to enhance your typical cleaning efforts, as well as improving the overall economics of your cleaning operations. Microfiber picks up and traps dirt and dust in its fine fibers to ensure a spotless finish.  Microfiber not only leaves a dust free, lint free, and streak free shine but also helps eliminate and reduce allergens from your home or car. The lower water and chemical  requirement benefits the environment and also improves your bottom line.