What is Carded Cotton?

Carded cotton is cotton which has been prepared for spinning into thread or yarn. Carding is an important step in the processing of many textiles, ensuring that debris is removed while aligning the fibers to make them easier to spin. Without carding, cotton thread would be coarse and extremely fragile.

Hand-carded cotton is prepared with the use of hand carders, which look sort of like the fine-toothed brushes used to smooth animal coats. Cotton is strung out across one brush, and then the other brush is gently run over the first, pulling the fibers into chunks which are aligned in the same direction, while also removing very short fibers, vegetable material, and other impurities which could have a negative impact on the thread or wool spun from the cotton.

When the carding process is finished, all of the cotton will have been transferred to the second brush, at which point it can be divided into clumps and spun. Depending on how the fiber is treated before spinning, it may turn into a sliver, a simple chunk of material, or a roving, a sliver which has been twisted for extra tensile strength. For extra-fine cotton, people may use a cotton comb to pull out additional short fibers after carding, ensuring that the cotton fibers are all the same length. Combed cotton is extremely soft and silky to the touch, and it tends to be more expensive, because a higher volume of cotton is removed during processing.

Industrially carded cotton is prepared on large spinning drums which are capable of processing high volumes of cotton at once. For rapid processing, cotton spinning machines are usually located close to the carding area, ensuring that minimal time is wasted transferring cotton products around a factory.

It is possible to buy loose carded cotton, for people who wish to spin cotton at home, and carded cotton is also used to make products like cotton balls. The advantage to using your own raw carded cotton is that crafters can control the dye lot, thickness, and strength of the resulting thread for their own projects.

What is Biopolished Cotton?

Biopolished cotton is a type of cotton that has been treated with enzymes, mostly cellulases. Cellulases are enzymes that digest or break down cellulose, the main fiber that is present in plants. As cotton is a plant, weaving it can create a hard and rough fabric that isn’t particularly comfortable. For a long time, some cotton has been treated with different chemicals in order to soften it.

In the late 20th century, Japanese scientists wanted to find a way to soften cotton without using potentially irritating chemicals. This is often called ecoprocessing. They developed the concept of using microbial cellulase enzymes to digest and break down some of the cotton, resulting in a very soft cotton called biopolished cotton — bio because of the use of live enzymes — that is now highly popular.

With the application of certain enzymes, biopolished cotton becomes softer. The enzymes are applied to the fabric under specific high temperatures and essentially break off the little cotton fibers that stick out over the surface of the fabric. Without a microscope, you might not even notice these fibers, but for people with sensitive skin, they can feel itchy, rough or irritating. Biopolished cotton is far less likely to produce pilling of the cotton when washed. You will usually find that biopolished cotton retains its shape better and lasts longer, looking newer, than does non-biopolished cotton.

Various countries patent several of the enzymes used in biopolished cotton. These include lixazyme, lixaprox, Bio-gloss, and a host of others. Since many of these techniques are patented, there is little information on the specific source of the enzymes.

While biopolished cotton was the first fabric to be treated with enzymes, many others have followed. Tencel® is given its soft feel through the process. Cotton blended with jute may also be biopolished. Manufacturers started treating wool with enzymes in 1995, resulting in softer, and often machine washable wools.

Biopolished cotton is only one example of the many enzyme treatments for different fabrics. There are now numerous ecoprocessing means for making fabric more malleable, brightening fabric, making it easier to dye, and for altering the appearance of fabric. Stonewashed denim is likely to be made of biopolished cotton rather than actually washing the fabric with stones, making the process much more efficient. Of course, you could look at stonewashing, when no chemicals were added as a form of ecoprocessing too.

Use of enzymes to treat fabric reflects current trends among manufacturers who want to find more natural means to make or improve products. Reducing debt to the environment by using natural and biodegradable substances is becoming quite common in a variety of industries. In regard to biopolished cotton, the use of ecoprocessing not only provides us with a less chemically treated garment, but also with some of the softest and longest lasting cotton garments currently available.

What are the Benefits of Cotton Clothing?

You may have heard that cotton clothing offers a lot of benefits over synthetic material. Have you ever wondered why and what those benefits are? According to the Cotton Council International, the benefits of cotton clothing are numerous, but the main one is the fact that cotton is hypoallergenic and dust-mite resistant, which means is the best choice of material for people who suffer from asthma or allergies, or those who have sensitive skin prone to irritation. Natural fabrics such as cotton clothing allow for better air circulation, which helps remove and absorb body moisture, drawing heat away from the skin and keeping the body cool and dry. Also, because cotton clothing breathes better, it's the best choice to keep you cool in hot, humid weather.

When it comes to production, cotton clothing is easy to dye and blend with other fibers such as Lycra. It's also versatile, and can be used for most types of clothing, from underwear to sweaters to household linens such as sheets and curtains. As for choosing a long-lasting fabric, cotton clothing comes in on top as well.

Cotton is the only fiber that becomes stronger when wet, and it's the preferred choice in hospitals, since it can endure high temperatures and be sterilized. Cotton clothing is the ideal wash-and-wear fabric. It is also the preferred choice for firefighter uniforms, since it can be coated with flame-retardant substances.

For people concerned with environmental issues, cotton clothing makes a lot of sense. Cotton is biodegradable and a renewable resource. During processing, less than 10 percent of it is lost or deemed non-usable. Organic cotton clothing is even better: no pesticides are used to grow it, which means less chemicals in the environment and less exposure for the people growing it. Buying organic cotton clothing in the United States also supports local industry, as the United States, with Turkey, is one of the top two producers of organic cotton in the world.

Not matter why you choose cotton clothing, the benefits are numerous. Cotton clothing is inexpensive, durable, and easy to care for. Cotton clothing is also versatile and you will be hard pressed to find options as handy as cotton.

What Are Cotton Balls?

A cotton ball is a ball of soft fiber that is primarily used for medical or cosmetic purposes, but can be used for other purposes such as arts and crafts or cleaning. They originate from the cotton plant, which is a shrub that is found in sub-tropical and tropical regions throughout the world. Cotton grows in bolls which are located around the seeds of the plants. Although the cotton can be used in its natural form, the fibers can be spun into other products such as bed sheets and clothing or refined and sterilized for everyday and medical uses.

Cotton balls have multiple uses in the medical field including cleaning out wounds with hydrogen peroxide or iodine, applying topical ointments such as salves and creams, and stopping blood after a shot is given. Surgical procedures also require their use for soaking up internal blood. Also, they are used to pad a wound before it is bandaged.

Using cotton balls for application and removal of cosmetics is another popular use. Foundations, bronzers, powders and blushes are sometimes applied with cotton balls. Nail polish is usually removed with nail polish remover that is soaked on a cotton ball. Because cosmetic cotton balls are sterile, they are a great tool for removing eye makeup with special remover, or applying skin care products such as astringents and toners. When people choose to use cotton balls on their faces, they avoid touching their skin with their fingers which can lead to unpleasant blemishes.

In addition to medical and cosmetic uses, cotton balls may be used for other non-traditional uses, such as cleaning. When cleaning small areas that are hard to reach, the flexibility of a cotton ball will allow reaching such areas as behind a faucet or any other place that a sponge won’t fit into. If a child has diaper rash, cotton balls are softer than a rag and are used to help wash the baby’s bottom area.

Cotton balls may also be used for a number of art and craft projects, such as a bunny’s tail, Santa’s beard, clouds, spider webs, fog and snow. Snowmen, lambs or sheep may also be made with cotton balls. Painting or ink stamping with a cotton ball will give an original stroke or print when trying to create the appearance of texture in an art project.

What is Mercerized Cotton?

Mercerized cotton is cotton which has been treated with sodium hydroxide to bring out certain properties first discovered by John Mercer in 1851. In 1890, Horace Lowe added an additional step to the process, and the British cotton industry began to take an interest in mercerized cotton, which is available today in a wide range of incarnations from thread to completed garments. When treated properly, mercerized cotton is stronger, smoother, and shinier than regular cotton. In addition, it takes dye more readily so that manufacturers can create rich color saturation in their cottons. The brilliant, lustrous hues of Mercerized cotton can be found in fabric stores, yarn shops, and department stores all over the world.

John Mercer discovered that immersing fibers such as cotton and linen in a caustic soda bath would increase their strength and also allow them to take dye more readily. He patented his fiber work, but the cotton industry did not express very much interest in it. It was Horace Lowe who popularized the process, by discovering that keeping the fibers under tension while they were soaked yielded a more lustrous thread. Mercer's name is presumably given to the process to recognize his important initial discovery, which paved the way to Lowe's refinement of the treatment.

Mercerization starts with gathering the cotton and spinning it normally. Because cottons with long fibers take better to mercerization, Pima, Egyptian, and Sea Island cotton are usually chosen for the process. The cotton thread is held under tension and submerged in a highly alkaline bath of sodium hydroxide in a percentage which ranges, but usually hovers around 22%. After treatment, the mercerized cotton is placed into an acidic bath to neutralize it. Once this process is complete, the cotton can be dyed and knitted, woven, or packed as stand-alone spools of thread.

The terms "pearl cotton" and "pearle cotton" are also used to refer to Mercerized cotton, because of the deeply lustrous appearance of the finished cotton thread. In addition to having rich color saturation and a shimmering appearance, mercerized cotton is also much stronger than conventional cotton thread. The process shrinks the cotton fibers, tightening and smoothing the grain of the thread. Because the cotton is preshrunk, mercerized cotton also tends not to shrink as much as regular cotton, so consumers can be more confident about the fit of mercerized garments.

What is Cotton Batiste?

Sewing is a useful skill to have, but picking out fabric for your projects can sometimes be a challenging task. With many different options available, it's often hard to know what the right choice is. However, cotton batiste is an excellent option for a variety of sewing projects.

Cotton batiste is lightweight, sheer, and delicate. The term batiste is a French word that refers to a fine quality cloth. This type of fabric is similar to cotton lawn, but it is a thicker fabric. Its appearance is best described as unassuming, yet elegant.

Cotton batiste has a graceful drape and is a fairly easy sheer fabric for beginners to work with. However, if you're not careful, it may catch on your sewing machine's foot.

Cotton batiste is commonly used to make women's lingerie, dressy blouses, and handkerchiefs. It's comfortable and versatile, appropriate for both a day at the office and an evening by the lake. Since it is a lightweight fabric, cotton batiste can be used as an underlining for dresses and nightgowns as well.

To accommodate sensitive skin, items made as gifts for a newborn baby are frequently made with cotton batiste. Receiving blankets, wraps, onesies, and Christening gowns are just some of the many projects that can incorporate this type of fabric.

People interested in heirloom sewing will find that cotton batiste is typically used in their projects. However, 100 percent Swiss cotton batiste is the preferred fabric type for this sewing specialty. Batiste blends made with polyester generally do not lay as flat.

Cotton batiste is easily found in white, black, and ivory at most craft and fabric stores, as well as from a number of online retailers. Specialty colors such as pastel pink, lemon yellow, baby blue, or seafoam green may be available in some locations. If you can't find the right color for your project, however, you can easily dye the fabric to fit your needs. Additionally, some cotton batiste may be mercerized to add luster and a light sheen to the finish.

To care for an item made from cotton batiste fabric, machine wash in a gentle or delicate cycle. Avoid using bleach. Tumble dry on a low setting. If necessary, you may press the fabric on the cotton setting with steam. Spray starch can be used to keep the fabric crisp, if desired.

What is the Cotton Gin?

The cotton gin is probably one of the most famous, and most impacting, inventions in American history, and its inventor, Eli Whitney, is a name known by most schoolchildren. It is a machine for sorting out cotton, removing the seeds and seedpods from the cotton fibers, automating a manpower-intensive task. The name is simply a shortening of the name cotton engine, and simply refers to the fact that it was a basic machine.

The early history of the cotton gin actual dates back thousands of years, to simple machines from as far back as the 1st century. These machines were simply rollers, based on similar machines used to grind grain. Although they did the job, they required a great deal of skill and control by the operator, making them ultimately little more effective than hand sorting. Improvements appeared sometime in the 12th century, in both China and India, and by the 16th century were being used fairly widely throughout the Mediterranean. Even this improved two-roller cotton gin was still not incredible efficient, however, and it wasn’t until the modern cotton gin that the automation of cotton separation became truly feasible.

In 1794 Eli Whitney was awarded a patent for his cotton gin, although historical evidence suggests that the original idea may indeed have been from a woman, Catherine Littlefield Greene, who for social reasons did not apply for the patent herself. Within a few years, improvements had been made to Whitney’s original design, and the cotton gin became a staple of American and English cotton processing. This invention allowed the cotton industry to boom like never before, changing the face of textiles and having ripple effects throughout the industrial world.

As the processing of cotton became easier, the price of cotton fabric plummeted, and demand skyrocketed. Clothing once made out of other materials began to be made out of cotton, and people from all classes were suddenly needing huge amounts of cotton. As a result, cotton plantations boomed throughout England and the American South, replacing other crops and leading to mass clearing of land to make space for huge cotton plantations.

These new cotton plantations created an increased demand for manpower, as well, leading to a boom in the slave trade. Enormous amounts of slaves were brought into the United States to work the fields to supply the cotton that the cotton gin had made such a sudden commodity. A great deal of the wealth of the American South in the Antebellum period can be directly traced to Whitney’s invention.

Whitney’s improved cotton gin was able to process around 50 pounds (23kg) of cotton lint a day, making it an enormous improvement over earlier methods. The machine itself was quite simple, with a large cylinder made of wood that had rows of spikes around it. These spikes grabbed on to the cotton lint and pulled it through a tight grid. The tines of this grid were spaced so closely together that the small sticky seeds found in cotton lint couldn’t pass through them, becoming caught, and allowing only clean cotton to make its way through.