Cotton is still the most important textile fiber in the world despite market inroads made by synthetic fibers such as polyester. Research at the Southern Regional Research Center has made major contributions to cotton's retention of its market share. Fabrics from cotton are comfortable to wear and can be dyed a wide range of attractive colors.
Cotton plants are perennials grown as annuals in the southern half of the United States.
Each cotton fiber is an elongated cell, or seed hair, that grows from the seed in a closed seedpod called a boll. When the boll opens, these tubular fibers are exposed to air, lose moisture, and collapse to a flattened, twisted structure. The mature cotton fiber is actually a dead, hollow cell wall composed almost entirely of cellulose. The lengths of single cotton fibers vary, but are generally about one inch. It is important to understand the relationship between the structure of this unique natural fiber and its properties.