Types of cotton
First, let’s learn about the various types of cotton. According to the cultivated species of cotton and the length and thickness of the fiber, it can be classified into three major strains:
Coarse velvet Cotton (eliminated cotton)
Also called Asian cotton, it refers to cotton varieties of medium cotton and straw cotton. The fiber is thick, short and elastic. This type of cotton fiber has been basically eliminated in China due to its short length, thick and hard fiber, white or dull white color, little mercerization, low use value and unit output, and there is no product cotton production in the world.
Fine-staple cotton (the most common cotton)
Also called upland cotton, refers to the land The cotton fibers of various cotton varieties have medium fineness and length, are white or milky in color, have mercerization, and can prevent spun yarns of 11~100tex (60~6 inches). Fine-staple cotton accounts for 85% of the world’s total cotton production and is currently the most important cultivated cotton species in my country.
Velvet cotton (the highest grade cotton)
Also called Sea Island cotton, it refers to various varieties of Sea Island cotton and sea and land hybrids Cotton has long fibers, is thin and soft, is milky white or light yellow in color, rich in mercerization, and of high quality. It is the raw material for the production of cotton yarns below 10tex. The countries currently producing long-staple cotton mainly include Egypt, Sudan, the United States, Morocco, and Central Asian countries. The main production bases of long-staple cotton in my country are in Xinjiang and other regions. Long-staple cotton can be divided into extra-long-staple cotton and medium-long-staple cotton.
Key factors affecting cotton quality
Due to cotton varieties, growing environment, planting and harvesting methods There are also considerable differences in the fiber characteristics and prices of the cotton produced. Among them, the most critical factors affecting the quality are the fiber length of the cotton and the harvesting method.
Long fiber cotton vs. short fiber cotton
When you think of cotton, everyone will think of it. The white fibrous spherical flowers growing on the branches in the cotton fields immediately appeared. This flower-like white structure is called “cotton boll”. It is actually the fruit of the cotton tree. After the cotton flowers are pollinated and produce cotton seeds, The fluff on the cotton seeds grows from the skin of the cotton seeds, gradually fills the inside of the fruit, and finally breaks the skin of the fruit.
Cotton, as it is generally known, is the state formed after cotton blossoms, bears fruit, and finally the fibers growing on the cotton seeds burst the fruit shell.
Cotton fibers grown on cotton seeds can be divided into super long fiber cotton of 2.5 to 6.5 mm, long fiber cotton of 1.3 to 3.3 mm, and short fiber cotton of 1 to 2.5 mm. Fiber cotton.
Generally speaking, the longer the fiber of cotton, the less exposed fiber heads of the spun yarn, so the fabric produced is softer and thinner, and is suitable for making high-end products. Clothing, close-fitting bed sets, towels, etc. Short-fiber cotton is relatively rough because the spun threads have more exposed fiber ends, so it is often made into wear-resistant and washable daily clothing, such as denim clothing.
Hand-picked cotton vs. machine-harvested cotton
In addition to the fiber length of cotton, the harvesting method also affects the quality of cotton. High-end cotton products are almost all made from hand-picked cotton. This is not only because hand-harvested cotton can completely preserve the fiber of cotton, but also because cotton fruits mature from the lower end of the plant. Hand-picking can harvest the lower part of the plant first. For cotton, harvest the top cotton again after one or two months instead of pulling up the cotton like machine harvesting. Not only will this easily damage the fiber, but the oil and dust inside the machine may also cause the fiber to be contaminated.
Hand-picked cotton must be grasped at the bottom of the cotton boll with five fingers to minimize damage to the fibers.
The machine harvesting process will mix impurities such as dead branches and sand into the cotton, which will cause greater damage to the fiber.
When we buy bedding, we often see merchants introduce that ours is Xinjiang cotton or Egyptian long-staple cotton. In the past two years, they have vigorously promoted Pima cotton; so much so that we can’t even get it. Too clear. Let’s take a look at the differences between these three types of cotton.
Xinjiang cotton, Egyptian cotton, and Pima cotton are actually representatives of three regions. Why are the cotton from these three places so famous? Mainly because of climate issues; the quality of cotton has a great relationship with climate, such as length, fineness, micronaire, etc.
Xinjiang cotton
Xinjiang cotton is mainly divided into fine-staple cotton and long-staple cotton. The difference between the two is fineness and length. ; The length and fineness of long-staple cotton are definitely better than fine-staple cotton. Due to the weather and concentrated production areas, Xinjiang cotton has the best color, length, foreign fibers, and strength compared with cotton from other domestic production areas.
So the fabrics woven with Xinjiang cotton yarn have good moisture absorption and breathability, good gloss, higher strength, and fewer yarn defects, which is also the purpose of the purpose.It is the former representative of the quality of domestic pure cotton fabrics; at the same time, Xinjiang cotton is used to make cotton quilts. The fiber has good fluffiness, so the quilt has good warmth retention properties.
Xinjiang’s unique natural conditions, alkaline soil, sufficient sunshine, and long growth time have led to more outstanding performance of Xinjiang cotton. Xinjiang cotton has soft texture, comfortable hand feel, good water absorption, and its quality is much better than other cotton.
Xinjiang cotton is produced in southern and northern Xinjiang. Aksu is the main producing area and a high-quality cotton production base. At present, it has become a distribution center for Xinjiang cotton trading and a gathering place for the light textile industry. Xinjiang cotton, with its white color and strong tensile strength, is the most potential new cotton area. Xinjiang is rich in water and soil resources and has an arid climate with little rainfall. It is the main cotton producing area in Xinjiang, accounting for 80% of the output of Xinjiang cotton areas. It is the production base of long-staple cotton. It has sufficient light conditions and water source conditions, and abundant water sources are formed after the snow melts. Irrigation for cotton.
What exactly is long-staple cotton? What is the difference between it and ordinary cotton? Long-staple cotton refers to cotton with fiber length greater than 33mm compared to fine-staple cotton. Long-staple cotton, also known as island cotton, is a cultivated cotton species. The growth cycle of long-staple cotton is long and requires a lot of heat. The growth period of long-staple cotton is generally 10-15 days longer than that of upland cotton.
Egyptian cotton
Egyptian cotton is also divided into fine-staple cotton and long-staple cotton. Generally, we talk about long-staple cotton. , Egyptian cotton is divided into many production areas, among which the long-staple cotton in Giza 45 production area has the best quality and the output is also very small. The fiber length, fineness and maturity of Egyptian long-staple cotton are better than those of Xinjiang cotton.
Egyptian long-staple cotton is generally used to produce high-end fabrics, mainly spinning fabrics with a count of more than 80. The fabrics woven have a luster like silk. Because the fibers are long and have good cohesion, they are also very strong. , the moisture regain is high, so the dyeing performance is also wrong. The general price is around 1,000-2,000.
Egyptian cotton is the symbol of the highest quality in the cotton industry. Together with West Indian WISIC cotton and Indian SUVIN cotton, it can be regarded as the best cotton variety in the world. West Indian WISIC cotton and Indian SUVIN cotton are now absolutely rare, accounting for only 0.00004% of the world’s cotton production. Their fabrics are all royal tribute grade and are ridiculously expensive. They are not currently used in bedding. The yield of Egyptian cotton is relatively slightly higher, and its fabric quality is not significantly different from the above two cottons. Almost all of the highest quality bedding on the market today is made of Egyptian cotton.
Ordinary cotton is harvested by machine, and is subsequently bleached using chemical reagents. The strength of the cotton will weaken and the internal structure will be damaged, causing it to become harder and glossier as it is washed later. The degree is not good.
Egyptian cotton is all picked and carded by hand in order to visually distinguish the quality of the cotton, avoid damage from mechanical harvesting, and obtain thin and long cotton fibers. It has good cleanliness, no pollution, does not add any chemical reagents, has zero harmful substances, the structure of the cotton is not destroyed, and it will not become hard after being washed many times, and it will remain as soft as ever.
The biggest advantage of Egyptian cotton is its fine fibers and high strength. Therefore, with the same count of yarn, Egyptian cotton can spin more fibers than ordinary cotton, and the strength of the yarn is High, good resilience and stronger toughness.
Smooth as silk, with good uniformity and high strength, so the yarn woven from Egyptian cotton is very thin. Basically, the yarn can be used directly without plying. After mercerization, the fabric will be as smooth as silk.
The growth cycle of Egyptian cotton is 10~15 days longer than that of ordinary cotton. It has long sunshine time, high maturity, long lint, good feel and high quality. Far better than ordinary cotton.
Pima cotton
Pima cotton is a type of cotton that has been very popular in the past two years. It is also long-staple. Cotton series, mainly produced in the United States and Peru, has longer fibers, so the fabric is softer and has a better drape. However, cotton length is only one aspect of quality, so overall Egyptian long-staple cotton is superior.
Compared with ordinary cotton:
SUPIMA(match Comparison of fiber gloss between horse cotton) and ordinary cotton
Comparison of fiber length between SUPIMA (horse cotton) and ordinary cotton
Comparison of the fastness of SUPIMA (horse cotton) and ordinary cotton fiber
SUPIMA (horse cotton) Comparison with ordinary cotton fiber dyeing
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