5 things good to know:

• Cotton is a plant fibre based on cellulose.
• A cotton fibre can have a fibre length of between 12 - 60mm, depending on the type of cotton.
• Cotton is used extensively in textile contexts thanks to, among other things, durability and good absorbency.
• Cotton garments have a residual shrinkage of between 10-15%, and should be shook and hung to dry after washing.
• Cotton is a thirsty and resource-intensive crop, therefore organically grown cotton and eco-labelled or certified cotton are beneficial to the world.
  

General about cotton

Cotton is the dominant plant fibre in the world, and accounts for about 36% of the world's total fibre production. Do you belong to the group that appreciates quality, and that often reflects on the materials that your garments are made of? Then you have found the right page, because today we are diving deep into the world of cotton.

Cotton is a useful but controversial material. As always, we want to be as transparent and informative as possible, and therefore thought to highlight both the advantages and disadvantages today.

Why is cotton the natural fibre that is used most frequently in textile contexts? This question brings us unsolicited into the properties of cotton. Like wool, cotton is judged and graded based on, among other things, degree of ripeness, length, strength, purity and colour. A cotton fibre can have a fibre length of between 12 - 60mm, mainly depending on the type of cotton. The longest cotton fibres are extracted from a plant called Gossypium Barbadense. You may have heard of other names associated with this plant, such as Sea Island, Pima and Egyptian cotton?

The fibre length, also called stack length, affects the wear resistance. The longer the fibres, the stronger, softer and finer the yarn. In addition to being durable, mainly in the wet state, the cotton has a good absorption capacity, which means that cotton garments feel cool, but at the same time heavier when you get sweaty or wet. In other words, no optimal material for training.

How is cotton made?

Cotton is a vegetable plant fibre. All plant fibres are based on cellulose that has been created in nature through photosynthesis. The cotton can be traced as far back in time as to about 7,000 years ago, in terms of human cultivation.

Cotton fibres are seed hairs, hence the name "cotton" which comes from the German "Baumwolle" which means "wood wool", and is extracted from cotton bushes that thrive best around the equator. Cotton fibres ready to be picked require 6-7 months of frost-free days, with at least 12 hours of sun per day.

When the fibres are ripe, they are harvested by hand or with the help of a machine, then the material is run through an seed sheller machine to remove seeds and dirt, by so-called heckling.

In addition to this, the cotton, during its journey towards becoming a finished cotton garment, can undergo the following steps: carding, spinning, weaving or knitting, bleaching, washing, mercerisation and dyeing. Mercerisation is a treatment that is done on cotton, where a stretching takes place in baking soda, which creates benefits such as more gloss, moisture and colour absorption as well as tensile strength and wrinkle resistance.

A thirsty and resource-intensive crop…

Conventionally grown cotton is often questioned for intensive use of pesticides, chemicals and irrigation during cultivation and production. Facts that no one can close their eyes to. Cotton is a thirsty crop that is also sensitive to pests and frost. Where this is grown, the cotton becomes extremely important, the right climate and natural precipitation are optimal.

In recent years, more and more cotton garments are made from organic cotton. Organic cotton is grown without chemical pesticides and the addition of fertilisers or genetically modified crops. Many producers take it one step further and link to eco-labels or certifications that set requirements for both cultivation and chemical use, emissions into air and water, social aspects and recommendations regarding water consumption. In a future post, we thought we would explain more about organic cotton as well as eco-labels and certifications, as we think this deserves its own piece.

Worth considering!

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is to consume consciously and long-term, and not least to care for and protect the garments. Did you know that by using the garments 3 times as long, you reduce the environmental impact by about 68%? With this in mind, it becomes even less difficult to air the sheets an extra time instead of throwing them in the machine, or to find out the shirt and hang it on a hanger with the top button buttoned after washing.

Basically, the cotton fibres are biodegradable, but this is far from the case after dyeing and pre- and post-treatments. Therefore, think of a closed loop and let someone else rejoice in what you no longer want, or recycle.

Cotton is also a forgiving material as it can withstand relatively high temperatures. However, a residual shrinkage of between 10-15% is usually added for untreated cotton, so remember not to buy clothes that are too tight.

Care your cotton garments

Find tips and advice on how to care for and wash your cotton garments in our clothing care guide.