COTTON

Cotton is a versatile crop used in a wide range of products in the textile, apparel, and consumer products industries – everything from blue jeans to bed sheets to coffee filters to book bindings can be made from cotton. Cotton is even found inside your wallet – 75% of the material used to create U.S. money is cotton. Unlike many other materials, cotton gets stronger when wet, making cotton-based products incredibly durable.

In the U.S., annual retail revenue stimulated by cotton exceeds $120 billion — making cotton America’s No. 1 value-added crop. Cotton is primarily grown in 17 states stretching across the southern third of the U.S., from Virginia to California. Texas is the top producer.

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Cotton’s Journey from Field to T-Shirt

• Farming: Farmers harvest cotton using specialized equipment, pressing it into bales. At this stage, fluffy white cotton still contains seeds.
   

• Ginning: Cotton gins separate seeds from cotton fibers. Cotton seeds can be used for a variety of products, including cooking oils and animal feed. The remaining fibers, known as lint, are baled and shipped to other processors, including spinners.
   

• Exporting: The U.S. is the world’s largest raw cotton exporter, accounting for about 35% of the global export market. China, India, and Bangladesh are the top importers. Manufacturing: Manufacturers, both in the U.S. and abroad, spin cotton into yarn to create fabric, which is used to make T-shirts and other products. Finished products are then shipped to U.S. companies that supply the retail market.
   

• Retailing: Clothing stores and online outlets sell T-shirts and other finished products directly to consumers.