Cotton fabric has been made into clothes for the past 7,000 years. In that time humans have appreciated it's comfort and durability. In the past many did wear wool, but for a level of comfort, cotton cloths were worn under them in the cold winter periods. In the summers of the past and today, cotton is the preferred fabric. It breaths, prevents chaffing and rashes while removing the perspiration from the skin for an added level of comfort to the wearer.

Most military uniforms in the past and present are made of cotton. While this does not necessarily include all of the dress uniforms, the ones worn on a daily basis and in combat were cotton. It is highly undesirable and deadly to become distracted by itching and rashes while a person is in a life or death situation. For this reason all of the founding fathers of America had worn cotton clothes including George Washington.

As for famous people of today that wear or require others to wear 100% cotton cloths are many. In 2012 Kanye West made a demand of that his chauffer only wear 100% cotton clothes when driving him around in Australia.

For those that like tight fitting 100% cotton dresses like the one Carol Vorderman wore to the show - Celebrity Juice in 2013, it is fashionable.

Threads for Thought is a designer of cloths for celebrities that only uses 100% organic cotton. Celebrities and famous people that wear this line of clothing include Paris Hilton, John Norris, Jamie Fox and Don Cheadle.

Another famous designer that only uses 100% organic cotton is Battalion. Famous people that love to wear their clothing items include Maggie Gyllenhall, Julie Deply, Angela Lindvall, Tatyana Ali and Ashley Olsen.

The softness and comfort of the T-shirt will never be forgotten. Today one of the many fashion trends among celebrities is the branded t-shirt. The famous people that are wearing them include Agyness Deyn, Audrina Patridge, Avril Lavigne, Mischa Barton, Taylor Momsen, Kristin Stewart and Jessica Simpson.

Famous people and celebrities around the world are wearing 100% cotton clothes for the same reason the majority of the world wears them. They just feel better next to our skin. 100% cotton is a durable, breathable fabric that is the preference of the famous and common man alike. There is no other fabric that has its high level of comfort when wearing at any temperature or climate.

For many Americans the leading reason they desire and some have to wear 100% cotton clothes is because cotton is hypoallergenic. This technical term can be easily explained. Cotton is a fabric that does not irritate the skin of a person wearing clothes made from it. This is true even when the wearer is hot and perspiring. Synthetic cloths tend to irritate the pores of the skin when hot and open. Cotton does not. Cotton is a breathable fabric that allows the skin to breathe which reduces and eliminates the possibility of rashes, including heat rashes from appearing on the skin of a person wearing cotton clothing. Another reason cotton is considered hypoallergenic is that it is dust mite resistant. For Americans who have allergies, this is an important factor. Dust mites along with the pollen they transport can cause an allergic reaction to a person exposed to them.

For many the environment is high on their list of concerns. Cotton is a very environmental friendly fabric. Because it is a natural product consisting of cellulosic fibers only, cotton is also 100% biodegradable. If for some reason cotton fabric makes it way to a land fill, it will decompose and help to fertilize the area where it is placed. There are no harsh chemicals in its makeup that would pose a threat or hazard to plant or wildlife. The varieties of cotton today can also be grown and harvested without the aid of pesticides. This is mainly in reference to organic cotton which has grown in popularity over the past decade.

A third quality that most consumers appreciate about cotton is that it is an extremely durable fabric. Many manufactures of children’s clothes use cotton for their products. This natural fabric can be worn hard and even abused by the wearer and it will still look and hang on the child with little to no depreciation on its appearance. Cotton cloths can be washed repeated and still be used by growing children for years. Its soft texture also contributes to its reduction is irritating skin even if a rash is present from a cold or allergy.

100% cotton clothes is the best source for a parent when needing a natural fabric to be next to their family’s skin. The cloth is breathable in the summer and helps to keep the wearer warm in the winter months. It ability to withstand rough treatment enables cotton cloths to be passed down from child to child that can not only keep them well dresses, but save money for their parents.

The types of clothing made in the USA from 100% cotton include every type and fashion available today. While at times they might be more expensive, the quality of the cloths are always better than what is experienced by those made overseas by people making less than a dollar a day. Since American made cloths are made better they last longer and are more economic choice to make.

One of the most common is the T-shirt. It is true this type of clothing is made around the world, the American T-shirt is truly the best and of the highest quality. The USA made shirts are constructed of thicker more absorbent fabric that is sewn together with stronger thread. This is why the American T-shirt is so well known, they last. This is known to be true by anyone that has purchased or been given a T-shirt from overseas, they just do not last long.

The 100% cotton sweatshirt with a hoodie is another very popular item that is made in America. They are used by athletes and those Americans that are in training. Because of the high level of comfort when wearing them, they are also a very popular fashion trend. There is both the slip over the head versions along with those with zippers for the person that does not want to mess up their hair. The variety of colors they come in is as wide as the rainbow so they will match any outfit you have.

The types of women’s apparel are one of the largest for cotton cloths made in America. The number and types of tops vary but some of the more popular ones include the Gauze Rivera, Mirage Short Sleeve Seersucker and Slub Jersey Cowl Neck shirts. As with all clothing items made of cotton they come in a wide variety of colors. This is because cotton can accept a dye easily. What is also known is that lighter colors seem to last longer and appear better thru time than darker shades of dye.

There are also numerous pants and shorts for women made of 100% cotton. Because they are made of cotton, they feel soft on the legs of every lady that wears them. This is why pants like the Campcloth All Season Play Pants and Cali-Stretch Clam Diggers are so popular. Women just enjoy life better when wearing pants that are extremely comfortable to wear while looking good.

There are also 100% cotton clothes for both men and children. This makes it possible for the entire family to enjoy this high level of comfort when wearing cloths. By the whole family not being distracted by uncomfortable and clingy cloths, they can easily concentrate on the good quality times they are having with each other. It is a well known fact that with a reduction in discomfort there is an increase in happiness. 100% cotton cloths can make a significant contribution in this area so the entire family can be happier.

What is a Kaftan dress? A kaftan is a fluid fluffy comfort garment, usually with long loose sleeves. 

Fluffy, light weight and cool our Crinkle Cotton Kaftan Dress will be perfect for those warm summer days. I love wearing this dress out on the lake. It makes a great cover up, it's easy to slip over my swimming suit. When I'm wearing my kaftan dress it reminds me of those fun summer days with my son Noah. If you are looking for a great summer dress this is it. I wore this to a family reunion and all my family and friends loved the dress. Everyone complimented me and asked where I bought it. One size fits most which is great, especially if you are buying as a gift!

This kaftan dress has 2" ruffles everywhere, carefree crinkle cotton and an open v-neck. The v-neck is a great feature for me because I love showing off my favorite necklaces. And with so many dress colors available, I'm able to show off even more of my favorite accessories by coordinating my jewelry, flip flops and hats with my favorite kaftan dresses. Another thing I love about this dress is it is so comfortable that I am able to wear it as a robe or nightgown when it's time for bed. Its soft and lightweight fabric also makes for a great nights sleep!

Whether you use it as a sassy cover up, or as a fun summer dress. You will love this breezy fun dress for those memorable summer days!

Originally published 6-26-2015. Revised 5-13-2019

In the early days of cotton harvesting, all the cotton seeds had to be picked out of the cotton balls by hand. This process was very slow and took many hours to clean out and separate the seeds from just one or two pounds of cotton fiber. This was a necessary process to have pure cotton, but also painfully taxing. The workers on the cotton farms had to work long and hard to pick out all those  seeds. Fields were full of cotton that needed to be separated, but it took many days and lots of hard work just to harvest and separate a couple pounds of cotton, much less a whole field of cotton. The people had to wonder if there wasn't a better way to harvest this cotton. Thankfully there was.

In 1793 Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin. He had to fight in court for quite some time to gain a legal patent for the cotton gin that he had invented, but eventually he was able to get a patent. The cotton gin was a machine that took the cotton through comb like “fingers” that separated the cotton fibers from the cotton seeds. This was a great help to the many workers that had been doing all this work by hand. Now they could process a lot more cotton in a shorter time period. But there was a problem, it took about three or four people to run the cotton gin, whereas before, one person could do the job, although it would have taken much much longer.

Because of the invention of the cotton gin, farm owners started planting more fields of cotton. Now they had a more efficient method for separating the cotton seeds from the cotton fiber and the cotton market started rising. People wanted to make more money and cotton was selling, so they planted more fields.

There are still cotton gins today that are currently used for separating and processing cotton. Cotton gins have changed over the many years since Eli Whitney first invented his. The cotton gins that are now used are much larger and more efficient although they still use the same ideas. Cotton gets hauled to the cotton mills by the truckload and is processed quite quickly. Much much faster than any  person could separate cotton seeds from cotton fibers. At the end of the process the cotton is in bales.

The cotton industry is a very interesting study and I'm sure you would find it interesting to look into it more and see all the great things that it has done for the United States of America.

To date there is nothing man made or natural that is as soft as cotton for something to wear or as absorbent. The man made synthetic materials are just that, they feel synthetic and not comfortable to wear. While it would be possible to live without cotton in our lives, why would you want to?

Cotton only takes up about 2% of the arable land that plants can grow on, and that small amount of land is not enough to change the level of food dramatically to help meet the ever increasing demand. The comfort level and amount cotton can absorb, especially as comfortable Tees or Pants and used to blend the socks on our feet are necessary for society. Without this material, walking would be more uncomfortable. 

When a survey was conducted on Americans for just what they could not live without, cotton listed third only behind a Swiss army knife and the mobile phone. This places cotton above laptops, toothbrushes and even the all important pen for writing and communicating. It is the all wondrous cotton that is integrated into almost every aspect of our lives today. We wear it. We clean ourselves up with cotton in a blended paper and we wrap ourselves in it at night. 

There is cotton in a lot of the items we use everyday including the printed money we use on a daily basis. Yes most people today do use plastic, but without printed money, all the value will be in computers. That is just not realistic. It is the cotton in the paper bills that make it pliable and long lasting. 

If cotton production ended today it would impact the world’s economy. Several millions of people around the world are involved in it planting, harvesting, milling and manufacturing into textiles along with the sales of these items. 

The feel of cotton clothing is the first thing most people realize in the morning when they wake up in their beds. Would you like to live in a world where everyone woke up uncomfortable and angry because they were scratching themselves all night and did not get a good night’s rest? That is not a world I would like to live in.

It is true the human race would still be in existence if cotton was not available or even if it did not exist. But like all things we get used to, the all important cotton ball is one of the comforts all humans can agree on they would not like to live without.

Most of the clothing used in the poorer nations of the world was designed to be made of cotton. It is a tradition and no matter what economic condition currently exists in these countries, traditions will carry on no matter what.

One of the biggest worries from the poorer nations of the world is the subsidies the US farmer is now receiving from the government. 73% of what they receive for their crop is in the form of subsides. This is 4 to 5 times more than wheat and corn growers make in their subsidies from the government. Because of this cotton production in America is continuing to expand.

This surplus of cotton on the world market has brought down prices that are comparable to the depressions years in the early 20th century when inflation is factored in. This makes the purchasing of cotton made products less expensive for the masses. The problem here is that the largest number of the world population that is involved in cotton production are from the developing countries. With cheap American cotton on the market, their cotton is less valuable and they are earning less. In countries like India, Pakistan and many African nations, the drop in the price of cotton is beginning to hurt their economies. 

It is true that over 300 billion dollars are spent by developed countries in support of their agricultural base. In America the agricultural base only represents 1% of the gross domestic product but without agriculture, the US would be fully dependent on other countries for raw material and food. That just does not make sense to any realist in this world. 

Having to be reliant on other counties for basic raw materials is why most of the countries that were in wars lost them.
What the low price of cotton is really doing to the developing world is to force them to develop industries rather than rely on agricultural items for a source of revenue. This way they will have sounder economies that will lay a foundation for future growth. It is true the world will always need items that are grown from the earth’s soil, but if it is their main source of revenue, then further development will not occur or as quickly.

At this time the populations of the poorer nations can afford cotton clothes. Because of a reduced reliance on this cash crop in the future, they will soon have thriving economies and the world as a whole will be a better place to live.

The Cotton fire protection clothing facts contain what you need to know to protect yourself and follow OSHA and NFPA rules for employees and protective clothing. The very first one is that cotton is not fire retardant unless it is treated to be such. 

For a material to be considered fire resistant it must extinguish the flame itself once the ignition source is left. This is simply if a person is engulfed in flames wearing fire retardant clothing, they will not have to roll around to put the fire out. Once they leave the vicinity in which flames are present, the clothing will no longer be on fire. 

There is 100% fire retardant clothing in many different forms. They can be underwear, shirts, pants and overalls. All of these types are a single layer of material. The shirts, pants and overalls can also be 2, 3 or 4 layers of cotton material for added protection.

The term Life of the Garment is on many labels of fire retardant clothing including those made of cotton. Even with this present, the fire retardant chemicals that are applied to the material will wash out over time. So a person and group would know if a washed item is still safe to wear there are special procedures to wash this type of clothing. The upper limit of times fire retardant clothing items can be washed is 125 times in an industrial setting. If the proper procedure is not followed, the number of washings and the protection this clothing provides is shortened. 

The treatment of cotton material so it is flame retardant is accomplished two ways. The ammonia cure is the application of phosphonium salts precondensed polymerized with the use of an ammonium gas. The second is a heat cured with diakylphosphonamide. Once the flame retardant is bonded to the fibers of the cotton material, the clothing item is considered flame retardant. This will wash out over time but the material will remain the same in appearance and texture whether or not the flame retardant is present or not. 

100% cotton and cotton blends used in flame retardant clothing has to be washed on a regular basis. Dirt, soil and debris on the item is not treated to be flame retardant and can reduce the effectiveness and protection of the clothing item if exposed to a flame. In this washing process the use of bleach is strictly forbidden. Bleach destroys the flame retardant bond to the fibers. Hydrogen peroxide must also not be used because it will also destroy the bond. 

Many organization and companies desire to place embroidery on the garments of their employees. This material that is added to the flame retardant material is not flame retardant. While there are no regulations prohibiting their usage, they can burn and place the wearer of the garments in danger of exposure to flames.

It is important to stay safe on the job. These are just a few cotton fire protection facts you should know if you or your employees are required to wear fire retardant protective clothing.

If a mother or parent wants to help teach their children about dyeing cotton material there is a non-toxic solution that is also fun. As every parent knows one of the worst and hardest stains to get rid of is from cheery and grape Kool Aid. Both of these use a food dye to achieve the desired color. You can also use this same material to dye an article of clothing. 

The first step is to protect all items from the dye that you do not want a color change in. This will require plastic on the floors and gloves on your hands. An apron is also recommended. The mixing of 1 packet of Kool Aid with 250 mL of hot water is next. Once the powdered drink mix is completely dissolved it should be poured into the washing machine that has already been filled with hot water. If you do not want to use your washing machine for this process, a bucket or other container can be used. Once the dye has been introduced to the water, then the addition of the cotton items should occur. 

With the use of a stick, push the clothing article into the water and ensure all of the trapped air is released so the entire item is covered with the dyed water. Once this occurs let it soak for about 15 minutes. Again with the stick bring the material to the surface and look at the color. The longer you allow it to soak, the deeper the color will be. If the color is not dark enough with just one Kool Aid packet, the addition of one or more can be done but again make sure it is dissolved in hot water first before adding it to the container with the cotton item submerged. 

Once the desired color is achieved take it two shades darker. Cotton items that are dyed appear to be darker when wet but will be lighter in appearance once the material dries. Once the dying process is completed, the cotton material should be rinsed twice just like in a normal washing cycle from your machine. You can drip dry the item, but using the dryer on hot will help to bake the dye into the cloth. 

This dyeing process can also make use of other dyes you have around your home. They include colored gelatin, tea and coffee or anything else that you know stains the clothes of your family members. Another word of advice is that the first time your home-dyed item is worn, some of the dye might transfer to the skin or other clothing items the person is wearing.

Other places that most forget or do not realize that cotton is being used include the book industry. Cotton can be found in the bindings of most books and manuals. It is also used in the production of paper. With cotton in the paper, the pages of a book are more pliable, softer, stronger and last longer. Books that have cotton in their pages are known to have the ability to last hundreds of years with little to no fading occurring in the print that they possess. The use of cotton in the paper industry is for the production of high quality paper used by professionals that require a hard copy of their document to last the test of time.

Not all cotton products are made into woven items. The most common of these is the cotton pad. The personal hygiene products made from this raw material include diapers for both babies and the elderly, feminine hygiene products for internal and external uses, nursing pads, nasal strips, adhesive for dental plates and for the removal of cosmetics from a lady’s face. 

Another primary user of the cotton pad is the medical field. This list includes the many types of medical wraps and packs used around a person’s wound, heat packs, medical bag liners, fixation tapes, incubators & mattresses to name a few. 

The characteristics of cotton does not change so whether it is spun into a thread, yarn or made into a cotton pad, it is a fluffy fiber that is absorbent of moisture and becomes stronger when it is wet. It is also easily bleached so it can be used as a sterile covering when an infection is a source of concern in its medical usage.

There are other industrial uses for cotton that are also not thought of by most of the general public. Many of the fishing nets in the past and some today are made of cotton. The auto industry uses cotton in the cord of tires and the camping industry makes tents and tarps from cotton.

The use of cotton for multiple purposes has gone on for centuries back to before recorded history. Because of its unique characteristics that cannot be duplicated by any man made material, new uses for the wondrous cotton plant and the fibers it has will continue to grow as the years pass on to the future.