COTTON GROWTH WOE'S MAY AFFECT
COTTON MADE T-SHIRTS AND MORE
* Cotton has been painstakingly cultivated and used to make fabrics
for thousand of years. Yet nowhere in cotton or cotton made t-shirt history has it's reach and awesome might been
more explosively essential to both old and new growth markets.. than it is today.
In marches trouble to the very roots of cotton growth.. from the desperately thirsty harvest
fields and the insects that plague them.. to the cotton made t-shirt
industries and beyond.
* Global cultivation close to 40 billion
pounds of cotton a year depletes
soil and contaminates both water and air. Cotton fields alone account for more than
one-tenth of all pesticide use world wide.
* Global Warming possibilities.. coupled with the present high use of toxic
chemicals raises the specter of still more abundant chemical use..
stronger pests and miles of herbicide-resistant crops.
Of all the diseases possible to occur in cotton, cotton root rot (Phymatotrichum omnivorum) is one of the most destructive and difficult to control. The fungus lives in alkaline soils low in organic matter. It occurs at elevations below 1500m. The fungus has unique biological characteristics that contribute to management difficulties.
Phymatotrichum omnivorum has a remarkably wide host range
and survives for long periods of time within the soil (much of the fungus is found as deep as 60cm to 2m in soils).
Fungicides are not effective treatment. The fungus itself is only active when air and soil temperatures are high (respectively above 40°C and 27°C).
When environmental conditions are conducive to its development, the fungus invades the plants through their root system. Infected plants can die in
as little as two weeks.
And that's only the starting point of global warming possibilities that could
shift this cash crop, along with cotton made t-shirts and a host of other
products.. into the waste bin.
COTTON THE MOTHER OF
OUR COTTON T-SHIRTS
MAY BE AT RISK
Cotton is primarily grown in dry tropical and subtropical climates
at temperatures between 11°C and 25°C. It is a warm climate crop that is
threatened by both heat or freezing temperatures (below 5°C or above 25°C),
although its resistance varies from species to species.Global Warming effects
may create unpredictable shifting temperatures that can cause excessive exposure to dryness or moisture at certain stages of the
plants development that could be detrimental
to cotton quality and yields, and might as an end result also kill the plants
in droves.
In the USA Cotton is entirely machine harvested and is a major crop in 14 out of
17 states that it is grown in.
The melting pot.. " Cotton Belt " which spans the southern half of the United States, stretching from
Virginia to the foot of fast paced commerce markets in California.
Industry sources estimate that approximately
one and half billion cotton T-shirts are sold in North America annually with a
retail value surpassing $20 billion.
Sales of imprinted T-shirts at the wholesale level were
about $6.1 billion in 1997 and has grown at an annual rate of
approximately 4% to 6%.
China's booming T-shirt and polo-shirt industry was first poised for more than a
30 percent export sales growth as early as 2005.
At US$3.3 billion, exports
in the first nine months of 2004 had already surpassed 2003 shipments
of US$3.2 billion.
Japan is China's largest export market, absorbing close to US$2.5 billion
worth of T-shirts and polo-shirts alone.
South Korea and Australia are second and third, importing US$447 million
and US$361 million worth, respectively.
* From the beginning of the 20th century until the end of the second
world war (WWII) cotton had accounted for 81% of world total fiber consumption.
A shift occurred in the 1940s, when man-made fibers first appeared
in the market (accounting for 12% of the world's total fiber consumption
over the 1940s). As from the 1960s, with a deepening of the trend since
1970, decline in cotton consumption has become more prominent.
The ratio of cotton in the fiber market decreased from 75% in 1940 to 68% in
1960. In 1970 cotton accounted for 57% of textile fibers.
Since the early 2000s, cotton has accounted for roughly 38% of world fiber
consumption. By contrast, the share of synthetic fibers rose to 57% in 2001,
up from 5% in 1960
More About cotton:
Natural fibers fall into two main groups:
protein fibers, which come from animals, and vegetable fibers which come from
plants.
The main ingredient in all vegetable fibers is cellulose,
a carbohydrate found in all plant life.
Cotton, silks, and linen are vegetable fibers.
Silk and Linen are made from the flax plant. Cotton (and our favorite
cotton made t-shirts) are made from the cotton plant.
The major end uses for cotton fiber include wearing apparel like cotton made
t-shirts which can be silk screened (printed upon) or hand dyed as
an example.. as well as, home furnishings, and other industrial uses (such as medical supplies). The cotton
fiber is made primarily into yearns and threads for use in the textile and apparel sectors (wearing apparel would account for approximately 60% of cotton consumption).
Cotton is also used to make home furnishings, such as draperies (eventually the third major end use) or professional garments (about 5% of cotton
fiber demand).
Besides traditional uses as a result of different finishing processes that have been applied to the cotton
fiber, cotton is made into specialty materials suitable for a great variety of uses.
Cotton fabrics with specialty
applications include, fire-proof (flame resistant) apparel, suitable for professional uses and provides effective protection against potential risks associated with high temperature and particularly flashover. Flame resistant cotton fabrics are treated with chemicals.
Without chemical treatment, cotton would burn up releasing very strong heat, just like the major part of synthetic
fibers, which melt when they are exposed to high temperatures.
Cotton also finds specialty applications in medical and hygienic uses. Most notably, the
fiber is used to manufacture hydrophilic cotton (cotton wool), compress, gauze bandages, tampons or sanitary towels, and cotton swabs. In this field, the most suitable cotton variety is the species Gossypium herbaceum with short-staple thick
fibers.
No more dyeing? China uses transgenic cotton plants which produce yellow, white, green, or red cotton to sum up any color grade.
Man-made fabrics don't provide the same ventilation that natural fibers do.
Because fungi flourish in dark, moist environments, constrictive, synthetic garments
can create an ideal habitat for yeast to multiply.
All-cotton underpants for example permit air to circulate below the waist.
Due to its unique fiber structure, cotton breathes and helps remove body
moisture by absorbing it and wicking it away from the skin.
Although beauty aids made from other fibers may look like cotton,
they often don't perform as well. Unlike synthetics, cotton has superior absorbency
and a naturally textured surface that makes it an effective cleanser.
Because the fiber can withstand high temperatures, it can be sterilized.
In addition, cotton personal care products are "finish free." Synthetics are often
chemically treated to make the fiber suitable for processing. Individuals
with hypersensitive skin, prone to allergic reactions, may prefer
to stick with beauty aids made from natural fibers.
*
Bulky synthetic socks contribute to feet perspiring more,
creating the ideal state for fungi to thrive. Nylon and rayon prevent evaporation.
Cotton actually absorbs wetness within the structure of the fiber.
Water is drawn up through the interior of the fiber, between its various layers or walls.
* A firmly woven cloth with parallel flat and puckered stripes, cotton
seersucker became popular in the 1930s for summer
suits because the crisp, cool fabric did not show wrinkles
and could be laundered easily..
*
Most terry cloth is made with cotton because
the absorbent fiber gets stronger when wet
and it can be sanitized in very hot water
using strong bleach and detergent without harm.
Terry cloth is usually made with looped pile because
the loops act like very small sponges. Looped pile is also better able
to withstand the strain of rubbing, pulling twisting and tugging by the user.
Loosely twisted loops are softer and more absorbent than tightly twisted loops,
which produce a rougher fabric. Long pile is more absorbent than short pile.
Terry cloth is most absorbent when it has loops on both sides.
* Cotton can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water.
* There are two kinds of shrinkage. Progressive shrinkage occurs when the fiber
itself shrinks. Wool fiber shrinks a little more each time it is washed, which
is why wool is usually dry cleaned.
Relaxation shrinkage is when the fabric shrinks. It is caused by the tension
applied to yarns and fabrics during construction. The tension is released when
the fabric is washed or steam pressed, causing it to shrink to its natural size.
Opportunities You Can Explore In Cotton
And The Cotton T-Shirt Markets
Take the advantage! * Learn more about the environment of cotton and
ways you can help improve it.. as well as understand the many income
opportunities that can exist for you in both the cotton and cotton t-shirt markets. * Study and understand the in-depth profiles of major
T-shirt
and polo-shirt manufacturers. * Check out information on cotton t-shirts product offerings,
manufacturing capabilities and future plans.
* Grab the key facts
such as cotton t-shirts output
capacities, production checklists, export ratios and major
export markets.
* View the cotton t-shirt product gallery of companies you may be interested
in.. discover what the best-selling T-shirts and polo-shirts
are for men and women.
* Uncover detailed cotton t-shirt descriptions and the results of the latest
t-shirt supplier
survey, summarizing price, product, production and R&D trends covering the next 12 months that are provided
within the reports.
* Single out manufacturers that produce T-shirts
and polo-shirts for retailers such as Wal-Mart and Kmart,
and for sports brands like Nike, Adidas and Reebok
* Find out how new materials -- such as DuPont's Sorona
fibers (polymers that lend better stretch, recovery and stain resistance to
fabrics)
will be used in upcoming T-shirt and polo-shirt designs
* Scout around and get detailed price guides that includes basic features
and price ranges of low-end, midrange and high-end T-shirts and polo-shirts
* Identify suppliers that have vertically integrated production systems,
in which the knitting, printing and dyeing of fabrics are done in-house
* Discover the comparative
advantages
of sourcing from t-shirt trading companies vs. manufacturers.
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~
Elbert Hubbard
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