Blog

Common Cotton

by Shopify API on May 06, 2015

Cotton may easily be one of the most common textiles that’s taken for granted. Sure, you know that your comfy t-shirts are made from cotton, but what other household and day-to-day items come from the cotton seed?

But first, a little history: Remember Eli Whitney? Despite cotton’s very old age (as old as 4500 BC!), Whitney revolutionized the industry with his 1793 invention of the cotton gin.

19th Century Cotton Gin
19th Century Cotton Gin

Cotton gins made separating the cotton fibers from their seeds ten times faster. Thanks to this incredibly efficient machine, the cotton industry began to take off.

The earliest cotton seed in America was said to be planted in Florida in 1556, and five centuries later, the United States produces 19% of the world’s cotton, coming in second to China’s production of 24%. Over half of American-produced cotton is used in the manufacturing of apparel, but here are some lesser thought of, but just as common uses of the fabric:

  • wall coverings
  • medical supplies
  • book binding
  • bank/casino money bags
  • painter’s floor coverings
  • metal shavings
  • seed samples
  • mail bags
  • laundry bags

Cotton is an incredibly useful and durable fabric most often used in the industrial and agriculture industries, but you can’t forget its more common, everyday uses too, like carrying your son’s stinky sports practice clothes from his room to the laundry machine.

To best accommodate your requests, we purchase our cotton in bulk rolls so it can be cut and sewn to your exact specifications. If you’re interested in creating a custom cotton order, please let us know!