more than fiber
By Sally Andel
Recently , I was very fortunate to take a trip to Raleigh , NC , along with Jackie Watz and Martha Cerny where we toured the Cotton Incorporated facility . We were amazed at their program . They actually research more than 1,000 projects annually and develop more than 150 new products annually using cotton . We were able to see the different types of fabrics produced and marketed through their research . Cotton is much more than a fiber source . The seed is used as a high quality feed for cows . The seeds are also pressed and turned into cottonseed oil that can be used in cooking , as well as cosmetics , soap and food products like chips and salad dressing .
Linters — the fuzz left after the ginning process — have industrial uses . Linters can be used for medical supplies , gun powder , cotton balls and even X-ray film .
Cotton burrs are used to make a biodegradable packaging that can be composted after use . Cotton by-products are in everything from ice cream to wallpaper , from hot dog casings to baseballs . Cotton is even used to make disposable diapers like Pampers Pure Collection .
Cotton , Inc . has developed different fabrics to replace the typical polyester version of yoga pants and other microfibers . Research shows synthetic fibers contribute to plastic pollution in the earth ’ s water supply by shedding microplastics into waterways when laundered . It is estimated that there is now a minimum of 5.25 trillion plastic particles , weighing 270,000 tons , floating in the world ’ s oceans . These particles do not break down , but continue to bio-accumulate and cause further damage to earth ’ s marine habitats . Researchers tested the degradability of various types of microfibers in a wastewater environment . The results concluded that after 243 days , cotton had 76 percent degradation while the polyester fibers showed 4 percent degradation . This means cotton degrades 95 percent more than polyester in wastewater . The research further indicates that cotton will continue to degrade overtime unlike polyester , whose degradation plateaued after the time tested .
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