Cotton Fabric Gauze
Cotton fabric is one of the most commonly used types of fabrics in the world. This textile is chemically organic, which means that it does not contain any synthetic compounds. Cotton fabric is derived from the fibers surrounding the seeds of cotton plants, which emerge in a round, fluffy formation once the seeds are mature.
The earliest evidence for the use of cotton fibers in textiles is from the Mehrgarh and Rakhigarhi sites in India, which date to approximately 5000 BC. The Indus Valley Civilization, which spanned the Indian Subcontinent from 3300 to 1300 BC, was able to flourish due to cotton cultivation, which provided the people of this culture with readily available sources of clothing and other textiles.
It’s possible that people in the Americas used cotton for textiles as long ago as 5500 BC, but it’s clear that cotton cultivation was widespread throughout Mesoamerica since at least 4200 BC. While the Ancient Chinese relied more on silk than cotton for the production of textiles, cotton cultivation was popular in China during the Han dynasty, which lasted from 206 BC to 220 AD.
While cotton cultivation was widespread in both Arabia and Iran, this textile plant didn’t make its way to Europe in full force until the late Middle Ages. Before this point, Europeans believed that cotton grew on mysterious trees in India, and some scholars during this period even suggested that this textile was a type of wool that was produced by sheep that grew on trees.
Cotton 1
The Islamic conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, however, introduced Europeans to cotton production, and the European countries quickly became major producers and exporters of cotton along with Egypt and India.
Since the earliest days of cotton cultivation, this fabric has been prized for its exceptional breathability and lightness. Cotton fabric is also incredibly soft, but it has heat retention attributes that make it something like a mixture of silk and wool.
While cotton is more durable than silk, it is less durable than wool, and this fabric is relatively prone to pilling, rips, and tears. Nonetheless, cotton remains one of the most popular and highly produced fabrics in the world. This textile has relatively high tensile strength, and its natural coloring is white or slightly yellowish.
Cotton is very water absorbent, but it also dries quickly, which makes it highly moisture wicking. You can wash cotton in high heat, and this fabric drapes well on your body. However, cotton fabric is relatively prone to wrinkling, and it will shrink when washed unless it is exposed to a pre-treatment.
Buy high-quality, low-priced cotton fabric here . If you are UK based, you can buy it here .
Cotton fabric producers derive this textile from the fibrous protective casing that surrounds cotton seeds, which is called a boll. While cotton seeds themselves are quite small, the bolls that encase them can be larger than the end of your thumb.
To make cotton fabric, producers must first separate the cotton seed from the boll. In the past, this step was done by hand, but in 1794, American entrepreneur Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which is a mechanical device that greatly expedites the cotton separation process.
These days, automated forms of the cotton gin exist that make the process even easier for human workers. Machines can harvest cotton bolls from agricultural fields, and other machines can then separate the seeds from the bolls.
Cotton production begins in the spring when cotton seeds are planted. In most cases, automated machines plant cotton seeds in 10 or more rows simultaneously. Seedlings emerge within approximately seven days, and mature cotton bolls appear within 55 to 80 days.
People Tree Organic Cotton Alana Jumpsuit
Prior to machine harvesting, human workers are generally required for defoliation, which is the process of removing the leaves from cotton plants. Next, a single machine harvests the amount of cotton that 50 people could pick, and this same machine removes large contaminants from the cotton fibers and forms it into bales.
High-efficiency automated cotton gins can process up to 60 raw cotton bales weighing 500 pounds each in the space of an hour. These gins remove the seeds from cotton bolls, and they also remove any dirt or trash from the cotton.
Once cotton has been cleaned to the extent that it consists of pure cotton fibers without any seeds or trash, it is transferred to a textile production facility. At this facility, the raw cotton is carded, which is the process of forming cotton fibers into long strands. Next, these strands are spun to create yarn.
At this stage, the basic material used in cotton fabrics is complete. This cotton yarn may then be subjected to a variety of chemical treatments, and it may be dyed. Next, it is woven into a particular type of textile material such as a bedsheet, T-shirt, or pair of blue jeans.
Shop a wide variety of cotton fabrics here for US and rest of world here and here if you are UK based.
Approximately 75 percent of the world’s clothing products contain at least some amount of cotton. In sheer numbers, cotton is the most widely used textile fiber in the world, and manufacturers can spin this fabric into a myriad of different types of products.
For instance, most T-shirts contain at least some amount of cotton, and true blue jeans are 100 percent cotton. This fabric is used to make bathrobes, bathmats, and towels, and it is also used to make bedsheets, blankets, and duvets. Manufacturers may even use cotton to make curtains, wall-hangings, and other types of home decorations.
Since cotton is highly breathable and absorbent, it is commonly used to make warm-weather clothing. Its softness makes it a good option for formal and business wear, and its notable draping abilities make it an ideal fabric for dresses.
Manufacturers use cotton to make medical supplies, and this fabric is also used to make industrial thread and tarps. In summation, cotton can be used to make practically any type of textile for consumer or industrial use.
India and China are frequently tied as the largest cotton producers in the world. According to Statista, India overtook its East Asian competitor between 2017 and 2018 by producing 6,205,000 metric tons of cotton. For comparison, China produced 5,987,000 metric tons of cotton fiber during this same period.
At 4,555,000 metric tons, the USA is the next-largest producer of cotton. While these three nations produce the vast majority of the world’s cotton, other nations, such as Brazil, Pakistan, and Australia consistently produce more than 1 million metric tons of this fiber per year.
According to IndexMundi, raw cotton costs approximately $0.75 per pound. However, these prices are subject to constant change. Cotton costs significantly more once a producer has formed it into yarn, and its price increases again once this fiber is made into a final product.
Yellow Cotton Fabric
Comparatively speaking, cotton is one of the least expensive textile fibers in the world, which has contributed to its popularity. However, the cheapest cotton is cotton that has not been produced sustainably, and better forms of cotton cost much more.
For instance, forms of extra-long-staple cotton are significantly more expensive than traditional short-staple cotton. Examples of extra-long-staple cotton include Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton. These types of cotton cost more for manufacturers to produce, and they also cost more at the consumer level.
There are four distinct species of cotton that are used to make cotton fabric. In addition, there are several sub-varieties of cotton fabric that are made from these plant species:
This type of cotton is the most widely-produced form of this textile crop. It accounts for 90 percent of the world’s cotton production, and it is native to Central America and the nations surrounding the Caribbean Sea.
Over the years, traders have exported this type of cotton to practically every location throughout the world, and it grows well in practically any climate. Gossypium hirsutum is a short-staple (SS) cotton fiber, which means that it is not as high-quality as other forms of this textile fiber.
Baby Blanket with Cotton Fabric
Gossypium barbadense is an extra-long-staple (ELS) cotton variety, which means that it consists of longer cotton fibers that produce softer and more luxurious textiles. This type of cotton accounts of 8 percent of the world’s cotton production, and it is significantly more expensive than Gossypium hirsutum.
This ELS cotton variation is native to South America, and it has been exported to a variety of locations throughout the world. For instance, Pima cotton is a form of Gossypium barbadense, and producers cultivate this type of cotton in China, India, and other foreign nations.
While most types of cotton grow on small bushes, Gossypium arboretum grows on larger bushes that could almost be considered to be trees. This type of cotton accounts for less than 2 percent of global production.
Also known as Levant cotton, this type of fiber is native to Africa and Arabia, and it contributes less than 2 percent to global cotton cultivation.
Chico's Women's Supima Cotton Convertible Tank
Short-staple (SS) cotton is any type of cotton that consists of fibers that are up to 1.125 inches long. While this type of cotton is great for everyday use, it isn’t as soft as other types of cotton.
Long-staple (LS) cotton is any type of cotton that consists of fibers that are between 1.125 and 1.25 inches long. This type of cotton is somewhat more luxurious than SS cotton.
Extra-long staple (ELS) cotton is any type of cotton that consists of fibers that are longer than 1.25 inches. ELS cotton is the most luxurious and soft type of cotton in existence.
Egyptian cotton is a term that refers to certain forms of either LS or ELS cotton. Giza 45 cotton, for instance, is over 45 millimeters (1.77 inches) long, which makes it one of the longest and most luxurious varieties of cotton in existence.
Pima cotton is a type of ELS cotton that was created through a partnership between the U.S. government and the Pima Indians in the early 20th century. It is considered to be one of the most durable forms of cotton.
Supima cotton is a type Pima cotton that has received the blessing of the American Supima Association (ASA). To be considered “Supima,” Pima cotton can only be grown in the United States with organic cultivation practices.
Cotton production is inherently non-impactful on the environment. Since this type of textile is a natural fiber, it is biodegradable, and it doesn’t fill up waterways or contribute to other forms of pollution.
However, the practices that manufacturers use to make cotton may be harmful to the environment. Cotton cultivation requires a huge amount of water, and producing this textile may also involve land repurposing.
Since most cotton producers focus on cultivating the largest amount of fiber possible at the lowest cost, they don’t properly care for the land they use for cultivation. As a result, cotton cultivation frequently depletes the soil in the areas where it is grown.
Most cotton producers worldwide resort to agrochemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers, to grow their crops. These harmful chemicals run off into the surrounding water, poison the soil, and end up being present in potentially dangerous concentrations in end products.
In the vast majority of instances, cotton cultivation is an exploitative practice in which international corporations take advantage of poor, uneducated people in third-world countries to produce these fibers. This practice is harmful to communities, and it supports a cycle of poverty that results in reduced life expectancy and multiple succeeding generations of servitude.
It’s possible, however, to cultivate cotton with organic means. Organic cultivation processes do not involve any artificial pesticides or fertilizers, which reduces the environmental impact of the production of this textile fiber.
To be certified as organic, cotton cultivators must also promote sustainability within the communities where they operate. Workers who produce organic cotton must be compensated fairly, and environmental degradation must be kept to a minimum. Certain kinds of cotton, such as Supima cotton, are only available in organic forms.
A variety of certifications are available to cotton producers. For instance, the European Union’s organic standards organization can certify cotton as organic, as can the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Another company known as OEKO TEK also certifies organic textiles. Plus, all Supima cotton is organic, and an organization called the American Supima Association (ASA) must certify Pima cotton for it to be considered Supima.
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So I’m declaring yellow to be finally coming back, hooray! Tricia, my Senior Colour Designer and I are at High Point Market this weekend, and we’re seeing a lot more yellow than we have seen in previous years.
My High Point trends report will be coming soon!
Rich golds are the perfect compliment to the black trend, and I think we will start to see some softer yellows in interiors too.
You all know that I love yellow, but it’s among the trickiest of colours to choose, especially for walls.
Why? Because all colours get twice as bright when they cover all that square footage. And it is well known in colour theory that yellow is the first colour the eye sees, it’s simply the brightest.
This is why it has to be toned down (or muddied) even more than the other colours, before it becomes a ‘designer’ yellow on the walls.
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This pretty traditional bedroom looks like BM Waterbury Cream HC 31
BM Waterbury Cream HC 31
A pretty paint chip does not necessarily make a pretty wall colour and it’s also why one client said to me “I am ALWAYS surprised when I see the little 2″ x 2″ chip all over the walls, it’s never what I thought I would be”.
Even now that colours for interiors are cleaner and brighter, if you’re picking a colour for your walls, it shouldn’t be the one that first jumps out at you.
Years ago, when I first did my colour training in San Francisco with the Daystudio, I came home and bought all the colourants so that I could shift the colour on site like I had been trained to do.
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In the end though, the only colour I was able to change reliably [on-site] was YELLOW. For example, the way you actually get to a neutral is by adding the ‘compliment’ to the colour you are working with.
So if you want a pink beige you start adding ‘green to red’ (with white of course) and if you want a muted yellow beige, add ‘purple to yellow’. But really, it was not the most convenient way to work with colour.
Learning how colour is mixed and created is a useful way to begin to understand colour, but it’s a bit tedious and not necessary once you learn my System for Specifying Colour.
In my colour workshops, when we’re learning about neutrals, it’s all about the undertones, but with other colours, that’s not the conversation. In my system, I teach the important distinction between ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ colours which is the most useful way to look at colours other than neutrals.
“The distinction between ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ is the most useful way to look at colours other than neutrals”
The cleaner the colour, the less of its graying complement is present. But the only way you can see how relatively clean or dirty a colour is, is by comparing it to other colours
Ideally, the colours you combine for your decorating palette are similar on the clean to dirty scale. This way they will be harmonious, and one colour won’t leap forward while another looks comparatively muted and muddy.
I think we will be seeing a lot of strong yellows as accents. Which works well, as long as the other colours are also clean and vibrant and there is a lot of white to balance it.
My living room is a great example of how to do this (below).
See more pics of the art featured in this room here.
The yellow my hallways are painted in looks really clean but is still muddier on the chip.
Yellow paint colour, Cloverdale 7928
But for most wall colours, when it comes to bright hues like yellow, the super happy clean one on the chip is going to be amplified into an obnoxious neon once it occupies all that real estate.
You need to consider the drabber, shyer yellows in the deck. The ones that verge on beige. They will be grayed out with enough of their complement, purple, to be pretty on your walls.
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The soft yellow in this charming office above looks like SW 7681 Tea Light
Bad wall colours, especially yellows, often look clean and happy on a two inch chip, but dreadful on the walls.
It takes some experience to figure out the sweet spot between clean and dirty, but you can get an idea by plunking the chip down on some of your fabrics and finishes. If it really jumps out at you, it’s probably too saturated and clean. If it sits happily back with the other colours, it’s worth a test.
A current way to use yellow is to go bold, which works well if you have lots of white and some black like this gorgeous kitchen below.
Kitchen by Mick de Guilio via House Beautiful
But even a bold yellow needs to be toned down quite a bit to look good. This kitchen is painted Stuart Gold HC 10 by Benjamin Moore.
BM Stuart Gold HC 10
If you do make a mistake, and want to tone down a bright screaming ‘laundry room’ yellow, add some purple to it. Or better yet, take your gallon back to the paint store and ask that they ‘tone it down’ for you.
So don’t worry, if you’ve picked a yellow that’s too clean, you can always muddy it or add some orange if it’s too green. It’s going backwards (making it cleaner) that you cannot do without adding a lot of white paint to an existing colour–which I don’t recommend, because who knows what you’ll end up with, at that point, it’s better to start with a fresh gallon of paint.
By the way, a common mistake is to choose a paler version of a too clean colour in an effort to tone it down. Often this ends up looking not only too clean, but also too light and bright, when dirtier would have worked perfectly. You might not to even recognize the right yellow in the deck as being “yellow” at all.
If you are looking for a sunny yellow for your walls, you might be tempted by the clean colour on the left, but what would likely work better is the drabber one on the right. Here it is in a room below.
SW 7684 Concord Buff Room by Pottery Barn
Remember the post I did on colour consulting in a house with a ‘screaming yellow’ bedroom? Well, this is what it looked like (below), sort of like a graphic construction road sign.
Yayoi Kusama for Louis Vuitton
You certainly don’t need the lights on with this kind of yellow. If the yellow above got toned down, then it could work on an exterior like the one below:
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It was working with my big samples that saved me from having to learn how to mix paint colour at the job site. An 11″ x 14″ paint sample is a perfect size for you and your client to see that the perfect, toned down yellow you have just specified is exactly right. I have a few current yellows in my VIP collection of large samples boards available here.
Picking a good yellow is like a right of passage for a designer or colour consultant. But you can sail over years of trial and error if you learn my system.
Have you ever regretted picking a screaming yellow?
I’m so excited for all the inspiration to be had at High Point this weekend! What do you think, will we be seeing more yellow in the coming year?
I wore my signature yellow yesterday during my talk at the Alden Parks Showroom “The 5 Mistakes You’re Making Right Now with Your Clients”, to a standing room only crowd! Thanks to all of you who came to hear me speak!
Follow me on Instagram and my Stories to see all the latest trends here this weekend!
Get a head start on learning how to specify colour with my eBooks here.
The only way to choose the right colour every time is to combine my system of understanding undertones with the most indispensable colour tool available. You can purchase your own set of my curated large colour board collections here.
If you would like to transform the way you see colour, become a True Colour Expert.
Here’s my fabulous group of True Colour Experts from Boca Raton last week!
There’s still time to jump into Nashville which starts Wednesday here. See the rest of my Spring dates here.