The wonders of history

In the fourteenth century, nothern Europens, noting the similarities between cotton bolls (raw cotton) and wool, felt certain that cotton was produced by a plant-borne sheep. "There grew there [India] a wonderful tree which bore tiny lambs on the ends of it's branches."

Luckily since then we've learned a lot more about cotton.

Quote and drawing by John Mandeville 1350.

Properties of Cotton

Cotton is a natural fibre that has many wonderful characteristics. 

1. Cotton is hypo-alergenic, meaning it doesn't cause allergies.
2. Cotton is a good conductor of heat, meaning it's comfortable to wear in summer.
3. Cotton absorbs moisture easily which is why it's also used for toweling.
4. Cotton is a long lasting fabric if looked after and washing instructions are followed.
5. Stains can be easily removed from cotton.
6. Cotton is very soft to the touch, unlike many man-made fabrics.
7. Cotton is strong and durable and therefore maintains its shape well.

Cotton Production

Cotton is grown mainly in sub-tropical regions between latitudes 45 degrees north and 30 degrees south. More than 100 countries grow cotton commercially.

There are five prominent types of commercially grown cotton - Egyptian, Sea Island, American Pima, Asiatic and Upland.

A cotton plant ready for picking

The cotton bush produces bolls, the seedpods containing the precious white fibres that are processed into cotton fabrics. These bolls are picked and put through a process called ginning which strips the lint from the seed and cleans the lint of any foreign material. The lint is then spun into yarns which are in turn woven into cloth.

Warp and Weft

In its most simple sense, the warp and weft yarns are woven together in a simple under and over pattern to create a fabric. This is also called a basket weave.

The Warp is the main yarn that you can think of as running North-South. The Weft is the yarn that is woven between the Warp yarns. You can think of these as running East-West. 

Different patterns and styles of fabric can be created by varying the under and over formation of the weft through the warp.

Click here for more on fabric types.

Two-ply Cotton

Two-ply, also known as 'two-fold' or 'double twist' refers to two threads being twisted together to form one yarn before being woven into a fabric.

Two ply cottons are considered superior to single-ply due to their improved strength and durability therefore producing longer wearing garments.

Egyptian and Sea Island Cotton

Egyptian and Sea Island cottons are often described as the highest quality cottons, due to the traditionally longer staple length (the length of the fibre) of cottons historically grown in these regions. Nowadays however this is less straightforward as different varieties of cotton are grown in different countries.

Finished fabric quality is related to not only the staple length but also the processing, dyeing and weaving of the finished fabric. As a result, Egyptian and Sea Island cotton fabrics are not of themselves the highest quality.

All Jack Bootle fabrics are of the highest quality, so if in doubt we recommend going by look and feel.