Cotton Flashcards
Fabrics are ……….worn in our warm climate?
Popular garments
Where is cotton grown
In many parts of the world (fields and up to a meter high)
What colors are the cotton flowers
Pink and cream
What happens once the flowers have pollinated and fall off
They leave a pod which is called a Boll
How many seeds do each boll contain
28 to 32 seeds and the fibres grow off the seeds.
What happens once the bolls have ripened
they burst open showing a mass of fluffy white fibres. When all the bolls have burst open and are dry it is time to pick the cotton.
Cotton used to be picked by hand but nowadays what is used?
harvesters are used to pick the cotton. In doing so bits of dry pods, sticks and other rubbish are collected
What happens while the harvesters collect the cotton?
the cotton is packed into modules and loaded onto trucks and sent to be ginned.
What is ginning.
(Factory is called a ginnery)
is a process where the cotton is separated from the seed (remember the cotton fibres grow off the seeds) then it is pressed into large rectangular bales.
How much does each bale weigh?
227 kilograms
What happens after being packed into rectangular bales?
It is then shipped to overseas markets to be spun, dyed and knitted or woven into fabrics.
What happens to the leftover seeds?
waste. They are crushed and cotton seed oil is extracted which is used in cooking and making mayonnaise and the pulp that is left is put into cattle feed.
What type of things are made out of cotton?
❖ T-shirts ❖ Denim jeans ❖ Pyjamas ❖ Bed sheets ❖ Bath Towels ❖ Kitchen Towels
Why are cotton fabrics so popular.
❖ They are comfortable to wear ❖ They are soft against the skin ❖ They are very absorbent ❖ They are very strong ❖ They are easy to wash ❖ They are inexpensive
