Cotton   (Fiber) Specification                     Summary by: VIC 12-20-2002,  (rev.0 2-14-02)
1. Cotton Fiber    2. Non Cotton Fiber  3. Term   4.Process  5.Class

1.Cotton Fiber:
   Specification... (Classing)

1.Grade: Discounts (Lower), Base, Premiums

              (example: Grade 41 (Strict Low Middling), Staple 34 (1-1/16”))

2.Length:  The average length of cotton fibre after the ginning process.

                            short staple :    less than 25 mm

                            medium staple :    25 to 30 mm

                            long staple :          30 to 37 mm

                            extra long staple :          37mm and above

 

3.Denier: Weight in grams of 9,000 meters of the thread.

4.Micronaire: The size of an individual cotton fiber taken in cross-section.

                        (example 3/5 – 4.9)

5.Strength: Power of the fibre to sustain the application of force (as applied in spinning)     

                   without breaking.    Pressley = measurement of fibre strength.

6.Elongation:

7.Uniformity: The degree to which the fibres in a sample are uniform based on the ration  

                       of mean length to the upper half mean length. Given as a percentage %.

8.Handle: (Feel) roughness, smoothness, pliability, thickness.

9.Color: degree of Whiteness (30 Standard colour grades), bleached cotton Linters

10. Cleaness:

11.Contamination: Wet, Dirt, Weather, Foreign Matter, Motes/Seed Coat/Nep.

                              Trash content (the “Leaf” content of ginned cotton lint… 8 grades.)

12.Species: Upland (medium staple length, 90% cotton production.) ,

                   Pima (long, extra long staple cotton, 10% cotton production.)

Ginning Process: for cleaning, blending, removal of foreign material.

 first ginning process, 2nd ginning process  (or 3rd ginning process..called reginned cotton)


Tex (grams per kilometre): A direct decimal count system for describing the

Linear density (mass per unit length): of fibres, filaments and yarns. The lower the number, the finer the thread


Single : Describes the ply of yarn. A single is the most popular ply and means ,

             raw cotton twisted into a single thread.

Yarn number:  cotton yarn is measured by yarn number, based on how many hanks

       (840 yards) there are in 1 lb of yarn. The higher the number the finer the thread.   

Specification of Raw Cotton (sample only)...
1. Grade Box II
2. Staple 1-1/32"
3. Micron Area 3.5 to 3.6
4. Presly 85
5. Trash 7% to 8%
6. Available stock 300 bales  each  ____kgs, _____ lbs.

                                                                                   
2.non-Cotton Fiber:

Acrylic Fibre:     Generic name for a synthetic fibre consisting of at least

                           85% of  acrylonitrile units.

Polyester Fibre:  Generic name for a synthetic fibre made from PET.

Synthetic Fibres: Fibres or filaments produced from polymers. Not naturally occurring.

Rayon Fibre:       A man-made fibre made from regenerated cellulose.

Viscose Fibre:     A man-made fibre spun from regenerated cellulosic material.
     (a) ''Cotton'' shall mean a vegetable seed fiber consisting of unicellular hairs attached to the seed of several species
             of the genus Gossypium of the family Malvaceae.
     (b) ''Staple'' shall mean the staple fibrous growth as removed from cottonseed in the usual process of ginning (first cut from seed).
     (c) ''Comber'' shall mean the cotton waste resulting from running card sliver through a combing machine.
     (d) ''Fly'' shall mean the cotton waste resulting when cotton is introduced to the carding machine.
     (e) ''Gin Flues'' shall mean the cotton waste resulting from staple cotton in the ginning mill.
     (f) ''Picker'' shall mean the cotton waste remaining after cotton has been run through the picker in the cotton mill.
     (g) ''Strips'' shall mean the cotton waste produced by or removed from the carding cloth following the carding process.
     (h)''Linters'' shall mean the fibrous growth resulting from the first cut of the cottonseed
           (subsequent to the usual first process of ginning) in the cotton oil mill.
     (i) ''Second Cut Linters'' shall mean the fibrous growth resulting from the second cut of cottonseed in the cotton oil mill.
Recycled Fibers'' shall mean new fibers which are the by-product resulting from a textile processing method.
Recycled cotton... We are committed to the environment, social responsibility and quality apparel. Resources and Landfills - Up to 40% of cotton is wasted between the harvesting and manufacturing of garments. Much of this cotton waste becomes solid waste in our ever expanding landfills. By recycling we conserve landfill space and the precious resources used in cotton production: land, water, energy, and person-hours.
Process
Raw Cotton: Cotton prior to ginning, also known as Seed Cotton (Cotton isn its natural states with lint attached to the seed.)
Module (pad): After harvesting, the cotton is tipped into module builders which pack the cotton into modules which resemble large loaves of bread. The modules are covered with tarpaulins to protect the cotton against adverse weather conditions. Modules are stored on the farms, ready for transportation to the gin. Each Module weighs 12-13 tonnes and yields approximately 20 bales of cotton.
Cotton Ginning: Processing of the modules of Seed Cotton to clean bales of Cotton Lint sold for future manufacturing. Ginning Separates the cotton fibres from the cotton seed & combs the finished fibers. A series of drying & cleaning processes use hot air to remove leaf trash, dirt & excess moisture before the fibre is separated from the seed.
Bale (Running Bale RB): Nominal 227kg (500lbs.) of processed and packed cotton lint ready for transportation to mills. (sometime... 480 lbs.)
Spinning: Converts the Cotton Fibre into Yarn which is then transformed into Fabric by either Knitting or Weaving.

Classing: Cotton is classed by examining the characteristics: Grade, Staple, Strength, & Micronaire.
Grade: There are different Grade of cotton, based on the Colour of the fiber, its Trash content, its basic Aappearance and Staple Length. Cotton is classed agains International Standards.
Testing Technology: 1 HVI, 2. Papid Conditioner, 3. Rapid Tester (automated cotton classing machines )
Testing Category:
1. Length (Fibre): Fibre length can vary between 1" - 1-3/16". Variety & growing conditions will determine actual fibre length.
2. Uniformity.
3. Strength: The measure of force needed to break a sample of fibre.
4. Fineness.
Code Code: (USDA)
Commodity Code (USDA)
 Country Code (USDA)
1301... American Pima, Raw, Extra Long Staple
1401... Upland - Raw, Staple Length 1-1/16 and over
1402... Upland - Raw, Staple Length 1-1/16 and 1"
1403... Upland - Raw, Staple Length 1" and under
5700   China
 5880   Japan
5830   Taiwan
 5800   Korea
5820   Hong kong
 5330   India