Cotton

 A cotton is a great fabric choice for re-upholstery, scatters, loose covers, curtains and blinds. It’s long lasting, washable plus it’s renewable, making it an excellent choice for a sustainable fabric. It’s simply produced, owing to the way the fibres are spun to construct the fabric. It’s also hard wearing and strong as well as being wonderfully soft.

What is a Cotton?

Cotton is a natural fabric deriving from the cotton plant, Gossypium. The cotton emerges in a round, fluffy formation once the seeds are mature. The cotton plant is found around the world including in African countries, India and the Americas.

Cotton is one of the most common textiles produced. Generally speaking there are four types of cotton – Pima cotton, which is considered the finest cotton in the world as it is resistant to tearing and wrinkling. Upland cotton, which makes for around 90% of the worlds cotton. Egyptian cotton, not dissimilar to Pima cotton, and Organic cotton, which as the name suggests is produced without the use of chemicals.

How is Cotton produced?

The cotton fibres are spun to create threads which are then twisted together. The result is a thread that can be woven into cotton fabric. As a general rule, the longer the cotton threads, the better the quality of  fabric will be produced.

How do you care for your Cotton?

 As a flat weave fabric, regular vacuuming will help extend the life of your cotton, although do test on an unseen piece of fabric in the first instance.

Many cottons are both wipeable and machine washable, but check the instructions of your chosen cloth before starting any cleaning as the exact cleaning instructions will depend on the composition i.e. is it a cotton mix? Some cottons will be mixed with more delicate fibres, such as silks, and cotton does have a tendency to shrink when washed. It is therefore important to understand the full make up of your cotton fabric as this will dictate how it will need to be cared for.