This study determined the relationship between the force required to compress cotton with a standard platen as compared with platens that had six or eight raised compressive inserts, either 1-inch, 1½ -inches, or 2-inches wide across the width of the platen. The experimental platen inserts were installed on top of the standard bottom platen. Twenty-two bales of Suregrow-125 cotton were ginned using a dryer, cylinder cleaner, stick machine, dryer, cylinder cleaner, and two stages of lint cleaning at about five bales per hour. Bales weighing about 500 pounds each were compressed at about 5% moisture content to about 40 pounds per cubic foot density. Seven platen types (6-tie, 1-inch wide; 6-tie, 2-inches wide; 6-tie, 1½ -inches wide; 8-tie, 1-inch wide; 8-tie, 1½ -inches wide; 8-tie, 2-inches wide; and standard) were evaluated. Least square means for compressive forces (adjusted for bale weight and lint moisture) ranged from 854,021 pounds for the standard platen to 685,197 pounds for the 6-tie pattern with 1½-inch compression inserts. The 6-tie, 1½-inch wide inserts installed on one of the two opposing platens required about 21% less force to achieve the same compression density as the standard platen. The 1½-inch wide inserts are suitable for use with the 3/4-inch-wide traditional strapping that is in use in the industry today, and the 1-inch wide inserts are suitable for use with wire ties.