Although naturally colored cotton is not new, it remains largely unknown. It is grown in small quantities in the United States and several other countries, but struggles to maintain a tiny market share among common white varieties. Its use in conventional textiles has been restricted to some degree because its fibers are generally short and weak. However, the brown naturally colored cotton fibers offer some distinct advantages for certain nonwoven consumer applications. The fibers are soft and attractive, do not require dyeing, and are inherently more flame resistant than white cotton. Needlepunched nonwoven fabrics are produced easily from a fairly short staple, naturally pigmented, brown cotton. This study compares needlepunched nonwovens made from white and brown colored cottons with and without scrim reinforcements. Fiber and fabric properties are reported, including tests for weight, thickness, strength, stiffness, air permeability, insulation properties and flammability. The pure brown cotton nonwovens are substantially weaker than pure white cotton nonwovens, but the strength and other performance properties are dramatically improved with suitable scrim reinforcement. The naturally pigmented fibers prove to be suitable for use in needlepunched nonwoven fabrics, and demonstrate particular promise for utilization in consumer blankets. Additional studies are planned to use other materials and methods to further enhance the strength and other functional properties of the resulting nonwoven products.