Maximum quality from a cotton stock and the finished textile yarns are dependent upon treatments and methods of processing. Seed separation, mechanical cleaning, and other processes subject cotton to stresses which may cause damaged and short fibers. Modern processing techniques use heat to enhance cleaning and seed separation from cotton. A study is being conducted to examine the effects of heating temperatures and exposure times on cottons differing in levels of cotton micronaire (maturity) from several major growth areas.

Colorimetric measurements of laboratory heated cottons resulted in measurable differences in yellowness (+b) values at short heating exposure times. As maturity (micronaire level) decreased, the effect of heating on yellowness became more pronounced.

Sinking test (wetting) results imply that heating alters the surface characteristics of cotton. These surface changes could be related to the processibility of the cotton.