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The cotton industry has been exposed to numerous research works that reveal the effects of fiber characteristics on ultimate yarn quality. Needed fiber characteristics have been documented relative to the differing demands of the various spinning and fabrication technologies in use by our industry. There has been a call for longer, stronger, finer, and cleaner cottons with an equal desire for the length to be uniform, the fiber to be mature, and for the cotton to be easy to clean. The desire for improvements in these fiber quality characteristics is appropriate as is a call for a heightened sense of urgency relative to the high cost to yarn spinners, weavers knitters, and finishers caused by ITT support this call for a new urgency in effecting improvements in especially these latter cotton quality characteristics. Longer cottons are desired, but not without greater length uniformity and very low levels of short fiber content, < 4% perhaps. Stronger cottons are preferred, but not without low strength variability. Finer cottons are necessary, but not without fiber maturity. Cleaner cottons are good, but not if the target of 0.10% or less visible trash content in card sliver is difficult to achieve, and not if fiber length and strength properties are impaired. |
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©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN |
Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998
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