Cotton is an organic fiber of plant origin that is widely used. Cotton is obtained from the boll of the plant. Chemically, cotton fiber originates from pure cellulose, which contains cotton wax and a small amount of cotton wool. Properties such as absorbency, wet strength, softness and durability distinguish cotton from other fibers.
Cotton absorbs more moisture than wool. It allows the sweat to evaporate and mix with the air, and at the same time, it gives the clothes a texture that can be worn comfortably, especially in hot conditions. For this reason, it is preferred in underwear and baby clothes.
Cotton fabrics are suitable for washing and wringing in hot water. It can be hung to dry. If it is ironed when it is damp, the crease will be opened faster, and when it is dry, it can be ironed with a hot steam iron.
When synthetics are mixed with cotton fabrics, they are less wrinkled and ironed more easily. Cotton fabrics dry slower when washed than synthetic fabrics such as polyester. This is because natural fibers such as cotton are more absorbent than synthetics and absorb more water. Therefore, their drying is delayed. The trapping of the air inside the cotton gives the cotton fabric an insulating feature.
The amount of air trapped on the cotton side is less than that of wool, and its retention is moderate. It has little flexibility, is strong and durable. Knitted fabrics are very flexible as the loops can move quite easily on knitted surfaces. For this reason, it fits the body very well and hugs it softly. Knitted fabrics have superior properties in terms of handle, softness and drape due to the fact that the loops are mobile.
It does not crease easily and when creased it quickly regenerates. It also gives a very good feeling of warmth due to the air holding feature of the loops. Cotton knits are preferred in underwear since they have the ability to absorb 80% of the moisture in the environment. Raw cotton fiber contains 10-20% oils and waxes, natural compounds, pectins, proteins, minerals and 6-8% water.
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