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Textile Advances Enhance Cotton Markets

While HVI (High-Volume Instrumentation) and AFIS (Advanced Fiber Information System) have opened access to mills, growers can also thank USDA's Southern Regional Research Center (SRRC) in New Orleans, Louisiana, for cotton's market. In the 1960's, competition from artificial fibers was causing some forecasters to write cotton's obituary. Consumers wanted the convenience of wash-and-wear fabrics, and they worried about buying weak or flammable materials.

SRRC scientists responded with innovations such as durable-press and flame-retardant treatments for cotton fabric. They also developed weather-resistant cottons for military and outdoor use, along with stretch cotton fabrics. In addition, SRRC scientists found ways to reduce the amount of formaldehyde in fabric finishes, providing a more pleasant product for consumers and a cleaner environment for mill and garment workers.

The bottom line: Increased consumer demand meant increased sales. USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that Louisiana growers planted about 1.1 million acres in cotton in 1995—a 21-percent increase over the previous growing season.

When demand rises and growers sell more cotton, more money flows into rural economies.

Says Lamesa, Texas, grower David M. Nix, "If our growers get an extra cent per pound, it means $1 million more for the community as a whole."

Another recent example of new SRRC research is an antibacterial finish on fabric that adapts to temperature change. Textile chemist Ty L. Vigo developed a cotton treatment with chemicals known as PEGS (polyethylene glycols). These cause fabrics to absorb heat in higher temperatures and release it when temperatures cool. It is already used in socks, gloves, and slippers.

"What you've got in Vigo's work is extremely interesting," says Edward L. Patton, senior sales representative for BASF, a global chemical company. "It gives cotton properties that don't occur naturally. The fabric is not only temperature responsive, but can be made super-absorbent as well. There's lots of potential here." -- By Jill Lee, ARS.

USDA-ARS Southern Regional Research Center, 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70179.