There are four commercially grown species of cotton, all domesticated in antiquity:
• Gossypium hirsutum – upland cotton, native to Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and … See more

Successful cultivation of cotton requires a long frost-free period, plenty of sunshine, and a moderate rainfall, usually from 50 to 100 cm (19.5 to 39.5 in). Soils usually need to be fairly heavy, although the level of nutrients does not need to be exceptional. In … See more

The era of manufactured fibers began with the development of rayon in France in the 1890s. Rayon is derived from a natural cellulose and cannot … See more

The word "cotton" has Arabic origins, derived from the Arabic word قطن (qutn or qutun). This was the usual word for cotton in See more

Early history
South Asia
The earliest evidence of the use of cotton in the Old World, dated to 5500 BC and preserved in copper … See more

Most cotton in the United States, Europe and Australia is harvested mechanically, either by a cotton picker, a machine that removes the cotton from the boll without damaging the cotton … See more

High water and pesticide use in cotton cultivation has prompted sustainability concerns and created a market for natural fiber alternatives. Other cellulose fibers, such as See more