1. Importance of Producing Mature Cotton Fibers
Eric F. Hequet and Noureddine Abidi
Plant and Soil Science Department
International Textile Center
Texas Tech University
Funded by Cotton Incorporated and TDA-FFR
January 10th, 2008

2. 1997 Cotton Sales (millions)
11.3
7.5
Domestic
Foreign

3. 2007 Est. Cotton Sales (millions)
9.8
16.2
5.5
Domestic
Foreign

4. Cotton production

5. Cotton consumption

6. Number of spindles 1984 1994 2004 Rotor US China 300,000 100,000
1,008,000
550,000
569,000
1,160,000
Ring
14,330,000
22,000,000
6,261,000
41,585,000
1,602,000
67,000,000
Source ITMF

7. Share of U.S. Apparel Sales by Manufacturing Source

8. Background
Increased reliance on the export market will require U.S. cotton to compete in terms of both price and quality with foreign crops.

9. Base level U.S.A. International Staple Tenacity Micronaire UI% Color
Leaf 34 26
80-82 41 4 35 28
82-83 31 3

10. Importance of fiber maturity measurements
Situation in Texas

11. Background Texas is the largest cotton producer in the nation.
44.6%
* estimate

12. Background
For the entire state of Texas, the percentages of the production at or above the international base for length (staple 35) are:
* As of 01/03/08

13. Premiums & discounts for cotton
41 - Leaf 1-2 (Jan. 03, 2008)

14. Micronaire distribution
Staple length = 34 or higher

15. Strength distribution
Staple length = 34 or higher

16. Micronaire Lubbock Classing Office

17. - Micronaire - Neps - Short Fiber Content
Importance of fiber maturity measurements
- Micronaire - Neps - Short Fiber Content

18. Micronaire vs. Maturity and Fineness
Importance of fiber maturity measurements
Micronaire vs. Maturity and Fineness

19. Typical cotton fiber cross-sections

20. Bivariate distributions
Perimeter and theta for 2 cottons having the same
micronaire (4.28)
Perimeter
Perimeter

21. Bivariate distributions
Perimeter and theta for 2 cottons having the same
micronaire (3.38)
Perimeter
Perimeter

22. Relationship MR-H-Mic -Diameter
Micronaire reading
Fiber Diameter
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

23. What is a fiber nep?
A small knot of entangled fibers that usually will not straighten to a parallel position during carding or drafting

24. Fiber nep

25. SEM of a yarn nep

26. Why is it important? Fiber neps result in yarn neps.
Yarn neps result in fabric defects.

27. Yarn neps RS 40Ne vs. Fiber neps

28. 100% cotton fabric (same variety, same field)
Mature cotton
Immature cotton

29. What is the Short Fiber Content?
Percentage, by weight, of fibers ½ inch in length or shorter.
Percentage, by number, of fibers ½ inch in length or shorter.

30. Sutter-Webb
Long staple
Short staple

31. Sample 15110: Length distribution by number (SFC(n) = 3. 1%, UQL = 1
Hand ginning - mature

32. Sample 15110: Length distribution by weight (SFC(w) = 0. 8%, UQL = 1
Hand ginning - mature

33. Sample 15277: Length distribution by number (SFC(n) = 18. 2%, UQL = 1
Hand ginning - immature

34. Sample 15277: Length distribution by weight (SFC(w) = 5. 3%, UQL = 1
Hand ginning - immature

35. Sample 2403: Length distribution by number (Maturity ratio = 0.87)

36. Sample 1103: Length distribution by number (Maturity ratio = 1.04)

37. Short Fiber content (w) vs. Maturity

38. Why is it important?
Higher SFC% results in higher loss at the carding machine.
Higher SFC% results in more yarn defects and productivity loss.
More yarn defects result in more fabric defects.

39. Combing noils vs. Short fiber content (w)

40. Fiber vs. Yarn: An example
Importance of fiber maturity measurements
Fiber vs. Yarn: An example

41. Micronaire, Maturity and Hs

42. Length parameters

43. Strength

44. Elongation

45. AFIS Neps

46. Ring spun yarn carded 22Ne: CV%

47. RS yarn 22Ne: Imperfections

48. RS yarn 22Ne: Tensile properties

49. Ring spun yarn carded 22Ne: Hairiness

50. Ring spun yarn carded 22Ne: K/S

51. Rotor spun yarn carded 22Ne: CV%

52. Rotor yarn 22Ne: Imperfections

53. Rotor yarn 22Ne: Tensile properties

54. Rotor spun yarn carded 22Ne: Hairiness

55. Fiber vs. Yarn: Another example
Importance of fiber maturity measurements
Fiber vs. Yarn: Another example

56. Protocol 12 bales Combing (about 17% noils)
Fiber testing raw cotton, card and DII slivers
Ring spinning (32Ne to 76Ne)
Fiber cross-sections for maturity and perimeter
For all yarns, ten bobbins tested on:
UT3
Tensorapid
Skein test

57. AFIS SFC(w) vs. Maturity Ratio:
Raw cotton

58. AFIS SFC(w) vs. Maturity Ratio:
DII combed slivers

59. Evolution of the coefficient of correlation between
MR in the DII slivers and the yarn CV%

60. Evolution of the coefficient of correlation between
SFC(w) in the DII slivers and the yarn CV%

61. Evolution of the coefficient of correlation between
MR in the DII slivers and the yarn Thin places

62. Evolution of the coefficient of correlation between
SFC(w) in the DII slivers and the yarn Thin places

63. Conclusions
Length distribution is of the utmost importance for good spinning performances.
Length distribution is related to individual fiber strength, therefore to fineness and maturity.

64. Conclusions
To get the most of longer cotton varieties adjustments in agricultural practices, harvesting and ginning methods are probably necessary.