Report compiled for the 2006 Paris International Agricultural Fair
All you need to know about cotton
What you need to know
Cotton is a plant fibre that has been woven for almost 8 000 years. Cotton fibre comes from the seeds of a bushy plant.
Cotton belongs to the family Malvaceae, which contains around 1 500 species including mallow, hibiscus and cocoa.
Cotton grows on every continent, as there are many varieties suited to a range of climates, and many ways of growing it.
Cotton plants may bear buds, flowers and fruits (known as "bolls") at the same time. Once ripe, the bolls split to reveal a small white ball: cotton.
Cotton plants face numerous enemies as they grow.
Cotton may be harvested by hand or mechanically. The raw product is know as seed cotton, which is ginned to separate the fibre from the seeds.
The fibre is spun to make yarn and woven to make fabric. The seeds provide oil and presscake.