Sourcing & Manufacturing

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U.S. Cotton Suppliers

Get connected with U.S. cotton yarn spinners, knit and woven fabric mills, dyers and finishers, printers, and cut & sew manufacturers.

Cotton Traceability Basics

Cotton Traceability Basics

Understand cotton, cotton trade, and manufacturing practices that can affect sourcing and traceability.

Weaving Shuttles

Weaving Basics

Get a high-level look at the basics of weaving, including its history and the basic actions of interlacing yarn to form a woven textile.

Designing Wovens

Preparation for Weaving

Take a look at what goes into designing woven textiles, from conception to creation, including technical design and design implications.

U.S. Cotton Traceability

U.S. Cotton Traceability

Learn what makes U.S. cotton stand out from the rest with 100% traceability.

Cotton Trade & Sourcing

Trade Patterns for Sourcing Cotton

Where is cotton grown? Learn about the global import and export of cotton.

Knit Basics

What are the basics of knitting? Learn the different elements of the knit structure and about the two systems of knitting: weft and warp.

Plain Weave

Basic Woven Fabric Designs

The plain weave is the oldest, simplest, and most often used woven structure. Learn more about plain weaves and plain weave variations.

Jacquard Weave

Complex Woven Fabric Designs

Jacquard is a patterned fabric produced on a weaving loom. Learn more about the jacquard weave.

Yarn Manufacturing: Cleaning & Carding

Fiber Preparation for Spinning

Explore the first steps in yarn spinning: opening and cleaning.

Cotton Creates Sustainable Denim that Consumers Love

What happens when your favorite cotton shirt finally reaches the end of its functional life? Explore this natural fiber's afterlife.

Natural vs. Synthetic Fibers

Natural vs. Synthetic Fibers

Whether you work in agriculture, fashion or manufacturing, knowing cotton fiber is the right choice isn’t always enough. Get the science.

Traceability Technology

Cotton Traceability Technology

Learn how to evaluate technological solutions that are beneficial to the manufacturing and sourcing of cotton.

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E-Book: Classification & Tariff Engineering

Download the full e-book, Customs and International Trade Strategy: Classification & Tariff Engineering.

Free Trade Agreement Programs E-Book

E-Book: Free Trade Agreement Programs

Download the full e-book, Free Trade Agreement Programs.

U.S. Cotton Classification

Cotton Fiber Classification

The United States classes 100% of its cotton bales. Learn more about USDA cotton classification.

Cotton Fiber Development & Maturation

Fiber Growth & Development, Harvesting & Ginning

Cotton plant development occurs in specific stages of reproductive growth and cotton plant development must be optimized for ideal fiber production.

USDA Cotton Fiber Classification & Evaluation

Cotton Fiber Quality

Learn about the combination of instrument evaluations and skilled cotton classer assessments used to determine cotton fiber properties.

Engineered Fiber Selection Software (EFS Software)

Engineered Fiber Selection® Software

Cotton buyers and sellers improve cotton logistics, evaluation, optimization, and profitability with the EFS® System Suite of software.

Mechanical Finishing

Mechanical Finishing

The final appearance and serviceability of fabric may be achieved through mechanical means, such as drying, sanding, napping, shearing, and more.

Chemical Finishing

Chemical Finishing

Chemical finishing can affect many qualities of a fabric or garment, through the use of softeners, hand builders, fluorochemicals, resin, and enzymes.

Dyeing Basics

Dyeing Basics

Dyes are highly colored substances that can be applied to a substrate to impart color with some degree of permanence.

Dyeing Preparation

Dyeing Preparation

Proper preparation of cotton fibers, yarns, and fabrics to undergo dyeing is critical and can prevent issues that may occur later on.

Technical & Performance Guide

This technical guide on cotton for nonwovens covers agricultural production, cotton properties and preparation, and cotton morphology and chemistry.

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Category Marketing & Insights

Discover why cotton is the right choice for various nonwoven markets and products.

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Sourcing, Supply Chain & Sustainability

Embark on your cotton supply chain journey. Force connections with sources offering an array of fiber options, nonwoven matierals, and beyond.

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Nonwoven News & Webinars

Catch up on the latest nonwoven news and recordings of past webinars covering key industry topics.

Printing Overview

Cotton Textile Printing Basics

Learn about the history of textile printing and the impact that your choice of fiber, yarn, and fabric has on the final product.

The Lab Dip Process

The lab dipping process is the first step in developing and approving the color of a product.

Advances in Sustainable Dyeing

Sustainable Dyeing

Discover new ways to reduce water, energy, and chemicals during the dyeing process.

Commercial-Ready Samples

Our nonwovens marketing team collaborates with manufacturers to create innovative cotton-rich components for a variety of nonwovens products.

Denim Manufacturing Basics

Denim Basics

Get a large view look at the process behind denim manufacturing—from weaves and weights to non-conventional denim fabrics.

Yarn Numbering

Yarn Ply Counts and Treatments

Yarn numbering is a term used to describe a yarn’s physical size or, more specifically, its linear density.

Yarn Twist & Ply

Yarn Spinning

No matter the spinning system employed, all yarns contain twist to hold the fibers together.

Basics of Yarn Manufacturing

Although the spinning of cotton yarn is said to have originated in India, Egypt claims to be the first to have explored these techniques.

Basics of Sweater Manufacturing

Sweater Manufacturing Basics

Learn about cut and sew, panel knitting, full fashion, and knit-to-wear garments.

Sweater Dyeing & Finishing

Sweater Manufacturing: Dyeing & Finishing

Learn about dyeing, finishing, and steaming/shaping garments.

Denim Weaving Process

Denim Construction

When denim is placed on a loom, a number of elements and manufacturing decisions will determine the final look of the denim.

Sweater Design

Sweater Design

Learn about sweater design, including construction, color consideration, product target, and computer-aided design.

Denim Finishing

Denim is a part of nearly everyone’s wardrobe. Simple or elaborate—fabric finishing is part of virtually every denim garment.

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Quality Assurance Basics

Oil and stain resistance are desirable attributes of fabrics—in the garments we wear to protect us, well, against ourselves!

Garment Manufacturing Garment Construction

Garment Construction

Learn about seams and stitches, t-shirt construction, jean construction, and dress-shirt construction.

Garment Manufacturing Quality Assurance

Garment Quality Control

Learn about fabric quality and systems and inspection.

Sustainable Denim Processing

Denim Sustainability

Brands and consumers are looking for more sustainable options without sacrificing the look and feel that consumers love about their favorite jeans.

Printing Process

Printing Process

Explore the printing process from start to finish. Learn the basics of preparation, printing, drying, fixation, and afterwashing.

Printing Types

Cotton Printing Types & Techniques

Learn about the different types of printing: flatbed screen printing, rotary screen printing, engraved roller printing, and digital inkjet printing.

Sock Knitting Basics

Sock Manufacturing & Inspection

Learn about sock knitting basics, including machine components, the knitting cylinder, the knitting needle cycle, and machine types.

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Quality Testing

Learn about quality testing: fiber, yarn, and fabric.

Designing Knit Textiles

Fancy patterns and stitches add character and functionality to knit fabrics. Learn about designing knitting stripes, jacquards, and flat knits.

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Garment Durability

Learn about quality testing for strength and durability.

Single and Double Knits

With two needle beds, double knits offer different construction textile opportunities. Learn about double knits in warp and weft knitting

Knitting Machinery & Capabilities

Learn about the different types of machines for warp and weft knitting.

shrinkage-basics

Shrinkage & Skewing

Learn about the basics of shrinkage.