How Cotton is Processed in Factories | How It’s Made

Summary

The script explores the journey of cotton from its mysterious origins to the modern textile industry. It details the growth, harvesting by cotton pickers, and the transformation of cotton into bales through a series of automated processes at the cotton gin. The cotton seed's uses as livestock feed and oil are highlighted, concluding with the lint's grading by the USDA for quality assurance.

Takeaways

• 🌱 The origins of the cotton plant are unknown, with the oldest cotton cloth found by archaeologists being over 7,000 years old.
• ⏳ Cotton fiber processing was traditionally done by hand for centuries until the invention of the first automated machine in the early 18th century.
• 🌾 Cotton takes approximately five months to grow from a planted seed to a ripe plant ready for harvest.
• 🚜 The cotton harvesting process involves a machine called a cotton picker, which collects the fluffy seed cotton and leaves behind burrs and sticks.
• 📦 After harvesting, cotton is built into a large rectangular block called a module, which is then transported to a processing plant known as a cotton gin.
• 🛠️ At the processing plant, the cotton undergoes cleaning to remove sticks, burrs, debris, and seeds, facilitated by machines like the Hot Box and Wad Buster.
• 🔄 The cotton is divided and processed through a series of machines, including the Steady Flow and Burr Machine, to separate heavier debris from the seed cotton.
• 🌀 The Gin Stand is a crucial machine that separates the seed from the lint, using circular saws and steel ribs to pull the lint through narrow gaps.
• 🐄 Cotton seed has various uses, including as livestock feed, particularly for dairy cows, and is also milled into cotton seed oil for cooking.
• 📦 The lint, once processed, is formed into bales, compacted, and wrapped, then weighed and tagged for identification.
• 🔬 Each bale's sample is sent to the USDA for analysis on fiber length, cleanliness, color, and other criteria, determining the bale's grade and subsequent processing.

Q & A

What is the origin of the cotton plant?

The exact origins of the cotton plant are unknown, although pieces of cotton cloth over 7,000 years old have been discovered by archaeologists.

How was cotton fiber traditionally processed before the 18th century?

Cotton fiber was traditionally processed by hand until the early 18th century when the first automated processing machine was invented.

What is the journey of cotton from field to bale?

Cotton makes the journey from field to bale before arriving at the textile mill to be spun into thread and woven into fabric.

How long does it take for cotton to grow from a planted seed to a ripe plant?

Cotton takes about five months to grow from a planted seed to a ripe plant.

What is the purpose of a cotton picker machine?

A cotton picker machine plucks fluffy seed cotton out of the plant's boll, leaving behind a trail of burrs and sticks.

How is the harvested cotton transported to the processing plant?

The harvested cotton is built into a huge rectangular block called a module, which is then transported to the processing plant by truck.

What is the primary function of a cotton gin?

A cotton gin is the processing plant where sticks, burrs, debris, and seeds are removed from the cotton.

What is the role of the hot box in the cotton processing?

The hot box mixes the seed cotton with hot air to evaporate moisture, making the seed cotton easier to clean.

What is the purpose of the Wad Buster in the cotton processing line?

The Wad Buster breaks up clumps of seed cotton by tossing it against a screen, allowing loose debris to fall through the screen openings.

How does the cotton seed differ from the lint in the processing?

The cotton seed is separated from the lint by the gin stand, which has circular saws that pull the lint through narrow gaps, while the larger seeds drop into a conveyor.

What are the uses of cotton seed after the lint is separated?

Cotton seed is sold as livestock feed, particularly for dairy cows, and is also milled into cotton seed oil, which is used in salad dressings and mayonnaise.

What is the final form of cotton lint before it is sent for further processing?

The cotton lint is formed into bales, which are compacted and tie-wrapped after reaching 500 pounds of cotton lint in a bale-shaped box.

How is the quality of the cotton bale determined?

The quality of the cotton bale is determined by submitting a sample to the United States Department of Agriculture for analysis of fiber length, cleanliness, color, and other criteria.