What to do with cotton?

COTTON: THE BASIS OF OUR WORKWEAR

Cotton forms the basis of many of our products work clothes and corporate clothing. Tricorp only uses combed cotton in its hair collection. In this article you can read what combed cotton is and other valuable facts and properties of this popular basic material for clothing and workwear.

WHAT IS COTTON?

Cotton is the pulp of the cotton plant. The fruit of the cotton plant bursts open when ripe. This makes a dot of cotton visible: the pappus. The cotton fibers are two to five centimeters long and are spun into yarns.

COMBED COTTON: DURABLE AND HIGH QUALITY

Combed cotton has a higher quality than uncombed cotton. The cotton is combed before spinning: the shortest and most vulnerable yarns are removed. The result is cotton with higher quality and more durability. Tricorp therefore only uses combed cotton.

THE COTTON PLANT

Various cotton plants are used for the production of cotton. The hairy cotton (gossypium hirsutum) is used for 90 percent of world production.

CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES OF COTTON

Cotton is a flat, twisted fiber and therefore has little shine. This makes the fibers stiff and hold each other well in a yarn. The cotton fiber is surrounded by a thin wax layer: the cuticle. This makes the fiber rough and water-repellent. Bleaching and coloring the cotton is therefore not possible without processing the cotton.

Cotton is widely used in the clothing industry because of its breathability and ability to absorb moisture. This ensures that perspiration is properly removed. The wearing comfort and durability make cotton a popular material for clothing and workwear.

INCREASINGLY POPULAR CLOTHING MATERIAL

Cotton has become popular not only because of its properties and new production methods. Cotton was also a popular product in the trade. Cotton only loses 10 percent of its raw weight during processing, which also makes cotton a popular commodity.

THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF COTTON

The cotton is processed into yarns for producing clothing. The cotton fiber is surrounded by a thin wax layer: the cuticle. The cotton cannot be bleached or dyed without the cuticle to remove. The cuticle is removed by boiling the yarns or fabrics in a solution of soda or sodium hydroxide. The process is called boiling or boiling off. The cotton can then be bleached or dyed. Combed cotton is combed before spinning the yarns.

THE HISTORY OF COTTON

Cotton has a rich history. Cotton was also used in ancient Egypt. Cotton production changed with the British Industrial Revolution and the invention of the Spinning Jenny (1764). The invention of the cotton gin (1793) made it possible to separate the cotton fibers from the seed pods by machine. This made the production of cotton products a lot cheaper.

COTTON WORKWEAR FROM TRICORP

Tricorp gratefully uses the positive properties of cotton in its work clothing. The durable material is used to produce breathable work clothing that is perfectly able to absorb moisture. Looking for breathable work clothing? Then take a look at our CoolDry collection. CoolDry has properties that help keep body temperature constant. If you have any questions, you can always contact us Tricorp employees!