- Cotton is non-allergenic since it doesn’t irritate sensitive skin or cause allergies
- Cotton’s softness makes it a preferred fabric for underwear and other garments worn next to the skin
- Cotton’s adaptability allows it to blend easily with most other fibres including synthetics such as polyester and lycra
- Cotton is one of the easiest fabrics to dye, making it very popular with fashion and homeware designers
- The three basic cotton weaves are: Plain (gingham, percales, chambray, batistes and many other fabrics), Twill (denim, gabardine, herringbone and ticking) and Satin (cotton sateen)
- Cotton can be given a coating or a finish. For example, cotton used in fire fighting uniforms is coated and finished with Proban®, a flame-retardant chemical treatment
- Durable press (sometimes called permanent press) is a finishing treatment used in cotton garments to eliminate creasing and reduce the need to iron. It retains specific contours such as creases and pleats to be resistant to normal usage, washing or dry cleaning
- Cotton has a high absorbency rate and holds up to 27 times its own weight in water
- Cotton also becomes stronger when wet
- Cotton’s strength and absorbency levels make it an ideal fabric for medical and personal hygiene products such as bandages and swabs
- Terry cloth is a cotton fabric used to make common items such as towels. It can be safely washed in very hot water and with strong bleach and/or detergent
- Cotton keeps the body cool in summer and warm in winter because it is a good conductor of heat
- Cotton is often used in the manufacture of curtains, tents and tarpaulins as it is not easily damaged by sunlight
- Cotton breathes easily as a result of its unique fibre structure. This attribute makes cotton more comfortable to wear than artificial fibres unable to provide similar ventilation
- Unlike synthetic fibres, cotton is a natural product and contains no chemicals
