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Overview

Cotton yarn is a type of yarn produced by processing cotton fibers through a spinning process; depending on the specific spinning technique employed, it can be classified into carded yarn and combed yarn.

Cotton yarn represents the most direct downstream application of raw cotton, with over 90% of all cotton being utilized for spinning.

After undergoing a plying process, cotton yarn is transformed into cotton thread—typically appearing as a spool or ball of yarn—which can subsequently be woven into cotton fabric.

Consequently, the industry's logical progression is as follows: Cotton → Cotton Yarn → Cotton Thread → Cotton Fabric → Textile Products.

Cotton fabrics possess excellent moisture absorption and breathability, capable of absorbing perspiration and moisture emitted by the body to ensure the wearer feels a sense of softness rather than stiffness. They are characterized by superior softness and durability—featuring a supple texture and comfortable tactile feel—and are highly skin-friendly; furthermore, they are resistant to pilling and can withstand repeated washing. Finally, they embody natural and eco-friendly qualities, posing no harm to the human body and making them particularly suitable for direct contact with the skin.

Although textile fibers are diverse—encompassing natural fibers (cotton, wool, silk, and linen) and chemical fibers (manufactured, synthetic, and inorganic fibers)—cotton fibers continue to occupy an irreplaceable position within the industry.

History & Current Status

Since ancient times, human life has been closely intertwined with various fibers.

Between 50,000 and 100,000 years ago, as body hair receded, humans began utilizing natural materials—such as animal hides, tree bark, and grass leaves—to cover their bodies and retain warmth. By 10,000 years ago, humans were capable of directly utilizing sheep's wool. By 2640 BC, during the Shang Dynasty, the practice of sericulture and the production of silk were already established, indicating that silk garments were in use at that time. The origins of hemp clothing can be traced back to the pre-Qin period; during this era, hemp garments served as everyday attire for the nobility, high officials, and scholars—worn during private life rather than at court assemblies—and also functioned as mourning dress, while the common people of the time wore clothing woven from coarse hemp and animal hair. During my country's Northern and Southern Dynasties, cotton-padded jackets (*ao*) began to appear; by the Ming and Qing Dynasties, cotton fabric had become widely available, and cotton clothing emerged as the primary form of cold-weather attire for the general public.

Compared to the long history of natural fibers, the history of chemical fibers is still quite brief.

Chemical fibers emerged alongside humanity's large-scale extraction and utilization of coal and petroleum. In contrast to natural fibers, chemical fibers are characterized by their strength and durability, wrinkle resistance (often requiring no ironing), and suitability for large-scale industrial production—without the need to occupy land, entail time-consuming and labor-intensive processing, or face the limitations of finite yields inherent to natural fibers.

Furthermore, chemical fibers encompass a vast array of varieties; within the span of just a single century, hundreds of new types of chemical fibers have been developed. By way of comparison, the natural fibers that humans have discovered and put to practical use number merely a handful—perhaps no more than a dozen or so.

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