You’ve probably heard of people having composting bins in their backyard but why don’t people have biodegradable bins, too? Even though the words compostable and biodegradable seem very similar and some people use them interchangeably in conversation, there’s a key difference between the terms. Continue reading
Did you know that cotton contamination is 100 percent preventable? In the past, many cotton industry experts and farmers believed that some amount of contamination was inevitable; but today, with the advent of stronger preventative techniques, the National Cotton Council of America argues that contamination can be prevented altogether. The NCC is working tirelessly to get this message out to U.S. cotton farmers, providing them with the information and resources they need to protect cotton’s reputation as a clean fiber. Continue reading
Cotton has a number of properties that make it well-suited to the healthcare industry. It is soft, absorbent, and hypoallergenic, and it responds well to all three major sterilization methods (steam, ethylene oxide, and gamma radiation). Today, we’ll take a look at the role of cotton in today’s medicine and healthcare fields, examining why this fiber is a favorite among so many doctors and nurses. Continue reading
In part one of this series on the evolution of cotton, we explored how a fiber with origins traced to multiple ancient civilizations has firmly established itself as a global phenomenon, peerless in its comfort, performance, and versatility. Continue reading
Cotton–there’s nothing quite like it. It’s soft, absorbent, and strong, and it gets stronger in conditions where other fibers wilt from the elements. While other fibers may be important, in the way that silk connotes luxury, or hemp brings to mind toughness, no other fiber, natural or man-made is as interwoven with the human consciousness and condition as cotton. Continue reading
Barnhardt Manufacturing has delivered the latest breakthrough in purified cotton with the release of its new and improved HyDri®, available in both conventional and organic varieties.
The home of high-performance purified cotton, Barnhardt has developed a proprietary process for cleaning and purifying cotton fiber without stripping away all of its hydrophobicity. The new and improved HyDri® is the cleanest, purest, and whitest hydrophobic cotton fiber available in the market. Continue reading
One of the more technical terms that come into play with cotton is the word “micronaire.” While many farmers and manufacturers are probably familiar with this measurement, many are not. It’s worth exploring, simply because micronaire is one of cotton’s most important properties. Continue reading
Last month, we published an article about sustainable cotton and advancements being made by the cotton industry as a whole. Now we’d like to delve more deeply into a sub-topic that deserves a whole article of its own: sustainable cotton farming. The cotton farming industry has experienced huge success over the last several decades with regard to sustainability, use of resources, and technology.
Let’s take a look at the major areas being targeted in the name of environmental stewardship. Continue reading
“Nonwovens” is a term used to refer to fabrics that are neither woven nor knitted, but rather bonded together by various chemical and mechanical treatments. These fabrics are specially engineered by entangling fiber or filaments mechanically, thermally, or chemically. Nonwovens have a number of applications in fields such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, farming, hygiene, apparel, and more.
Due to the nature of nonwovens, they are often used in disposable products like diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products. In recent years, as more people become cognizant of issues like landfill waste and climate change, there have been increasing calls for manufacturers to use more sustainable materials in the production of nonwovens. And to manufacturers’ credit, they are answering these calls. Let’s take a look at some of the plant-based, sustainable ingredients being used in nonwovens on an increasingly large scale. Continue reading
Precision agriculture is changing the way farmers all over the world do business. It seems to be moving at lightning speed, too, with exciting new updates every year. Let’s take a closer look at precision agriculture and the recent developments in this industry. Continue reading