Filati di Cotone | Olcese Ferrari

Cotton yarns

Cotton is a textile fibre of vegetable origin, obtained from the fruit of a plant that opens when mature to reveal tufts of cotton wool composed of fine white fibres. It is an absorbent fibre that is slightly insulating, resistant to high temperatures, breathable, soft and comfortable to wear.

The various kinds of cotton

There are several varieties of cotton, classified by grades: from the most sought after, the “fine district middling” to the poorest, the “low ordinary middling”, and they are distinguished by their provenance and cultivation variety.

Other important factors for the choice of cotton are:

“grade” or absence of impurities;
“character”, or frequency of natural twisting and toughness, i.e. its capacity to absorb deformation energy;
fineness;
spinning cohesion;
the length of the “fibre”, i.e. the average tuft size.

Cotton fibre is 95% cellulose, a polysaccharide that gives cotton yarns an excellent absorption capacity and good resistance to washing and wear. It is also soft, breathable and anallergic, making it suitable for garments worn directly in contact with the skin.

Organic cotton

Organic cotton is an ecological alternative to traditional cotton. In fact, organic cotton is cultivated in accordance with organic farming standards by substituting the use of hazardous chemicals with alternative natural systems.

This different method of cultivation and the attention required during all processing stages means that organic cotton has 46% less climate-changing gas emissions, 91% less water consumption for irrigation and 62% less energy use.

Finally, organic cotton is harvested by hand, which leads to longer fibres that can be used to make softer and more durable garments.

Cotton from mechanical or chemical recycling is the second ecological alternative to classic cotton. This is a second raw material that is becoming increasingly important in supporting the development of a circular economy to promote a reduction in the use of virgin materials and precious resources, as well as a decrease in textile waste production.