Cotton’s True Competition
February 26, 2009 Many people think internationally produced cotton is our biggest fiber competitor. While this may be true superficially, cotton’s number one competitor has always been, and remains, synthetic fibers.
Advertising campaigns of man-made fiber manufacturers attempt to compare their latest and greatest synthetic fibers to cotton. With phrases like “cottony chemistry” or “cool as cotton” they attempt to persuade retailers, apparel manufacturers and mills that their fibers are superior to cotton – an argument that, thankfully, most U.S. consumers have not embraced.
A comparison of demand between synthetic fibers and cotton paints a clear picture. In 1996, over 53 billion pounds of synthetic fibers were produced worldwide. That same year, cotton producers across the world harvested just over 41.9 billion pounds of cotton. By 2005, synthetic fiber demand escalated to over 84 billion pounds, while world cotton demand climbed to only 54 billion pounds. Synthetic fiber demand grew 56.7% during that period, while worldwide cotton demand grew only 28.3%.
At Cotton Incorporated, our agricultural and textile researchers have implemented programs to improve cotton’s qualities while our advertising and global marketing staff work to increase the worldwide consumer demand for cotton against our biggest competitor – synthetic fibers.
Evaluating the Greenseeker Real Time Sensor-Based Management
As part of its mission to evaluate new technology, Cotton Incorporated is funding a project that will evaluate the Greenseeker on-the-go sensor technology, manufactured by NTech Industries and distributed by Redball, to measure its effectiveness to vary PGR, defoliant and nitrogen applications in real time.
The Greenseeker provides a vegetative index similar to aerial imagery data, but instead, uses a light source which is unaffected by cloud interference. “There is no downloading of data with this technology, because the sensors control application rates directly,” says Dr. Ed Barnes, director, Agricultural Research, Cotton Incorporated. This research will attempt to establish grower-oriented protocols on how to best use this technology.
“We also need to establish how many inputs can be managed with the data this technology provides,” Barnes adds.
Research evaluating this technology is being conducted across the Cotton Belt from Arizona to North Carolina.
Cotton’s Use in Nonwovens Growing
Cotton’s use in nonwoven products has escalated over the last few years. Cotton Incorporated’s Janet O’Regan, manager, Supply Chain Initiatives, has led the charge of showing baby wipe manufacturers the many advantages of using cotton in baby wipes and increasing consumer visibility of their products by incorporating the Seal of Cotton on their packaging.
“We have created a new Cotton Enhanced trademark which is now being used on baby wipe packaging today being carried by Costco, CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club,” explains O’Regan. “Studies show 8 out of 10 consumers recognize the Seal of Cotton, so having this new trademark appear on packaging helps consumers relate to cotton’s comfort, softness and natural characteristics.”
Later this year, O’Regan is planning to broaden her efforts by expanding her marketing initiatives internationally to capture nonwovens product opportunities overseas.
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