Changes

In the [[United States]], cotton has been a major crop of the southern states and played a key role in the [[American Revolution]]. Cotton was traditionally picked by slaves, until technology such as the [[cotton gin]] came about. Cotton today comprises 13% of all agricultural activity in the U.S.

In the [[United States]], cotton has been a major crop of the southern states and played a key role in the [[American Revolution]]. Cotton was traditionally picked by slaves, until technology such as the [[cotton gin]] came about. Cotton today comprises 13% of all agricultural activity in the U.S.

Cotton used to be an expensive [[textile]] when an Indian hand spinner took 50,000 hours to spin 100 pounds of cotton. In the 1760s, the hand-operated cotton ‘Mule’ spinning machine created stronger threads and could spin many bobbins at the same time, so the time dropped to 300 hours. In 1825, the automated self-acting mule spinner reduced the spinning time of 100 pounds of cotton to 135 hours. Cotton cloth then became cheap, and cotton production a major industry. <ref>Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History</ref> Recently, cotton has been genetically engineered to have a designated colour, eliminating the need for dyes.

Cotton used to be an expensive [[textile]] when an Indian hand spinner took 50,000 hours to spin 100 pounds of cotton. In the 1760s, the hand-operated cotton ‘Mule’ spinning machine created stronger threads and could spin many bobbins at the same time, so the time dropped to 300 hours. In 1825, the automated self-acting mule spinner reduced the spinning time of 100 pounds of cotton to 135 hours. Cotton cloth then became cheap, and cotton production a major industry. <ref>Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History</ref> Recently, cotton has been genetically engineered to have a designated color, eliminating the need for dyes.

==Cotton Blends==

==Cotton Blends==