This children’s article, What is cotton? A kids’ guide to how it’s made and why it matters, has been written for native English speakers and ESL students. It can help children practise English reading and comprehension, learn useful vocabulary, and discover how cotton goes from a fluffy plant to the clothes we wear. Written by Sinead O’Carroll, an experienced teacher and children’s writer.
What is cotton?
Cotton is a soft, fluffy fibre that grows on plants. A fibre is a thin thread-like material that can be twisted into yarn and used to make fabric.
The cotton plant has green leaves, pretty flowers, and seed pods called bolls. Inside the bolls, cotton fibres grow around the seeds. When the bolls ripen, they burst open, and the fluffy white cotton appears.
Cotton is one of the oldest materials used by humans. People have been growing and weaving cotton for thousands of years in places such as India, Egypt, and South America.
Today, cotton is one of the most common materials used for clothing all around the world.
Growing cotton
Cotton grows best in warm, sunny countries with long summers. Some of the biggest cotton producers are India, China, the United States, and Brazil.
Farmers plant cotton seeds in spring. By summer, the plants have grown tall and started to produce flowers, which later turn into bolls.When the cotton is ready to harvest, farmers pick the bolls by hand or use machines. The fluffy cotton is then separated from the seeds. This process is called ginning, and it is usually done in a cotton gin machine.
From fibre to fabric
After ginning, the cotton fibres are cleaned and spun into thin threads called yarn. The yarn is woven or knitted into fabric. This fabric can then be dyed, cut, and sewn into clothing, towels, and many other items.
Cotton is popular because it is soft, breathable, and comfortable to wear.
It also absorbs water well, which makes it perfect for towels and bed sheets.
The problem with cotton
Cotton farming uses a lot of water, especially in hot, dry places. Large amounts of water are needed to grow the plants and to keep the fields healthy. In some places, this has caused rivers and lakes to shrink.
To help solve this, scientists and farmers are working on more sustainable ways to grow cotton. These include using less water, recycling water, and choosing natural methods to protect crops from insects instead of strong chemicals.
People can help too. One good idea is to buy fewer clothes and choose second-hand items when possible. Keeping clothes for longer, or passing them on to others, also helps reduce waste and saves the resources needed to make new cotton.
Why cotton matters
Cotton is everywhere in our daily lives, from the clothes in our wardrobes to the sheets on our beds. Learning how it is grown and made helps us understand the effort behind simple everyday items.
It also reminds us to take care of resources and to think about where our materials come from.
For more information about cotton and sustainable fashion, you can visit WWF.
Article vocabulary list
- Fibre – a thin thread-like structure that makes up fabric
- Boll – the seed pod of a cotton plant that contains cotton fibres
- Harvest – the process of collecting crops from the fields
- Ginning – separating cotton fibres from the seeds
- Yarn – long threads made from fibres, used to make fabric
- Fabric – cloth made by weaving or knitting yarn
- Sustainable – something that is done in a way that does not harm the environment and can continue for a long time
Comprehension questions
Just click the plus (+) to see the answer
1. What part of the cotton plant contains the fibres?
a) The leaves
b) The flowers
c) The bolls
Answer: c) The bolls
2. Which countries are some of the biggest producers of cotton?
Answer: India, China, the United States, and Brazil
3. What is the name of the process that separates cotton fibres from seeds?
a) Spinning
b) Ginning
c) Weaving
Answer: b) Ginning
4. What are cotton fibres spun into before being woven or knitted?
a) Fabric
b) Yarn
c) Towels
Answer: b) Yarn
5. Why do scientists and farmers want to find more sustainable ways to grow cotton?
Answer: Because cotton farming uses a lot of water
Sinead is a writer and EFL teacher with eight years’ experience. She’s a native English speaker who loves making news stories fun and easy to understand for children around the world. Her passions include travel, animals, and helping to make the world a kinder, more sustainable place.
