- When and where did cotton emerge historically?
There is evidence of cotton growing in a number of ancient sites especially in Asia, Africa and the Americas. The oldest recorded piece of cotton was in a garment that archeologists found in caves in Mexico. This cloth was estimated to be 7000 years old. Further, experts have found proof that as early as 3000 BC cotton was grown and processed into cloth in Pakistan, Egypt and the Indus Valley in India. Mexico and Peru also have indications of cotton having been grown in ancient times. Cotton is said to be indigenous to Africa, Asia and the Americas. Each of these continents has specific species of cotton unique to it. The earliest varieties were G. arboretum L., G. herbaceum L., G. hirsutum and G barbadense. Cotton was brought to Europe by Arab conquerors who occupied the Iberian Peninsula. From here the knowledge of cotton spread to the rest of Europe. During his exploits, Christopher Columbus reported seeing people in the Bahamas and Cuba wearing cotton clothes. In essence, cotton cannot be said to have originated from from a single source but from a various locations spread across the globe (Roche, 1994).
- What people, doing what jobs, grew cotton?
Cotton, like many other crops, requires manual labor and both genders were involved in its initial production. In American farms, both men and women slaves were involved in planting, nurturing and harvesting of cotton. Local spinners would later process the cotton into fabric. Many of these spinners were women although men also participated. The invention of the gin in the US and that of spinning machinery in England in the 1700s transformed the capability of the industry to produce more clothes. The need to increase production and the rising market demand propelled cotton farming. More cotton was cultivated and labor was not in short supply. In Europe cotton clothes were considered a luxurious product which was most affordable to the upper class. There was, therefore, no discrimination in terms of production but the final product was affordable depending on economic power (Murphy, 2007).
- Discuss two inputs necessary to produce cotton
- Who tends to wear cotton items?
Cotton is used by human beings of all walks of life in a number of ways. It is widely used for making clothes. More than half of the clothes we wear are manufactured from cotton. Everything from shirts, skirts, trousers, blouses, pullovers aprons and overalls can be made from cotton. There are also varieties of fabrics that are made from cotton. These include velvet, flannel and corduroy which are popular materials for making clothes. Moreover cotton is used to make other types of materials like tents, coffee filters and fish nets. In addition it is used in kitchens by cooks and housewives as cooking oil. Part of the soap used in washing and cleaning purposes is made from cotton. Processed cotton is also used in different forms in the medical profession (Olesen, 2011).
One cannot attribute the use of cotton to a single person because it is a universal crop and product. Additionally, there is no gender or socio-economic class differentiation in relation to wearing of cotton products. However, some people may or may not afford cotton clothes depending on their buying power. While there may be no discrimination as to who should wear cotton clothes, increased prices of some finished products sometimes puts them beyond the reach of poor people. This is a common phenomenon in many developing countries where second-hand clothes have led to the stagnation of the cotton industry. This is because local cotton products are more costly than used cotton clothes from western nations (Baden & Barber, 2005).
- Cotton marketing and advertisement
Raw cotton is hardly advertized. It is grown by individual farmers on a low scale and on a larger scale by companies and governments. It is the processed cotton and its variants that are marketed. Pharmaceutical companies market their cotton-made products through print and electronic media and the internet. Manufacturers of various types of cotton oil also make their products visible to the intended customers through advertisements on television, newspapers and on the web. They also use exhibitions and trade fairs to reach prospective customers (Olesen, 2011).
It is, however, the manufacturers of clothing materials who carry out aggressive marketing campaigns for their products. This is a lucrative business considering clothing is a basic need. The market is differentiated and various products are targeted at different market segments. There are specific clothes for women, children, sportspersons and different professions. Advertisers and marketers craft their messages depending on the target group. Advertisements are placed in virtually all types of media. Newspapers, television, the internet and even radio are used to sensitize people on the prices and availability of clothes. The market is competitive because there is stiff competition from other cotton products and clothes manufactured from wool, polyester and other fabrics (Roche, 1994).
- Changes in the cotton industry and the implications of globalization
Cotton has gone through some transformation since it was first grown. In spite of this, the core product and how it is utilized remain the same. From the initial varieties, many others have been developed and propagated through research (Brite & Marston, 2013). The modification of genes has been necessitated by the need to overcome problems related to pests and diseases that affect cotton. Owing to such scientific developments, the production of cotton has multiplied as compared to the infantile stage. In addition, the mechanization of the cotton industry has made it easier to manufacture cotton fabric. Cotton is grown on a wide scale and employs many people who provide more professional labor compared to those of previous centuries. Today, fertilizers and chemicals play a crucial role in production. In the final analysis the current cotton industry is very advanced when compared to the past. Cotton and its products have gone global and so has the processing technology. Consequently, there is virtually no one on earth who does not wear a fabric made from cotton. Even the poorest can afford some cotton clothing at the very least (Murphy, 2007).
Diversification in cotton cultivation and processing has resulted in a competitive market. Many countries are engaged in the cultivation of cotton and the manufacturing of clothes. Multinational companies like Deacons, Adidas and Puma are now major players in the clothing industry. Their products are targeted at various sectors of the society. The market is therefore flooded with corporate bodies that seek to increase sales through aggressive strategies. This cost of advertisement has in turn pushed the prices of cotton-made clothing higher. Globally, there is also competition from other fabrics. For example, nylon, polyester and woolen items of clothing are cheaper alternatives to cotton fabric (Brite & Marston, 2013).
The proliferation of second-hand clothes in developing countries has had a devastating effect on the cotton industry in those countries. The preference for cheaper second-hand clothes from the developed world is driving indigenous cotton industry players out of the market. In essence, while the cotton industry is thriving in other parts of the globe, developing nations are grappling with the challenges of globalization. The opening up of local markets to unfair competition is a formidable threat to the cotton sector in the developing world (Baden & Barber, 2005).
References
Baden, S. & Barber, C. (2005, September 25). The Impact of the Second-Hand Clothing Trade
on Developing Countries. Oxfam. Retrieved from http://policy- practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/the-impact-of-the-second-hand-clothing-trade-on- developing-countries-112464
Brite, E. B, and Marston J. M. (2013). Environmental change, agricultural innovation, and the
spread of cotton agriculture in the Old World. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology
32(1), 39-53.
Murphy, D. J. (2007). People, Plants, and Genes. The Story of Crops and Humanity. New
York: Oxford University Press.
Olesen, B, B. (2011). Changing the World with a Pair of Jeans: Cotton Fiber, Environmentalism
and Experiential Marketing in Present-Day America. Textile: The Journal of Cloth and
Culture, 9(1), 12-25.
Roche, J. (1994). The International Cotton Trade. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing
World Wildlife Fund (n.d.). Cotton: A Water Wasting Crop. Retrieved December 10 from
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_freshwater/freshwater_problems/thirsty_crops/cotton/
