Botanical trash analysis of raw materials used in the cotton garnetting industry.

Abstract

The botanical nature of the trash in raw materials and batting from 5 cotton garnetting plants was compared with that present in raw cottons utilized by cotton yarn manufacturers. Linters processed by garnetters contained less (0.11%) leaflike (cotton bract, cotton leaf, and weed leaf) trash than that found in raw cottons (0.45–1.79%). The amount of leaflike trash present in soft cotton mill wastes used by garnetters was equal to or greater than that found in raw cottons. Milling tests showed that leaflike fragments removed from raw cottons were more friable than similar botanical material removed from garnetting raw materials including gin motes and soft cotton mill wastes. The amount of seed trash (mostly seed coat fragments) in linters, soft cotton mill wastes, and gin motes was greater than in raw cotton. The low prevalence of byssinosis that has been reported for nontextile cotton industries such as garnetting and waste recycling (willowing mills) might be explained, in part, (A) by the low content of leaflike trash in certain raw materials (linters), (B) the reduced friability of leaflike trash in gin motes and soft cotton mill wastes, and (C) because of its entanglement nature, the fiber matrix on the garnett is more likely to retain trash and participate than is the individual lint produced on the textile card.