KASKOM'S COTTON VALUE CHAIN
Matured cotton is harvested and collected directly from farmers and ginned with sieves suitable for short stapled cotton. The bale is then shifted to the spinning unit where it is spun into good-quality yarns. The yarns are dyed with the elegant natural dyes before being loaded in looms, producing the amazing desi cotton fabrics we bring to you.
The Story
Indian subcontinent is famous worldwide for its cotton production and cotton fabrics. Cotton’s evolution dates back from 5-10 million years ago. The botanical name of cotton is Gossipium. There are nearly some 50 species of cotton identified worldwide, out of this only 4 species is being cultivated by mankind. Those four species are viz., G.arboreum,
G.herbaceum, G.hirsutum, G.barbadense. Out of these 4 species, the first evolved species was G.arboreum
Indians were global leaders in cotton for about 5000 years, the Dhaka Muslins & Calicoes were famous across the world.
As per evidence provided by ICAR-CIRCOT by evaluating the fragment of fabric excavated from the Mohenjo-Daro of Indus Valley in the year 1928, archaeological evidence of existence of a Cotton Textile Industry in India around 3000BC has been found.
The Timeline
• Fabrics made of Indian cotton were being exported to England until 1721
• Act by British parliament - ban on import of Indian cotton fabrics-CALICO Act
• Early decades of 18th century British started developing machines- Lancashire & Manchester
• American revolutionary war (1775-83)
• British introduced the American cotton (G. hirsutum) into India for cultivation during 1790.