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How is cotton fabric made?

Last Updated: November 29, 2007

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Machines called "looms" weave cotton yarn into fabric the same way the first handweaving frames did. Looms work at great speeds, interlacing the length-wise yarns (warp) and the crosswise yarns (filling). The woven fabric, called gray goods, is sent to a finishing plant where it is bleached, pre-shrunk, dyed, printed and given a special finish before being made into clothing or products for the home. Other machines make knits for use in shirts, sweaters or blankets.

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