Cotton

plants · fibers · natural materials

Grows in bolls. Cotton plants produce fluffy fiber inside protective cases called bolls that grow around their seeds. These bolls help spread the seeds naturally in the wild.

Pure cellulose fiber. Cotton fiber is almost entirely made of cellulose, the same stuff that makes up plant cell walls. It also has tiny amounts of waxes, fats, and water mixed in.

From mallow family. Cotton comes from plants in the genus Gossypium, which belongs to the mallow family. This is the same plant family that includes hibiscus and okra.

Soft and fluffy. The fiber is naturally soft and fluffy, which is why it became one of the most useful fibers for making clothes and other materials throughout history.