Cotton fiber is covered by cotton wax, which serves as a protective coat and renders cotton material very slow in absorbing water. For this reason, cotton dish-towels are unsatisfactory. If a cloth to absorb moisture is desired, it must be made of a fiber that is not water-repellent. In absorbent cotton the wax has been removed.

Cotton is light in weight and inexpensive and affords a most desirable fabric for general wear. It is especially desirable for undergarments and house dresses, since it is not impaired by frequent laundering. Starch is absorbed by the cotton fibers as readily in the process of laundering as at the time of manufacture. It is, therefore, possible to keep the garments as fresh as when new. Cotton fabrics shrink for the first few times that they are laundered. The percentage of shrinkage varies with the type of fiber and the method of manufacture of the material. A loosely woven material will often shrink more than a closely woven piece.

* Opus cit.

Some of the more common cotton materials are as follows:

Sheeting should have round firm threads closely packed together with the warp and filling threads equally balanced. Little sizing should be used. Unbleached sheeting will give better wear than the bleached, because fewer chemicals are used in finishing it. It will become white in time. It is used for bed coverings.

Long cloth is a soft, firm fabric with a close weave made of a fine grade of cotton yarn of medium twist. The material is dull in finish and has a rather fuzzy surface, making it undesirable for outer garments. It is used for undergarments and aprons.

Cambric is a plain weave with a smooth surface on one side. There are many grades of this material. Because of its smooth surface it sheds the dust. It is a most desirable material for undergarments, aprons, waists, and baby clothing.

Nainsook is a very soft, light cotton fabric with one surface slightly calendered, or pressed with heavy hot cylinders to give a gloss. It may be distinguished from cambric, long cloth, or batiste, because its construction is not so firm nor its finish so smooth. It is used for infants' clothes, lingerie, and undergarments.

Batiste is a sheer, lustrous cloth in white and dainty color.There is often a mercerized thread introduced in the better grades. It is used for waists, dresses, and baby clothes.

Canton flannel is a heavy cloth with twilled surface on one side and a soft nap on the other. It is used for children's underwear because of warmth and durability, and for linings in order to add warmth to other garments.

Flannelette is a soft cloth with a nap on both sides of the weave and with figures printed on plain backgrounds. It is low in cost and launders easily. It is used for nightgowns, underwear, and children's clothing. Because flannelette is so popular for children's garments and because it is so inflammable, manufacturers have been working for a long time to find a process whereby they may render this material permanently fire-proof without injuring the feel or durability of the cloth or causing it to appear damp or making it dusty. The process must not affect the colors or the design that are woven into the cloth or dyed or printed upon it. After many investigations, this permanent fire-proofing has been accomplished.

Calico is a cotton cloth with a design printed on one side. Calicoes may be seen in almost any color. The colors are generally not fast and will often run or fade when subjected to water. This material is usually heavily sized. It is used for inexpensive dresses, aprons, and wrappers because of its low cost, its durability, and the ease with which it is laundered. Percale is much like calico, but much superior in quality.

Gingham has a plain weave with warp and woof of variously colored threads that form plaids, checks, and stripes. It is used for dresses, aprons, and shirts.

Chambray is a staple fabric of many years' standing. It is a light-weight single cloth that is always woven with a plain weave and always has a white selvage. Its effect is that of a cloth woven with one color in the warp and a white filling. It is used for dresses, men's shirts, and aprons.

Galatea is a heavy firm sateen weave with design printed on one side. It is used for children's clothes, outing suits, and the like, when a cloth of strength and durability is desired.

Cotton damask has very much the same appearance as linen damask before it is washed. This excellent finish is brought about both by mer-cerization and cloth finish. However, one who buys cotton damask defeats his own purpose in getting a material that will take a good polish and retain its smoothness, from the very fact that the cotton fiber is short and the ends of the fibers cannot be held in place as can the fewer ends of the linen fibers. Therefore, after a few washings the cotton damask has a fuzzy surface, it refuses to take or hold a polish, and it is very limp and easily soiled. Cotton damask is used for tablecloths and doilies.

Velveteen is a material woven in imitation of velvet, but it is made wholly of cotton. It is used for dresses and suits.

Other cotton materials are:

For dresses

For household purposes

Albatross

Lawn

Awning

Bedford cord

Linon

Chintz

Buckram

Mull

Crash

Canvas

Muslin

Cretonne

Cheese-cloth

Organdie

Denim

Crepe

Percale

Diaper

Crinoline

Percaline

Mummy

Dimity

Pique

Rep

Drill

Poplin

Scrim

Duck

Sateen

Gauze

Silesia

Khaki

Tarlatan