Definition
The Cotton Belt designates the geographic zone between the 37th parallel north and the 37th parallel south, where climatic conditions — sufficient heat, sunshine hours, and precipitation — allow cultivation of the cotton plant (Gossypium spp.). It extends from China and India through the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean region to North and South America, with the USA, India, China, Brazil, and Pakistan ranking among the most significant growing countries. The natural prerequisites — frost-free growing seasons and adequate water supply — largely determine the quality and quantity of the harvested cotton fiber.
Use in the textile industry
Cotton from the Cotton Belt is the most widely processed natural fiber raw material in the global textile industry and is used for apparel, home textiles, medical textiles, and technical woven fabrics. The region of origin influences staple length, fineness, and tensile strength, which is why certain growing areas — such as Egypt or the USA (Pima) — are known for especially long-staple qualities. Short- and medium-staple varieties from other regions of the Cotton Belt are used primarily in the mass production of standard woven fabrics and knitted fabrics.
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