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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Cotton Structure and Quality Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340802
Research Project: Improved Quality Assessments of Cotton from Fiber to Final Products

Location: Cotton Structure and Quality Research

Title: A preliminary investigation into the feasibility of gin blending

Author
item VAN DER SLUIJS, MARINUS - Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
item Delhom, Christopher
item Wanjura, John
item Holt, Gregory

Submitted to: Journal of Cotton Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2019
Publication Date: 4/5/2019
Citation: van der Sluijs, M.H.J., Delhom, C.D., Wanjura, J.D., Holt, G.A. 2019. A preliminary investigation into the feasibility of gin blending. Journal of Cotton Science. 23:97-108.

Interpretive Summary: Textile mills blend bales of various qualities as one way to overcome the inherent variability of the natural variation of cotton in order to achieve a constant quality product. Cotton producers receive significant economic discounts based on color grade, length and micronaire values of individual bales. This study was initiated to examine the effect of blending at the gin level. Fiber quality, and subsequent downstream textile processing, was studied to determine the impact, if any, of the gin level blending. Blends were produced at four ratios for two different sets of cottons. The blends were based on micronaire and fiber length values. The results demonstrated an economic benefit to the grower with no significant impact on textile processing.

Technical Abstract: This study was initiated to examine the effect of blending, at the gin level, on fiber quality and subsequent downstream textile processing into yarn and fabric. The potential economic return to the grower and impact on the textile mill were the primary concerns. Blends were produced at four different ratios (80/20, 60/40, 40/60 and 20/80) for two sets of stripper harvest cottons, representing both dryland and irrigated. The blending for this study was based on micronaire and length values. The results show that gin level blending can benefit the grower and that no significant impact on textile processing was detected. The largest economic benefit was found, for this study, to be obtained from the 80/20 and 60/40 blends. Further work is planned to compare the performance of gin level blending with industry-standard mill blending for textile processing.