Spinning the Colors of Cotton
Brown cotton. (Photo by Marina Naoumkina, D5198-1)
White cotton is ubiquitous in our lives, but cotton is not just white. Naturally colored cotton, which exists in different hues of brown, red, rust, and green, has existed for centuries and is a topic of interest in sustainable agriculture.
ARS scientists at the Southern Regional Research Center's Cotton Fiber Bioscience and Utilization Research Unit (CFBURU) in New Orleans, LA, are currently studying naturally colored cotton, an environmentally friendly fiber alternative, for its flame resistance. Flame resistant materials are inherently resistant to catching fire, so the materials themselves do not catch fire.
"Naturally colored cotton skips most of polluting activity, like scouring, bleaching, and dyeing required to process white cotton," said Marina Naoumkina, a research molecular biologist at CFBURU. "Some brown varieties even exhibit superior thermal resistance of fiber, making it a good candidate for fabrics with enhanced flame resistance."
While naturally colored cotton has its advantages, the market for naturally colored cotton is still niche and expensive. Typical naturally colored cotton fibers also tend to be weaker and shorter than cultivated white cotton fibers.
To find a solution for these issues, Naoumkina and her ARS research colleagues Doug Hinchliffe and Gregory Thyssen are looking at the components of naturally colored cotton lines such as the primary pigments responsible for their colors and the traits for flame resistance.
During a standard 45° incline flammability test, brown cotton self-extinguishes when exposed to an open flame. (Image by Doug Hinchliffe, D5199-1)
Recent studies have shown that the pigments responsible for the color of brown cotton fiber are proanthocyanidins, a class of compounds that belong to the polyphenols family. Proanthocyanidins are found in many plants, such as cranberries, blueberries, and grapes, and they have anti-inflammatory properties that may help prevent cancer.
According to Naoumkina, future research is needed to further understand the genetics of flame resistance for naturally colored cotton. The researchers aim to develop more diverse, naturally colored cotton fibers that are sustainable for production and flame resistant.
"Diversity in naturally colored cotton lines is important in order to make these lines scalable for cotton breeders," said Naoumkina. — Jessica Ryan, ARS Office of Communications
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