World Cotton Day – October 7, 2022, history significance
World Cotton Day takes place annually on October 7. Cotton is breathable, comfortable, durable, and hypoallergenic, which is why it’s one of the most featured fabrics in our wardrobes. Cotton isn’t just a commodity but an impactful product, affecting 28.67 million growers and millions of families worldwide.
World Cotton Day highlights cotton’s role in providing jobs and maintaining economic stability in the least developed countries (L.D.C.s). On this day, the global community is invited to celebrate the world’s most important natural fiber.
HISTORY OF WORLD COTTON DAY
World Cotton Day was first launched on October 7, 2019, following an initiative by the Cotton Four countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali. The event was organized by the World Trade Organization (W.T.O.) Secretariat with the assistance of the
secretariats of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (F.A.O.), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (U.N.C.T.A.D.), the International Cotton Advisory Committee (I.C.A.C.), and the International Trade Centre (I.T.C.). It’s an opportunity to share knowledge about and showcase cotton-related activities and products.
Cotton is a safety net for the least-developed and developing countries. It’s a major source of income and livelihood for many rural laborers and smallholders. While occupying 2.1% of the world’s arable land, cotton meets 27% of the world’s textile needs, and almost nothing from the product is wasted.
It’s used in animal feed, cosmetics, edible oils, fuel, textiles, and more and benefits more than 100 million families across 75 countries on five continents. Cotton is a natural fiber — breathable, comfortable, durable, versatile, and hypoallergenic.
World Cotton Day is observed to reflect the importance of cotton as a global commodity. It’s meant to attract donors and beneficiaries and enhance cotton development assistance, recognize cotton and those involved in producing and trading it, advance related technology and research and development, and find new investors and partners within the private sector.
WORLD COTTON DAY TIMELINE
5000 B.C.
Cotton Fiber
Cotton fiber and cloth fragments are used in Mexico.
3000 B.C.
The Cultivation
Cotton is first used as a fabric in the Indus River Valley.
1920s
Cotton Fiber in the U.S.
The United States uses over 50% of the world’s cotton fiber.
2019
World Cotton Day
World Cotton Day is first launched on October 7.
WORLD COTTON DAY ACTIVITIES
Share knowledge about cotton
Join your community in learning about cotton through social media campaigns or participating in media events. More people need to know about this natural fiber and its importance.
Showcase your products
World Cotton Day provides an opportunity for you to showcase your cotton products. It’s also a chance to seek new collaborations with other cotton producers.
Offer assistance
It’s time to offer assistance to the cotton sector in developing countries. This can lead to innovation and sustainable standards that benefit the international cotton industry.
5 FACTS ABOUT COTTON YOU NEED TO KNOW
It provides year-round employment
In some impoverished areas, one tonne of cotton provides year-round employment for an average of five people.
It needs over 200 days to grow
Starting sometime between December and March, cotton takes around 200 days to grow.
It’s highly absorbent
Cotton is one of the most absorbent fibers available.
It’s stronger when wet
Cotton gets stronger when it’s wet, unlike most types of fibers that weaken when wet.
There are four types of cotton
Four cotton plants are commercially cultivated worldwide: Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium barbadense, and Gossypium herbaceum.
WHY WE LOVE WORLD COTTON DAY
To share knowledge
Cotton provides employment and almost nothing from it is wasted. We can share these two facts about cotton on World Cotton Day.
It’s a reminder of cotton’s importance
World Cotton Day is an excellent reminder of how vital this textile is in our daily lives. For example, jeans are made with cotton, and most of us probably have a pair of this wardrobe staple.
To showcase products
World Cotton Day provides an opportunity for those in the cotton industry. We can collaborate with other cotton producers and innovate the field.
