Speckled White
- jacquelinedmschuma
- May 1
- 7 min read
Last month, I shared some tools and mindset approaches that help me work remotely as a freelancer.
This month, we’re going to rewind about 9 months. Late summer 2024.
But before we start, here is the Ai (Artificial Intelligence), disclaimer for this post:
Chat GPT (or better known as Cat Fart (if you read my last post), aided my research but had no part in the actual writing.
Alright, let's begin.
If you happened to be in eastern North Carolina last August and spotted a silver van with Utah plates following a 20-foot U-Haul, you’d have seen a family of four staring out the windows, jaws agape.
Because when you’re from the west, you may not have seen what was out the window.
Amongst the food wrappers, 2 kids, 12 plants, 1 cat, 1 dog, my Mac, and our suitcases, what lay before us were fields speckled white.
It wasn’t snow, of course.
It was cotton.
Fields and fields of mid-season, knee-high cotton.
Let me just say that this picture does not do it justice.
After meeting some new friends and letting the tornado….and hurricane of moving settle… (literally and figuratively), I took up the offer to tour a local cotton gin from our new friend Dillon, who works at the factory.
Of course, I took our 3-year-old son (now 4), with me. He was excited to go adventuring after my thematic explanation of machinery.
He shouted, “LET’S GO!”
Although the majority of denim nowadays is made from mixed fibers (with lots of synthetics), denim is traditionally made from cotton. Working in this speciality and seeing cotton for the first time…..it’s an understatement to say that this was a treat. (Especially considering I was only taught to design based on best sellers, not the supply chain or a material’s impact).
Pulling up on a blustery day to Roanoke Tar Cotton, Inc., in Everetts, North Carolina, my son and I stood out like a sore thumb. The only minivan and toddler around, we wandered around the property for a few minutes wide-eyed.
6-foot-high bundles of raw cotton were wrapped in pink plastic, as if a giant spilled Pepto Bismol everywhere. I could not believe how big these bundles were. (My son standing next to them gives you a good perspective).
A few minutes later, I heard a familiar voice among the factory sounds and high winds.
Thrilled to have a break in his 12 hr shift, Dillon excitedly walked over, gave us some earplugs, and started the tour.
Roanoke Tar Cotton Inc. produces 40,000 - 50,000 bales of cotton on average per year, with each bale weighing about 500 pounds.
If you’re a lover of fun facts, the words “cotton gin” are short for “cotton engine,” which Eli Whitney famously improved in 1793, revolutionizing cotton production.
When I inquired about the plant itself, Dillon gave me a rundown of the anatomy of cotton.
Before the crop was harvested, I picked some. (Yes, we were invited to). And I must say, the sound and feel of pulling the fibers out of the boll was quite something. I felt a literal and mental sting, picturing those in slavery working in these fields 200 years ago; a stark reminder that fashion’s dark side existed long before the 1900s.
Dillon then explained the lifecycle of cotton:
I hadn't heard the word maturation since 6th grade….and laughed for 2 seconds.
Real mature, I know.
Once the cotton is harvested, it’s brought to….you guessed it….a cotton gin! Because the goal is to get it from this to that:
Dillon was so gracious with his time and sent videos of each step before the machines were turned on so we could hear him talk. All the video's I took were during factory hours.
Step 1: Feeder
Raw bales of cotton are pushed through a machine called a Feeder.
Roanoke’s is yellow. Extra fun for my son.
The yellow feeder helps separate cotton from debris, leaves, stems, etc and then moves the cotton to the Feeder Controls.
WARNING: The next video is VERY LOUD
Steps 2 & 3
Cotton from the Feeder Control gets transferred through pipes into the Diamond K machine for further cleaning.
Step 4
The cotton then gets pushed into the Incline machines where cylinders throw it around into a vacuum which then pushes the cotton into more Incline machines, helping to loosen up even more twigs, bugs, trash or debris out.
If it wasn't clear enough, lot's of cleaning is happening.
Step 5
Time for the Gin Stands. AKA, the cotton waterfalls!
WARNING: The next video is VERY LOUD
The seeds are now separated from the fibers and [the loose seeds] will be packaged and sold for animal feed.
Roanoke sells them mainly to dairy farms throughout North Carolina and surrounding states. These seeds contain about 23% protein, 20% fat, and 25% fiber for cows lucky enough to munch on them.
Roanoke keeps their seeds in gigantic warehouses. And let me tell you, these piles were not piles…….they were mini mountains. I grabbed a handful and was surprised at their semi-soft feel.
Other factories mill the raw seeds into cottonseed oil, which is commonly found is some salad dressings and mayonnaise.
(And no, the seeds can’t be planted again for next season’s crops. The next ones have to be genetically modified or entirely different, otherwise, it won’t be a good yield).
Dillon said it was like marrying your cousin. We both agreed that was a great analogy.
Step 6
Next are the Fiber or Lint Cleaners that roll the cotton into somewhat of a blanket called a vat. Even more trash will get thrown out during this step as well.
Step 7
The cotton is then taken to a Battery Condenser where a Tramper packs the cotton in to a bale.
Step 8
The bales are then pushed out onto a conveyer belt into packaging, ready to be stored or shipped off!
WARNING: The next videos are VERY LOUD
Well folks, that's how it's done!
Are you wondering if any of this cotton get turned into jeans? Because I was.
And the answer is yes!
However, it's not as simple as one might think. And this highlights two specific points I try to hammer home when the topics come up.
Disconnected & Confusing Supply Chain
Roanoke's cotton doesn't go straight to becoming denim products because the next folks they sell to aren't denim mills. There's more to the supply chain than that.
(For those who are unfamiliar with this territory, the cotton has to be spun into thread which then needs to be weaved into a twill construction with indigo warp yarns to form denim fabric, then washed, etc. All of which require specific machines).
I found out that Roanoke sells to agricultural businesses, cooperatives, shipping companies and businesses that make feed products. Specifically to Olam (Cargill), Carolina Cotton Growers Cooperative, Allenberg Cotton, and Viterra. In other words, they mostly deal with the shipping companies who sell to overseas spinning mills.
But I wasn't able to find this out from the tour or a website. (There was no information at the factory itself, other than Dillon's knowledge and Roanoke doesn't have a website). Additionally, the website's of the companies Roanoke sells to were also dead ends.
So how did I find out if their cotton eventually gets turned into jeans? By asking questions with my newly formed relationships at Roanoke.
This highlights just how inaccessible this information is to the general public and the obscurity of the supply chain.
One of the businesses that Roanoke sells to, Viterra, claims that its “world-leading agriculture network connects producers to consumers with sustainable, traceable and quality-controlled agricultural products.”
That sounds great but why is their claimed "traceability" only for large corporations? And not for the public? Should corporations be responsible for tracing materials that they didn't make, but are apart of their businesses?
Unfortunately, I think a lot of the general public doesn't care if they can trace a supply chain so companies don't bother investing in it.
These examinations illustrate just how complicated the supply chain is, and recalls a point I made in my October 2023 blog post about Amy Powney in the documentary Fashion Reimagined, as she found how difficult it was to trace raw materials.
What Is It Worth?
My second point is this:
I completely understand being on a tight budget for clothes shopping.
It’s how I grew up. And whenever anyone asks how they can shop sustainably on a budget, I always recommend second-hand.
But for those who have the means, have you found yourself thinking that $60 bucks or more is too expensive for a pair of jeans?
Have you ever thought about how many steps it actually takes for them to be made?
Because this post ONLY covers the raw fiber step of cotton.
Not the
Synthetic fibers
Spinning fibers into thread
Thread being weaved into twill fabric
Fabric being dyed
Sourcing a denim mill
Sourcing a denim manufacturer
Sourcing trims
Cutting fabric
Sewing fabric into garments
Attaching / sewing trims onto garments
Washing
Packaging
Shipping
And for those who are starting a new brand, you’ve got a whole other list of things to attend to, such as:
Need, gap or opportunity in the market
Target customer
Branding
Brand positioning
Marketing plan
Assortment plan
Wash range
Business strategy
Story building
Pricing strategy
Oh, and don’t forget, the product still has to be
Designed.
Brands:
For those who need help with their supply chain, designing intentionally or understanding a material's impact, book and call and let's chat :)
Because your greatest strength as a brand could be pairing one of the toughest fabrics with one of the most confusing supply chains and creating a whole new way of producing. One that's intentional, clear, thoughtful and brings your customer along the way.
After all, who would connect speckled white cotton fields to a pair of jeans?
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