Origin and Historic Significance
The precise age of cotton remains a mystery, but its legacy spans millennia. In ancient caves in Mexico, scientists discovered remnants of cotton bolls and cloth dating back at least 7,000 years, remarkably similar to the cotton cultivated in America today.
As early as 3,000 BCE, cotton was grown, spun, and woven into cloth in the fertile Indus River Valley of Pakistan. Simultaneously, Egypt’s Nile Valley inhabitants were crafting and donning cotton garments. By the 8th century CE, Arab merchants had introduced cotton fabric to Europe, spreading its allure far and wide. When Christopher Columbus arrived in the Bahamas in 1492, he encountered flourishing cotton plants. By the early 1500s, cotton was recognized globally.
