Brown Cotton - Photo by Marina Naoumkina

Naturally Flame-Resistant Cotton Can Be a Hot Alternative

Cotton is ubiquitous in our lives, but you may not know that not all cotton is white. Naturally colored cotton, which exists in hues of brown, red, rust, and green, skips most polluting activities like scouring, bleaching, and dyeing needed to process white cotton – making them an environmentally friendly alternative. ARS scientists are studying the benefits of naturally colored cotton lines to develop future lines that are flame resistant and can improve the safety of cotton products. Learn more...

The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.