ABSTRACT
Cotton bale weights vary from about 375 to 515 lb (170 to 233 kg) depending on the country
in which they are produced (see Table 1.1). A pound of cotton contains 100 million or more
individual fibers and each individual fiber varies in properties along its length from one end to
the other. Cotton classification is a practical, cost-efficient way of measuring the general
quality and physical attributes of bales of cotton fiber that affect the quality of the finished
product and manufacturing efficiency and allows a market value to be established for the
cotton to facilitate utilization.
