From Field Stalk to Usable Fibre

What happens between harvest and the mill decides most of the fibre's quality. This cluster follows the stalk through retting, including dew, water and enzymatic methods that loosen the pectin holding bast to core, then decortication, which breaks the stalk and separates hurd from fibre, and the refining, cleaning and cottonizing stages that prepare fibre for spinning or moulding. Written for growers, processors and anyone sizing equipment or diagnosing inconsistent, under-retted or contaminated batches.