US organization demonstrates ‘unimagined’ uses of cotton

　　By Han Manman

　　People know cotton as the stuff of T-shirts, tissue paper and bed sheets. But exhibition held last weekend showed that cotton also goes into food and construction materials.

　　“Cotton – Beyond Your Imagination,” the country’s first cotton-themed interactive exhibition organized by the US Cotton Incorporated and the US-based Cotton Council International, showed visitthe wide variety of cotton that exists: a cotton denim cloth that repels water and dirt like a plastic raincoat, a cotton fiber used to build homes and cotton that goes into food.

　　“I was just eating an ice cream while loking at the exhibit when a staff told me the ice cream also contained cotton. Unbelievable!” a girl named Chen Jie said. At the exhibition’s cotton food booth, Chen said she discovered that her favorite snacks ice cream and cotton candy ?contain cottonseed oil.

　　Wang Jiarong, director of Cotton Incorporated China, said cottonseed oil and cottonseed linters are widely used in food production, adding that cotton as a food source has attracted a lot of attention in recent years.

　　He said the exhibition also discussed cotton’s untapped potential, such as the newly discovered gossypol, a chemical in the cotton plant that will be used in food maufacturing in the future.

　　Cotton is grown in countries on all continents except Antarctica, Wang said, but the material’s use has still been limited. “Although cotton is widely used in various aspects of daily life, nt many people understand the many uses of cotton,” Wang said, thus the “Beyond Your Imagination” exhibitHe said his office tries to educate people about the benefits of using cotton, especially its versatility, comfort and eco-friendliness. Ultimately, Cotton Incorporated China aims to increase Chinese consumers’ awareness and preference for environmentally friendly materials, he said.What is working in their favor is the world becoming more aware of environmental protection, healthy habits and sustainability. “Cotton use will build a more sustainable and greener future,” Wang said