#295 Autumn 2025

Welcome to The Cotton Issue. As with previous themed issues, this edition of The Journal WSD is longer than usual and as much of the content as possible has been linked to the theme of fibre from the Gossypium species. I hope that you will find something of interest whether or not cotton is your first choice for your own spinning, weaving or dyeing.
Chances are, you are wearing some processed cotton as you read this so Teresinha Roberts’ feature (p.10) on the environmental and ethical concerns linked with its production might be a good starting point. As well as articles on spinning, weaving and dyeing cotton, for those who enjoy putting their crafts in a social context Debra Boothroyd reviews the history of the cotton industry in England (p.12), Hilary Miller explains the spinning of cotton at Quarry Bank Mill (p.18) and Cath Snape takes the story to a personal level on p.28.
Dozing on an over-heating train after a long day, and no doubt with thoughts of this issue in mind, I started musing on plants that have affected the course of history. My knowledge of world history is both limited and from a northern European standpoint, so I came up with potatoes, papyrus and cotton. Potatoes, because of the lack of them in several Irish famines which led to population loss and emigration; papyrus resulting in paper and the spread of ideas; and cotton because of the Industrial Revolution, the Transatlantic trade in people and goods and its global reach.
For many of us who belong to guilds in the UK, wool dominates our exploits and interests, but after this semi-conscious reflection (plus a bit of Googling) I realised how our climate affects our outlook and that globally, cotton is a very important fibre indeed. Enjoy your reading!

Lesley Fidler, JEC Chair