Group 1

Case study of the global supply chain of cotton clothing items.

Primary Secondary Tertiary

 Harvesting The fibres  Fibre bales The cotton  Ready for the
inside cotton bolls are fibre is compressed customer The finished
stripped from the plant into bales weighing products are ready to
by mechanical approximately 225kg be sold to retailers and
harvesters. each before being purchased by the
 Ginning Once delivered to a textile public.
harvested, the cotton mill.
is dried out and then  Spinning Individual
the fibre is separated strands of cotton fibre,
from the seeds using a called slivers, are
cotton gin. twisted tightly
together to create a
thicker cotton yarn.
 Weaving or knitting
The yarn is woven by
interlacing strands on
a loom or knitted by
interlocking looped
strands using needles.
 Dyeing The fabric is
passed through a hot
dye solution then
squeezed through
rollers to remove any
excess liquid.
 Cutting and sewing
Pieces of finished
fabric are cut and
stitched together to
create clothing and
other textile products.
  The Piura and Vitor regions of Peru where the cotton is farmed.

- Piura and Vitor region of Peru are the top producers of cotton. Piura,
coastal region in northern Peru during the upcoming cotton campaign have
decided to plant cotton on more than 4,000 hectares of land to promote
cultivation of cotton, especially in the Lower Piura territory of the region.
They aim to restore the status of the region as one of the biggest cotton
producers in the country.
  Suriname, where the aluminium for zips is mined. -Kipaş Holding,
Kahramanmaraş,

- The Bakhuys region of Suriname, 140 miles southwest of the capital city of
Paramaribo, is believed to hold between 200 and 700 million tons of bauxite.
Bauxite mining and alumina smelting are the backbone of Suriname's
economy, bringing in two-thirds of its export revenues. The Republic of
Suriname has a number of forms of transport. Transportation emissions are
an increasing part of Suriname's contributions to climate change, as part of
the Nationally Determined Contributions for the Paris Agreement, Suriname
has committed to emissions controls for vehicles and increased public transit
investment.
  Turkey: textile factory in Turkey

The Turkish state classified all textiles into three groups of cotton, wool, or
silk. This was important due to the fact that most cotton and wool textiles in
the 15th through the 17th centuries were imports.

 Kahramanmaraş Airport, Turkey is where the cotton is taken for

distribution to Europe and the USA.

- The cotton is transported to Kahramanmaraş Airport in Turkey before being

shipped to Europe and the USA.
The Kahramanmaraş economy's biggest and most significant sector is still
the textile industry. The industry has advanced beyond Turkish standards to
a point where it can confidently compete in the international textile markets
for technology and quality. This is especially true given the acceleration
obtained in these areas.

By developing the textile sector in its region and nation, the city, which has
established itself as a global hub for raw materials, is facilitating significant
inflows of foreign currency. 27% of Turkey's total yarn output and 8% of its
total woven fabric production are produced in Kahramanmaraş, a fertile
region in the country's east Mediterranean region.

Questions:

1. Do you agree on which countries are primary, secondary and tertiary

stages?

- Yes, which in Primary Stage the cotton is farmed in Peru and

zips/buttons in India and China. In Secondary Stage the materials are
transported to Turkey where they are manufactured in factories to make
clothing. Lastly, in Tertiary Stage the finished products are then
exported to stores to be sold globally to find their markets (buyers),
which are mainly in Europe and North America.

2. Which workers do you think make the most profit from the T-shirt?
(Cotton farmers, factory workers, transporters, shop workers, clothing
companies).

- Clothing companies can be very profitable due to their high profit

margins, competitive pricing, and ability to launch new products. It is a
rapidly growing segment with a lot of demand for more players. Higher
profit is achieved by clothing companies because the intricate process of
producing clothing involves several individuals and businesses from all
over the world. Brands will relocate orders to whichever facility will
produce them for the least amount of money in order to maintain high
profits and low costs. Factories frequently fight to offer the lowest costs
to win the work. Sometimes, health and safety were compromised.

3. Explain what value is added to the cotton as it goes through the

stages of manufacture and ask them to consider the locations of each
stage- are they in wealthy countries or less wealthy countries?
● Grower
Country: Peru - less developed country (developing/emerging country)

Cotton is the world's oldest commercial crop and one of the most
important fibre crops in the global textile industry. It is a plant that
grows in tropical and subtropical regions and it needs huge amounts of
water.

In order to grow an exceptional quality crop, one needs exceptional

growing conditions. Peruvian Pima cotton grows in abundance along the
northern coastal valleys of Peru. There, the soil soaks up the right
amount of moisture at pretty perfect equatorial temperatures. The result
is cotton with a silky luster and an amazingly soft hand. Unlike other
cotton crops, Peruvian Pima cotton is harvested completely by hand. Not
only is harvesting by hand more environmentally-friendly, but it’s better
for the cotton crop itself. Whereas, industrial harvesting tears the cotton
fibers, giving it a yellowed tone and creates a scratchy texture that
affects the softness of the final product. The careful hand harvesting of
Peruvian Pima cotton, however, results in a brilliant white color of the
whole cotton, which dyes wonderfully and feels smooth and soft against
the skin.

Peru was a significant cotton producer historically. Cotton in Peru is

grown along the coast. The region of Ica accounts for 42 percent of total
production,

while Piura accounts for 34 percent. Peru grows two major and two minor
varieties of cotton. Of the major varieties, Tanguis is a long staple cotton
(LS) grown in the central coast of Peru, and it is used for yarns. Pima,
the other major variety, is an extra-long staple cotton (ELS) grown in the
northern region, mostly in Piura, and it is used for higher quality textiles.
Del Cerro and Aspero (rough) are the two minor varieties.

Sources:
https://reubenoliver.com/blogs/news/why-peruvian-pima-cotton-is-
known-as-the-cream-of-the-cotton-crop#:~:text=Ideal%20growing
%20conditions,-In%20order%20to&text=Peruvian%20Pima%20cotton
%20grows%20in,and%20an%20amazingly%20soft%20hand.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://
apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName
%3FfileName%3DCotton%2520Update_Lima_Peru_PE2023-
 0010.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiytuSTw9j-AhXPBogKHb42D-
EQFnoECBgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1xJwRu2jRYDSzP61bygtuA

● Yarn spinner
Cotton-spinning machinery is machines which process (or spin) prepared
cotton roving into workable yarn or thread. Each stage of the supply
chain adds value to the product like yarn spinning. This will increase the
value of the cotton as the yarn will have a greater value than the raw
cotton. Therefore, the value added is the final value of the yarn minus
the price the factory managers have paid for the cotton. As the cotton is
developed from fibre to woven material and then into the final garment,
value is added each step of the way. Turkey is one of the main actors in
the world in the textile and clothing industry. Cotton is the essential raw
material for the country's textile and clothing industry and Turkey is one
of the world's most important cotton growers. Turkey is very strong in all
areas of synthetic fibers and yarns production and processing. Turkey
has the eighth largest capacity for synthetics in the world with 1.2 million
tons/year.

Source: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/society-politics-law/exploring-
economics-the-secret-life-t-shirts/content-section-3.1#:~:text=For
%20example%20a%20spinning%20factory,have%20paid%20for%20the
%20cotton.

● Fabric Mill/ Textile Mill

A textile mill is a facility or factory that turns yarn or fabric into usable
textiles. The raw materials for textiles are transformed into thread at a
mill so that textiles can be woven, knitted, crocheted, or made in other
ways. The mill includes facilities for spinning, dying, and cleaning raw
materials, as well as facilities for converting raw materials into fabrics.
Additionally, fabrics can be embroided, printed, or dyed. Hence, the
value added in the cotton increases as it goes through the processes in
the textile mill because the base fabrics created by a textile mill can be
sold to the general public or used in other manufacturing processes.
China, a developed nation, is the world's largest manufacturer and
exporter of textiles, with a $266.41B export turnover. The industry is
driven by low-cost production, high-quality raw materials, industrial
structure, modern and high-tech machinery, label development, and
work processes for domestic and international consumers.

Sources:
https://www.aboutmechanics.com/what-is-a-textile-mill.htm
 https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/8471/top-10-exporting-
countries-of-textile-and-apparel-industry#:~:text=1)%20China,export
%20turnover%20of%20%24266.41%20Bn.

● Product Manufacturer
Product Manufacturer - can support the production at a reasonable cost
without compromising quality. They subcontract out everything from
start to finish, including design, procurement of parts and materials,
assembly, test, inspection, and shipping to the end customer. Product
manufacturer is located in Turkey, a newly industrialized,
developing/emerging country, where textiles are manufactured. It
increased the value of the cotton by turning the cotton fiber into yarn
and then the yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, and
fabricated into cloth. Manufacturers ensure that the cotton will result in
the best-quality finished products.
*Additional Info
The fabrics are transformed into wearable garments through the
manufacturing process. The textile factories employ skilled sewers who
are adept at putting together garments of all sizes and shapes to create
the apparel that we all wear. Functional trimmings and accessories are
affixed to the garment at various stages of the manufacturing process.

● Consumers
The fiber, yarn, fabric, or ready-made clothing must undergo a variety of
chemical processing steps, such as preparation, dyeing, printing, and
finishing, in order to create marketable consumer items. Because the
value addition is achieved through functional finishing to bestow the
desired properties, the chemical finishing among them assumes
considerable significance.
Value-added goods shipped to other nations now make up a large portion
of lifestyle goods on the global market. The impact is a result of shifting
consumer trends and tastes. Given this, it is past time for the textile
industry to get into the details of altering designs, patterns, product
development, and necessary alteration in production facilities for a
variety of materials, production techniques, and related expertise to
achieve a leadership position in the quickly growing competitiveness with
other nations.
In order to create finished goods for consumers, fabrics eventually
undergo transformation (cut, shaped, and coupled with other
 components). Purified cotton can be used in a wide variety of consumer
goods, and the possibilities are practically limitless.
Sources:
https://barnhardtcotton.net/blog/the-journey-of-cotton-an-introduction/
https://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/1830/value-addition-to-
textiles