How cotton becomes yarn

A spinning mill turns loose staple fiber into yarn in a fixed sequence. The blowroom opens and cleans the bales into small tufts. Carding separates the tufts into single fibers and forms a soft rope called sliver. Combing, for finer cotton yarns only, strips out short fibers. Drawing combines several slivers and stretches them into one even sliver. The roving (simplex) frame thins it and adds a light twist. The ring frame draws it down to the final count and twists it into yarn. Winding then removes faults and builds large cones for the weaver. Polyester and viscose staple go through the same machines, blended in at the blowroom or the draw frame.