Cotton derived from 'qutun' or 'kutun' meaning any fine textile though cultivated since antiquity is the most widely used natural fibre in clothing today. When raw, Cotton is coated with oils and waxes so that it does not rot in the field. It is tannish in colour and stronger when wet.
India is one of the largest producer of Cotton and has the largest area under cotton cultivation in the world. India is the only country to grow all four species of cultivated cotton. Cotton touches the country's economy at several points as no other crop does.