Medical Applications

Cotton is soft, absorbent and breathable, making it suitable for a wide range of medical applications. Cotton is used in gauze, bandages, swabs, hygiene products, and other materials that come into direct contact with our bodies. Without cotton, many of these products would need to be replaced with much less effective materials made from synthetic fibers and plastics. That would increase our dependence on oil-based resources and could create additional waste-management challenges. A world without cotton would not only change what we wear — it would also remove many of the critical materials doctors, nurses, and patients rely on every day.