Proposed Project: Sharing Wealth with Pima Cotton Farmers in Marana, Arizona

The weaving of this cotton fabric is suited to make it breathable meaning very healthy. You can wear this fabric comfortably for hours without feeling suffocated or trapped. No more synthetic fabric, made of Polyamide, please! 

In the 1900s, the United States Department of Agriculture  collaborated with the Pima Tribe of Arizona and perfected the cotton to  make exceptionally sturdy and lustrous cotton. Pima Cotton is an Extra Long Staple cotton, which means that it has extended and sturdy fibers that have high tensile strength. You can wear this cotton to the gym, do strenuous exercise, and still, this fabric will retain its shape and appearance. The fibers of this cotton are thick and absorbent, which allow it to retain a lot of moisture. It is perfect for a summer’s casual apparel as it can save you the embarrassment of showing sweat patches. Due to its high absorbing potential, this fabric can easily retain the dye colors and prevent it from fading. You can wear this fabric for years without worrying that it will lose its original appearance.

The durable and soft nature of this fabric makes it ideal for the manufacturing of T-shirts, dress shirts, undergarments, hoodies, and other casual clothes.

In 2022,  Arizona cotton farmers planted 20,000 acres of Pima cotton compared to just 9,000 acres last year. Upland cotton farmers drastically reduced planting this year with just 82,000 acres compared to 120,000 acres in 2021. Upland cotton is a different species from Pima cotton.

The state’s total cotton crop in the 2020-2021 market totaled 1,396,684 bales, and growers were paid 73 cents a pound. The number of bales dropped compared to the 2019-2020 market when 1,614,995 bales were harvested.

Despite the challenges Pima County cotton growers face, Post remains optimistic. “Marana’s always going to have some kind of agriculture,” he said. “It will be interesting to see where development grows. I don’t think I’d worry about Marana losing its agriculture heritage.”