Cotton is a natural plant fibre which grows around the seed of the cotton plant. Fibres are used in the textile industry, where they are the starting point of the production chain. First, the cotton fibre is obtained from the cotton plant and then spun into yarn.

Raw cotton is the 278th most commonly traded product in the world. The top 3 exporters of raw cotton are: the US ($4.06 billion or 36%), India ($1.71 billion or 15%), and Brazil ($1.26 billion or 11%). This section takes a closer look at where those exports are going. China is the top raw cotton importing country in the world.