This 1950s color film about cotton was presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Cotton Council International, and was produced by Audio Productions. A cotton bloom opens (0:27-0:32). Hanging samples of cotton fabrics are praised in multiple languages (:33-2:18). A time-lapse sequence of a cotton plant growing is shown (2:44-3:49). Cotton buds open in slow motion (3:50-4:32). Illustrations of ancient inhabitants of India are shown growing cotton, Arabs carrying cotton on camels, a “vegetable lam”, and Columbus holding up cotton to Queen Isabella (4:33-5:27). Illustrations of increasingly industrialized looms are shown weaving cotton for commercial use (5:28-5:55). Vintage cotton manufacturing is shown: bulk storage, spun into thread by machine, dried, cut, and sewn into clothing (5:56-6:15). Real cotton is shown up-close: processed stuffing, on the seed pods, and being pulled apart (6:16-6:52). An animated illustration shows how cotton fibers grow from the seed, including animated close-ups of a single cotton fiber forming, drying, and twisting (6:53-7:52). Scientists analyze cotton in a field, manually fertilizing and covering to prevent further natural fertilization (7:53-9:15). A farmer drives a vintage John Deere tractor tilling and aerating the soil of growing cotton (9:16-10:09). A beetle sits on a cotton bud. A vintage John Deere tractor sprays pesticides. An airplane sprays the cotton to wither the leaves (10:10-10:59). Vintage farm machinery harvests dried cotton and transfers it to trailers. Vintage ginning machines process cotton into fiber and seed in bulk. The fiber is baled for market. Cotton merchants classify cotton samples (11:00-13:12). Bales are moved by crane, truck, boat, and forklift (13:13-13:34). A spinner worker opens bales and mixes them together (13:14-13:53). Machinery processes the fiber into cotton rolls, combed and formed into a strand, and spun into thread. Finished threads are dyed red (13:54-15:37). An automated vintage cotton mill spins threads into fabric. A weaving technician transfers a textile design to a loom pattern. Various automated commercial looms are shown (15:38-16:26). A plate for transfer printing is made and printed by large machinery (16:27-17:00). Fabrics are dyed in bulk, bleached, and processed (17:01-18:00). Knitting machines run cotton thread (18:01-18:23). Various manufacturing steps are shown. Samples include printed upholstery and fashion fabrics (18:24-19:49). Children play in a sandbox. Automated wear testing is performed in a laboratory (19:50-21:00). A German woman shows and washes a dress by hand with a washboard and dries it with a vintage ringer, and irons (21:01-21:45). An Italian woman shows her cotton undergarments, and another her dress (21:46-22:18). A chemist analyzes 3D cotton molecules in a laboratory. A scientist demonstrates cottons that don’t wrinkle. Water- and stain-repellent cottons are demonstrated. Chemists texturize cotton through rollers and analyze samples (22:19-26:00). Cotton is harvested, spun into yarn, woven into fabric, knitted, printed, dyed, and treated (26:01-26:35). Hanging samples are complimented by buyers (26:36-27:11). A cotton flower opens in slow motion, an agricultural scientist analyzes a flower in a field, a textile chemist works in a lab, a farmer harvests, and a final bud opens in slow motion (27:12-28:12).