This study compares the effects of different levels of ginning and lint cleaning, raw cotton quality factors, and yarn quality factors on the level of dyeing imperfections in finished cloth. Seven cotton varieties were included in the test; all were both saw and roller ginned, and processed through both zero and two stages of lint cleaning. All test treatments were processed into carded 16/1 yarn used to make corduroy cloth and combed 40/1 yarn used to make broadcloth. A statistical analysis showed that neither the yarn nor most of the fiber quality measurements were useful in predicting levels of neps in finished cloth. What relationships did exist between raw fiber quality measurements and dyed cloth nep levels, while statistically very significant, resulted in statistical models that left a great deal of the variability in cloth dyeing imperfections unexplained. Including variety and gin treatment in the statistical analysis decreased the level of unexplained variability, but still did not result in a useful predictive model. The conclusion was that there are one or more fiber parameters that have a large effect on cloth nep levels, but these are not currently being measured. One possibility is that the level of small motes from unfertilized ovules or other sources may be partially responsible for the observed levels of cloth dyeing imperfections.

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