Cotton is an integral part of clothing in societies and cultures across the world. It is crucial to cotton-producing countries as well as to those importing it. According to estimates, cotton supplies more than 70 percent of clothing used by men and boys; meanwhile, 60 percent of women’s garments have cotton fibers and 40 percent of their clothing are made from 100 percent cotton. It is also used in industrial products such as zipper tapes, wall coverings, bookbinding, medical supplies, and tarpaulins.
To some extent, clothing—cotton or otherwise—can be used to differentiate one national culture from another, in terms of individualism, collectivism, power distance, and other dimensions per Hofstede’s framework. In fact, it is one of the core indicators that determine levels of enculturation and acculturation. In enculturation, which involves learning about one’s own culture, clothing and attire become a means of fulfilling this process. For instance, parents introduce their children to a way of dressing that they have likely adopted in relation to their specific cultural settings. By extension, cotton can play a significant role in this.
When people travel abroad or interact with another cultural system, they undergo acculturation, which is about learning other people’s cultures. For example, a study on clothing acculturation among Black African women in London showed that women in a new cultural context tend to acquire the clothing consumption patterns of others. However, the study also noted the influence of other factors, such as religion, age, and weather conditions. Moreover, social factors also play a significant role in how people embrace the mode of dressing in the host cultural system. While, on one hand, the study showed that women’s clothing becomes reflective of their acculturation in the host cultural system, there are times when their clothing reflects a sense of nostalgia. This occurs when the clothes they choose to wear are in some way representative of their home culture (Africa, in this case) in their host cultural environment (the United Kingdom) during special cultural events like weddings, naming ceremonies, etc. that bring them together as an ethnic group. In addition, most of these women tend to be immigrants concentrated in the country’s cosmopolitan centers, further encouraging the use of clothing that reminds them of their home countries.
Given the link between cotton and clothing, cotton’s influence and impact on every facet of the socio-cultural dimensions of the global marketing system cannot be overstated.

Questions
1. To what extent does the consumption of cotton differentiate particular cultural contexts from others?
2. The marketing records of the fashion retailers highlighted in the case suggest that cotton clothing is a major success. What do you think should be done by these and organizations in related businesses to ensure that this success is maintained and built upon in the future?
3. The case indicates that some cotton-producing countries need to improve their ethical standards. What measures do you think could be put in place to ensure significant improvement on this front and in global sustainable cotton production?
4. Assume you have been invited to speak on the topic “Global Cotton Consumption: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” What key points would you cover?
5. Do you think the adoption process in Roger’s product diffusion theory is applicable to cotton-related products? Justify your standpoint with examples.