"Even when they're made of the same material, some cotton fabrics are more prone to shrinking than others depending on how the fibers are assembled into a fabric," she said.

Now, researchers have developed a method that converts cotton into sugar, that in turn can be turned into spandex, nylon or ethanol.

Cotton, perhaps, "The fabric of our lives"? The marketing campaign for the fabric turns 40. Marketplace's Jennifer Collins reports on the history of the campaign and how it influenced other ...

"Even when they're made of the same material, some cotton fabrics are more prone to shrinking than others depending on how the fibers are assembled into a fabric," she said.