Flame-retardant cotton gets a boost from clay

From Anaheim, Calif., at a meeting of the American Chemical Society

When it comes to clothing, many consumers prefer cotton to synthetic fibers.

Cotton is soft, doesn’t irritate the skin, and permits air to flow through, making it cool to wear in warm weather.

“The drawback of cotton is that it’s flammable, and therefore it can’t be used for things like children’s sleepwear,” says Leslie White, a chemist at the Agricultural Research Service’s Southern Regional Research Center in New Orleans.