"Cottoning on": Shooting in the Delta

Do you know where your jeans come from? Photographer Par Bengtsson traveled to Wilson, Arkansas, Forty miles North of Memphis and in the heart of the Arkansas Delta, to shoot the cotton harvest and explore the natural journey from field to fabric.

Cotton1.jpg

Along the rich soils of the Mississippi River, the small farming community of Wilson has made a large imprint on cotton production with vast white fields growing organic and sustainable cotton. Fluffy white bolls line the landscape, reminiscent of a gentle, snowy wonderland. Par’s images of the fibrous plants and their cloudlike textures beautifully capture the natural softness found in clothing manufactured with materials that are locally, ethically, and sustainably sourced.

Once the cotton is picked, it is taken to the local Cotton Gin for “ginning”, a process that separates trash, debris, and cottonseed from the lint through air blowers to retain the purity of the fibers. This soft plant is incredibly versatile with minimal waste, with cotton and its by-product used in a range of everyday products from fabrics, food and beauty. We especially love Cotton Seed Milk for healthy hair.

Wilson-Cotton5.jpg