Moisture Metric
A fiber weight ratio represents the amount of water present in a raw or processed textile sample relative to its dry weight. This commercial value, known as cotton regain, is measured by heating a fiber sample until all moisture is evaporated and then calculating the lost weight. The standard value of this ratio is used to determine the invoice weight of raw cotton shipments.
Commercial Weight
Financial calculations for cotton transactions depend on this value to prevent buyers from paying for excess water or sellers from losing revenue due to dry fiber. When the actual cotton regain exceeds the commercial standard, the raw weight must be adjusted downward before finalizing the transaction. This adjustment ensures fair trading conditions and protects both spinning mills and cotton merchants.
Moisture Calculation
Dry oven testing is the primary laboratory method used to determine the exact percentage of moisture. Technicians weigh the wet sample, heat it in a ventilated oven at one hundred and five degrees Celsius until it reaches a constant mass, and then record the bone-dry weight. The formula divides the mass of the lost water by the bone-dry mass of the cotton and multiplies by one hundred.
This resulting value allows the mill to calibrate spinning machinery for optimal fiber processing.
Testing Standard
The standard moisture calculation becomes inaccurate when fibers are heavily coated with synthetic sizing agents or natural waxes. These non-fibrous substances volatilize at oven temperatures and distort the weight measurement. Under these conditions, the sample must be scoured before moisture testing.