The fiber of life

An exhibition on cotton is the latest buzz at Sanlitun Village.

The moment visitors step into The Orange, they are greeted by a water tunnel and goldfish bowl, covered in Storm Denim cloth, that conveys the idea that cotton too offers protection from moderate rain and snow.

The booth Cotton: From Field to Fashion traces the journey of the fiber that grows around the seed of the cotton plant and is then spun into yarn. Another display, Cottton 24 Hours, shows how cotton is such an integral part of everyday life. Then there is a 3-m-high globe made of 10 different types of cotton cloth. You can also see the first aircraft with cotton wings made by Wright Brothers, and learn about the carbonized cotton filament used by Thomas Edison.