Cotton grows well in tropical and subtropical areas. That includes the southern US. American cotton originally displaced cotton from India and Africa because Americas cotton plants produced longer stronger fibers. More relevant to the reduction of cotton were the introduction of synthetic fibers from the 1920s on with rayon, nylon, and polyester fibers being cheaper and easier to generate and process with less or no seasonal effect.

Mexico, the Caribbean, Florida and Central America are still the main producers of global cotton supply.