A natural cellulose fiber extracted from the inner bark of the Plagianthus betulinus tree. Despite the name, it is not a true cotton from the Gossypium plant, but rather a strong, fine bast fiber that can be spun into yarn. It historically served as a regional substitute for imported cotton in textile production.
Heard on the job
The museum piece is woven from New Zealand cotton, which explains why the fiber structure looks more like fine linen.