LUBBOCK — For decades, the cotton industry has long been considered king in the Texas agriculture world. However, a shift has left it standing on shaky ground.
In the last few years — as cotton producers struggled with low market prices, high costs of business, and unpredictable weather — synthetic fibers have become more mainstream. Fast fashion outlets on the internet are offering clothes made of polyester, nylon and spandex at hard-to-beat prices. And for customers dealing with inflation and the rise of influencer culture, the clothes are flying off the virtual shelves.
“We’ve been growing this safe fiber all our lives, and we can’t seem to get any traction,” said Walt Hagood, a cotton producer outside Lubbock. “If people want cotton, it would be really helpful for them to go out and start asking the stores for it.”…