Cotton Goods

Image source: WPB

Early in the war, no shortage of cotton goods was anticipated. Raw cotton and mill capacity seemed adequate. Starting in April, 1943, however, labor shortages began to appear due to the draft and drift of laborers to higher-paying industries. By the end of 1943 output had declined by 13%. The first shortage was in cotton duck or canvas used for tents, work clothes, and sand bags. Cotton also had to be used in place of burlap because its source in Southeast Asia was eliminated by the Japanese occupation. To arrest this production decline, rationing and prioritizing of cotton broad woven goods was started. ^{WPB 77-79}