Cotton is the principal source of natural fibres for textile industries,and thus one of the most abundant sources of agro-industrial biomass. Globally, more than 12 million hectares of cotton is planted across 80 countries producing approximately 26 million tonnes of refined cotton according to the latest production figures for 2012–13 (Anon., 2013). The high level of cotton cultivation also equates to high production of cotton gin wastes and residues. In the US alone it is estimated that the cotton industry produces about 2.26 million tonnes of cotton gin waste annually (Jeoh and Agblevor, 2001). In Australia, cotton production is also a significant
broadacre crop with more than half a million hectares currently under cultivation. It has been estimated that the ginning process