The history of Cotton in Malta
Cotton in Malta is believed to have been brought by the Arabs in the the 9th century. The Maltese kept growing cotton for around 900 years, as they where grown well into the 19th century during the British period. Maltese cotton was extremely important as it was soled abroad, some of this money was used to take care of Mdina’s walls. A lot of people were involved with the training of cotton, from the farmer in the fields, the land owners, the people who spun the cotton and the sailors employed to take the cotton to other countries around the Mediterranean.
Malta was well known for its cotton around Europe because of this the Maltese made sure that no cotton seeds leave the island, making it illegal. This rule was known as bandi. During the Order of St John’s stay in Malta the cotton industry was flourishing. In 1732, Grand Master Manoel de Vilena built houses for old people and poor girls, in these houses women were given the opportunity to process and spin cotton to earn money.
In the 20th century Maltese cotton was no longer popular as cheaper and more inferior cotton was being produced because of this Maltese farmers no longer wanted to grow cotton. The older generations recall how beautiful the fields of cotton used to be ‘looking like a large carpet of silver’.
