Recent historical developments which profoundly affect cotton.marketing are considered. These include major technological changes in textile machinery, the re­emergence of the U.S. textile industry as a competitive force in world markets, and significant growth in export markets for raw cotton. Impacts of these developments on raw cotton fiber demand are discussed, with emphasis on implications for more specific requirements of cotton fiber properties. Potential importance of increased physical description of cotton fibers to the futher devel­opment of markets is explored. Basic issues include usefulness of additional information, how to best provide it to the market system, and how to foster its use for the greatest benefit to the cotton industry.