Montserrat’s Unique Sea Island Cotton
On the lush green island of Montserrat, soaking up the bright Caribbean sunshine and the warm tropical breeze, and thriving in the lush volcanic soil, a special plant was once grown here to create one of the softest fabrics in the world.
At one time, Sea Island cotton was the most expensive and highly valued variety of cotton, thanks to its long threads and soft, silky feeling. It was often used in the highest quality items, and was often blended with silk to make the richest fabrics. Over time, the Sea Island variety of cotton was pushed out in favor of other kinds of cotton plants. Today, nearly 100 per cent of the cotton grown in the world is either the native American variety known as upland cotton, or Egyptian cotton.
Hundreds of years ago, this exquisite Sea Island cotton plant was grown widely in the Carolinas and Georgia, until cheaper, hardier plants took over. Now, there are only two places in the world where you can still find small examples of Sea Island cotton. One of those places is the stunning Caribbean island of Montserrat.
Back in the late 1700s, Sea Island cotton was brought to Montserrat by an English plantation owner, who had fled his plantation in Georgia at the start of the American Civil War. It thrived in the rich climate of the Caribbean, as so many plants did, and became a valuable commodity on the island.
Today, there is a small shop in the town of Salem, Montserrat called Luv Cotton Store where people from around the world buy items still lovingly made of Sea Island Cotton. Salem is a charming town, right near Old Town and Woodlands on the west coast of the island, with a population of fewer than 700 people. The owner of Luv Cotton Store, Doris Dorsett works exclusively with Sea Island Cotton. She learned how to work magic with a weaving loom at a government training center. Today, she makes lovely items from 100 per cent Sea Island Cotton, weaving dresses, scarves, table clothes, shawls and place mats from this silky and rare material.
Montserrat is one of the most charming Caribbean villa islands, and visits here are memorable for so many unique experiences. Whether travelers come here to experience the biggest St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the Caribbean, to marvel at the rebuilding in the wake of a dramatic volcanic eruption, or to shop in some of the loveliest and one-of-a-kind shops in the region, there is no end to what Montserrat has to offer.