In July 2019, during a routine field visit to the Shipibo-Konibo indigenous community in Yarinacocha, Ucayali, anthropologist Dr. James M. Vreeland, Jr. discovered a towering cotton plant—over 3 meters tall—with a highly unusual seed formation. Known as “kidney cotton” for its tightly packed seeds resembling a human kidney, this variety had not been formally documented in modern Peruvian collections.

Unlike common cotton varieties with 8–10 separated seeds per boll, kidney cotton seeds cluster together in a single fused formation. Though recognized by local artisans, the plant lacks a specific name in their language and is simply called huasmen, the generic word for cotton.

Coexisting with the coarser “rough cotton” (aspero) typical of the Amazon, this kidney cotton belongs to the Gossypium barbadense species group and aligns with the natural Pakucho cottons traditionally grown in Peru’s Amazon. According to fiber experts, the bolls are exceptionally easy to hand-gin, releasing extra-long, ultra-white fibers—unusual for an Amazonian variety.

Textile Qualities Confirmed by Laboratory Tests

Dr. Juan Lazo, Director of the Instituto Peruano del Algodón (IPA), confirmed through HVI (High Volume Instrument) analysis that kidney cotton possesses exceptional properties:

• Fiber length of 30–32 mm, similar to Tanguis cotton

• High fiber strength, on par with American Pima

• High micronaire (fiber thickness), typical of jungle cotton

• Bright white color, with sheen resembling Tanguis and Pima IPA 59

• High fiber yield per boll, comparable to top commercial Upland varieties

While the coarse fiber limits its use in fine textiles, its strength and durability make it ideal for heavy-duty applications such as canvas, twill, workwear, uniforms, and footwear uppers.

Despite this, no samples of kidney cotton exist in IPA’s collections or those of other Peruvian institutions. Dr. Vreeland recalls a similar find in the Tambo Valley during the 1980s, but a lack of institutional interest at the time stalled further study.

This rediscovery underscores the vast genetic diversity of Peru’s native cottons and their potential for both conservation and future textile innovation.