The US nonwovens industry, composed of over 550 firms, continues to lead the world in nonwovens technology and production. These firms, typically small (median employment 75, annual sales $7.5 million), jealously exploit and protect unique market niches. Many are too small to afford experimental, or dedicated research facilities. In the aggregate their economic impact is significant (employment in excess of 160,000, annual sales of over $50 billion). The products in the nonwoven industry are often intended as single use, disposable solutions necessitated by the needs of the sectors they serve. This has led to the saturation of the sectors such as hygiene, consumer products and medical products preferring single use products. The industrial sector has led to the creation of long life products which are intended to last for many years. This sector is still growing and new applications are emerging daily. Durable products also are being developed at a rapid pace. These value-added solutions offer new opportunities for utilization of cotton in nonwovens. The current and future state of the nonwoven industry will be discussed and reviewed. We will discuss the feasibility of using natural fibers and cotton in particular in nonwovens. Current applications and future possibilities will be reviewed with respect to performance requirements, processing and final disposition of the products.