So.. maybe you have never heard of Supima Cotton? Or you are wondering what the difference between Supima Cotton and Conventional Cotton is? Look no more -- I'm here to tell you and let me tell there is a big difference!
Primarily Supima Cotton is a cotton grown only in the USA, ours is grown in Arizona, and the fibers on average are around 1.5 inches long -- more than double the size of conventional cotton.
Why does this matter?
The Length of the fibers create a more durable fabric, which means the t-shirt will not stretch out as much in the wash etc. The fabric retains color better, dyes won't fade in the wash and also it is wayyyy softer than conventional cotton! Our clients say our shirts, "feel like silk!"
Now that we know why Supima is better than conventional cotton, I must bring up why it's also better than Pima Cotton. Most people believe Pima Cotton and Supima Cotton are the same. They are not and here is why.
Supima Cotton is actually American-grown Pima Cotton, but not all Pima cotton is Supima cotton. Confused?
To explain this we have to bring in Egyptian Cotton. The only main difference between Pima and Egyptian Cotton is where they come from. Pima cotton is primarily grown in the USA. Egyptian cotton is mainly from the Nile River Valley. Known for their hot, dry climate - which is great for growing cotton!
Both Egyptian Cotton and Pima Cotton can have great qualities very similar to Supima Cotton.
However, unfortunately, there are a lot of mislabels these days.
It has been reported that nearly 89% of cotton sold as Egyptian or Pima is not the real form of either of those kinds of cotton. According to Applied DNA Sciences, a forensic science biotech company cited in a Bloomberg article that 83% of tested products labeled 100% Pima were partially or entirely made of another type of cotton.
For instance, any cotton grown in Egypt can technically be labeled 'Egyptian Cotton' even if it doesn't have the extra long staple cotton qualities. If companies can verify the origins of their cotton - that is the best bet. As both Egyptian and Pima have been mislabeled, far too often using inferior cotton blends.
Yikes! Have you ever wondered if your cotton t-shirt was in fact cotton?? If that is not enough, listen to this!
There have been shortages with Egyptian Cotton that have caused manufacturers and big-box companies to blend this high-quality fabric with less-quality ones and not disclose that to their customers. This caused some outrage in 2016...
It has been proven that Target has sold fake 'Egyptian Cotton' sheets and pillowcases. Target had to recall 750,000 units as they found these sheets and pillowcases were made with a cheaper form of cotton. You can find the lab study here. It is believed that other brands were effected by this manufacturer where Target was getting their goods, called Welspun Cotton. Other retailers believed to be affected are Wal-mart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Khols, Macy's, K-Mart, and J.C Penny.
Now let's get into our favorite type ... Supima Cotton!
A lot of Pima cotton is not actually Pima cotton as mentioned before and has less expensive kinds of cotton blended in or substituted for the real stuff. Only Supima Cotton is 100% American grown Pima Cotton. Supima Cotton is usually grown in a desert climate, like Arizona or Texas. This type of cotton as been traced back to Mexico as early as 3400 and 2300 BC! Supima Cotton has some amazing properties, which is why we chose Supima Cotton as our signature fabric.
All genuine Supima Cotton has been certified by the American Supima Association (ASA). This association is a group of textile manufacturers and farmers who come together to retain credibility in their fabric and yarn. This association has incredibly high quality and only exists within the USA. This means it is only possible to buy true Supima Cotton fabric in the USA.
Take it from other companies choosing Supima Cotton as well over Egyptian and Pima Cottons.
"THERE ARE ONLY TWO CHOICES THAT WE CAN CHOOSE. ONE IS EGYPTIAN LONG-STAPLE COTTON, THE OTHER ONE IS AMERICAN SUPIMA COTTON. THERE IS ALMOST NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO IF WE JUST CONSIDER THE PERFORMANCE OF PLANT FIBER. BUT THE DEGREE OF INDUSTRIAL STANDARDIZATION OF EGYPTIAN LONG-STAPLE COTTON IS FAR LESS THAN THAT OF SUPIMA COTTON, AND IN THE PROCESS OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE ACCEPTANCE, EGYPTIAN COTTON IS ULTIMATELY BASED ON THE ACTUAL GOODS, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THE COTTON WHATEVER THEY GIVE US UNCONDITIONALLY. OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS AN UNSTABLE RISK, BUT WE CANNOT BRING THIS RISK TO OUR CUSTOMERS." - L.MARTIN
Supima Cotton Classic Crew
Women's Supima Cotton V-Neck
