Supima Cotton: Origin, Benefits and Peculiarities

Discovered in the year 1911 at Sacaton’s experimental farm, Supima cotton is strong yet soft in nature. It came into limelight because of having extra-long staple fibers than other types of cotton. Since then, it kept on developing to achieve another milestone of recognition in the year 1954. That’s when a group of American farmers established Supima organization because of its increasing demand. During this period, Supima was considered as the most luxurious fiber all over America. However, it gained an international spotlight in the year 1988 when its popularity went over borderlines to make number one choice of Swiss as well as Italian high-end spinners.

Currently, Supima cotton is considered as top choice of many fashion houses in the clothing industry. Not only is the fabric exported all over the world, but is also supplied to leading retail companies and premium brands like Garmium. So, what exactly made Supima survive and even lead for more than a century? And what differentiates it from other types of cotton or fabrics? Those are the two key questions, answers of which, are worth knowing.

Advantages of Supima

• Exalted Softness: The older Supima cotton is the better outcome it’s known to produce. As mentioned above, Supima’s extra-long staple fibers give its yarn characteristics such as more smoother and clean than other types of cotton. Note that with every wash, it gets softer. Additionally, Supima fibers are extremely fine in nature which makes them inherit an exalted softness.
• Remarkable Strength: If typical length of regular cotton is an inch, then Supima cottons’ is 1.5. This makes it possible to manufacture strikingly resilient products. An outcome of processing Supima is a woven fabric that can resist tearing, pulling as well as pilling. Because of this benefit Supima made clothing retains their shape and lasts longer than other cottons.
• Blazing Color Retention: If absorbing dyes was an art, Supima cotton would’ve made up for a legendary artist. Years and years of washes would not have any fading effect. Instead, the bright luster will remain as it is. So, don’t worry about the shelf-life of Supima products at all.

These three strong roots are the basis on which Supima’s tree was able to not only survive, but also rule over the fashion industry for more than a century. And the reign is yet not over.

Supima vs Egyptian Cotton

Not all of Egyptian cotton offers extra-long staple cotton. It refers to regular quality cotton in general of which a very small portion is long-staple cotton. Whereas, Supima cotton refers only to extra-long staple cotton! The fiber yarns made from Egyptian cotton are shorter than that made of Supima cotton. Hence the products made from Egyptian cotton will not have the softness, strength or color retention equivalent to that of Supima cotton.

Statistics about Supima cotton relate 93 percent of the total quantity produced to California, 3 percent to Arizona, 2 percent to Mexico and Texas each. On the other hand, Egyptian cotton does not necessarily come only from Egypt, but also from other countries like China or India.

Lastly, Egyptian cotton does not have the advantages similar to Supima cotton. The amount of softness, strength and color retention offered by Supima cotton is not the same or closer to that offered by Egyptian cotton.

Conclusion

Supima cotton is used to make numerous types of products that you see around. Being one of the most sought after fabrics, its use varies widely from medical wear, to sheets, from towel, to apparels. Recently, it’s used majorly to make comfortable and long lasting Tees. So much so that it’s taken over the race and is currently leading over other cottons. Who would have imagined how American cotton, grown at a small scale of 500 farms would not only survive, but also evolve to rule such an important fashion clothing for a considerable amount of time?