Egyptian cotton
Gossypium barbadense, Egypt
Cotton grown in Egypt, mainly in the Nile Delta. Most Giza varieties produce extra-long staple, some “only” long staple. Origin can be verified through a licence for the Egyptian Cotton™ trademark.
Section
Cotton
Fibre from the seeds of the cotton plant. The most widely used natural fabric in the world – and the one where a single invisible figure decides everything: staple length.
Pima
Gossypium barbadense, the USA and other countries
Extra-long-staple cotton of the same species as Egyptian cotton. Named after the Indigenous people of Arizona who supported its experimental cultivation in the early 20th century.
Supima
trademark, USA
A registered trademark for American Pima cotton grown in the USA. The association that manages it verifies origin with forensic fibre testing.
Organic cotton
a way of growing, not a species
Cotton from certified organic farming. It changes nothing about how the fabric feels; it changes how the cotton is grown and how the chain is checked. Look for a certificate (GOTS, for example) and its grade.
Long staple
29–35 mm
In the classification of American cotton, fibre roughly 1.13 to 1.38 inches long. It allows a finer, smoother yarn than regular Upland cotton.
Extra-long staple
ELS, 35 mm and above
Fibre at least 1 3/8 inches (35 mm) long, as defined by the ICAC. Typical of most varieties of Gossypium barbadense – Egyptian cotton and Pima.
Sources
- Cotton Incorporated – The Classification of Cotton
- Staple (textiles) – USDA categories and the ICAC threshold
- Egyptian Cotton Association
- Supima (Wikipedia)
- GOTS – Labelling
Last checked 12 October 2026. How we correct errors