ELS cottons, such as Sea Island, Indian Suvin and Egyptian Giza 45, are considered the most luxurious, making them highly prized and the most expensive of all the cottons. These varieties are hand-picked and very scarce.
The Sea Island Cotton is considered the most valuable (and expensive) cotton in the world. Depending on the provenience of cotton there are considerable differences in color: the cotton varies from nearly white (American varieties) to yellowish (Egyptian varieties) to the reddish-brown (Chinese varieties).
Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum)
Upland cotton has a high yield and is easy to grow, meaning it's the type of cotton you'll see most often in the shops; it's said to form 90% of the world's cotton production. It's native to South and Central America.
Sea Island cotton has extra long staple length upto 34 mm due to which it is considered the best cotton in the world.
Gossypium hirsutum – upland cotton, native to Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean. Gossypium barbadense – known as extra-long staple cotton, native to tropical South America. Gossypium arboreum – tree cotton, native to India and Pakistan.
With longer natural fibers, premium cotton shirts are more durable and comfortable compared to shirts made with regular cotton. While cotton shirts may all look alike to the naked eye, in reality, they can be quite different. The best way to tell if you are getting premium cotton is to price.
Egyptian cotton is acknowledged as the best quality, long staple cotton in the world. Although it historically all came from Egypt, today “Egyptian” cotton is grown worldwide.
The top two cotton producers, India and China, contribute approximately 45-50 percent of the world's production, while the top four producers comprise 70-75 percent of global cotton production. Currently, India is the world's leading producer of cotton, surpassing China recently.
For about 1,000 years, cotton was the dominant fiber used to produce clothing in the world, predominant in most of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. But the exceptional story is that it was actually an exotic fiber in the European continent, a luxury product that few Europeans could afford.
Turkish cotton is premium cotton that has extra long fibers. Using longer fiber cotton in spinning yarn means fewer joins. Fewer joins results in stronger and smoother cotton threads. Turkish cotton is long fiber cotton and is grown in the small but productive Aegean Region.
The real Sea Island Cotton comes from the seed of the Gossypium Barbadense plant which produces the longest fibres in the world with pile lengths of more than 50mm. This is the rarest type of cotton, making up less than 0.0004% of the world's cotton production.
Luxury fabrics are made from fabrics of the finest and highest quality. Silk, cashmere, Pima cotton and leather are first-rate fabrics that designers reach for to create elegant essentials for every wardrobe. They come from natural fibers or the latest and most innovative materials.
The Pima cotton is the finest cotton in the world, used mainly in luxury brands, as per its unique softness & luster. Garments made in pima cotton are a great pleasure to wear.
Vicuna Wool
This wool is the most expensive and luxurious fabric in the world. It comes from Vicuna sheep from Peru, and it is not that easy to produce it because it is impossible to shear this sheep every year, but every three years.
Egyptian cotton is extraordinary - producing extra-long fibres that are smaller in diameter than regular cotton. These longer, finer fibres create super smooth yarns when combed and spun, and therefore super smooth, soft cloth when woven.
Supima cotton stands for “superior cotton,” which is a step above Egyptian cotton in quality and feel. The fibers have superior durability and can stand up to washings easily. You will find that because supima cotton is so soft, your night's sleep will be comfortable and easy.
Giza Cotton: Ideal Climate, Harvested With Care
To preserve its quality, all Giza cotton is picked by hand. This time-consuming process contributes to the higher cost of Giza cotton, but also results in materials made from longer and more complete fibers.
China is renowned to produce the best silk fabric in the world. It is a strong, lightweight, and beautiful fabric that is durable and affordable. Apart from this, many companies also source cotton from China.
Grown in the Nile River Valley, 100 percent pure Egyptian cotton features extra-long staple fibers that weave together into the finest yarns and fabrics. At once silky soft and delightfully durable, Egyptian cotton holds up for hundreds of washes without every tearing or pilling.
Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer and last longer than any other cotton so are worth putting the slight extra bit of money into. Since finer yarns mean a higher thread count, the weave of the fabric is significantly stronger and lasts a lot longer than regular cotton.
Swiss cotton is cotton of the highest quality produced in Switzerland. Known for its exceptional quality, durability, and softness made from USA, Egyptian long-staple cotton. Processed using advanced techniques, resulting in a fabric that is strong, smooth, and lustrous.
What Is Supima cotton? Supima cotton is a superior type of cotton grown in the USA. It represents less than 1% of cotton grown in the world. What makes Supima unique to other cottons is the extra-long staple fiber that gives the cotton its premium properties: Strength, Softness and Color retention.