There are up to 1,500 cotton farms in Australia, growing some of the finest quality and highest yielding cotton in the world. The number of farms growing cotton fluctuates each year depending on water availability and farmers choosing whether to grow the crop.
With an established reputation of being the "best" cotton in the world, its softness, strength and superior characteristics, have positioned products made of Egyptian cotton as the world's finest. Egyptian cotton is hand picked which guarantees the highest levels of purity.
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.
Supima (which stands for Superior pima) is the crème de la crème of all cottons. Supima cotton is very rare- In fact, less than 1% of the cotton grown in the world is Supima cotton.
Currently, five countries make up around 75% of global cotton production, with China being the world's biggest producer.
Cotton is grown in the inland regions of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland. The major production area in NSW stretches south from the Macintyre River on the Queensland border and covers the Gwydir, Namoi and Macquarie valleys.
What Is Egyptian Cotton? It's produced in Egypt along with the fertile and rich soil situated along the coastal line of River Nile. It's among the finest and most luxurious materials provided in the world. It's made from long strands of staple cotton that's soft and super-strong.
' ” Egypt is one of a handful of countries—along with the United States, Israel, and Turkmenistan—that grow a particularly lustrous type of cotton called extra-long-staple cotton, known in the U.S. as Pima cotton.
In the end, the difference between Turkish and Egyptian cotton towels can be boiled down to absorbency and speed of drying. While both cottons offer long, absorbent fibers, Egyptian cotton tends to be more absorbent and slower to dry; while Turkish cottons are slightly less absorbent and are quick to dry.
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.
Egyptian cotton is more breathable, moisture-wicking and absorbent than normal cotton, which helps to regulate your body temperature, making it ideal for balmy summer nights, and all year round comfortable sleeping. This works by drawing away moisture from your skin when you are hot, allowing you to cool down.
Cotton grown without the use of synthetic chemicals is considered 'organic cotton'. Organic cotton can be more susceptible to pest damage. It has been proven to be uneconomical to grow organic cotton in Australia.
Pima cotton is among the softest and most delicate kinds of cotton in the world because of its extra-large staple fiber that exceeds the size of average cotton fiber. Almost all luxury brands prefer to use this cotton to facilitate their spinning process and produce a fabric that is even and easy to dye.
Australia is the leading supplier of high quality cotton fibre with a track record of continual quality improvements over time. World-leading plant breeding, modern farming systems including 100% mechanical picking and state of the art ginning makes Australian cotton the preferred upland fibre for fine yarn counts.
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.
China is the largest textile producing and exporting country in the world. With its rapid growth over the last two decades, the Chinese textile industry has become one of the main pillars of the country's economy. Clothes, clothing accessories, textile yarns and textile articles are amongst Chinas's top export goods.
The best feature of pima cotton and Egyptian cotton sheets is the feeling that you have as you touch it. They are both extremely soft and smooth. You may find little difference between the two materials, and find that pima cotton is a more affordable choice that provides the same quality feel as Egyptian cotton sheets.
In general, the best-ranked yarns feature long, fine fibers with small diameters. Overall, Giza cotton has a uniformity ranking of 88.5, indicating a silky-soft material with few irregularities. This number makes Giza cotton the highest-graded fiber among all Egyptian cotton.
High-quality Turkish and Egyptian cotton produce the best, softest, and most absorbent towels. Whether you need them for yourself or your guest bathroom, cotton bath towels are multitaskers and ideal for everyday use.
Cotton has a relatively long history in Australia – native varieties have grown here for many thousands of years. However, although cotton was introduced to Australia with the First Fleet, it did not establish itself even as a minor commercial crop until the 1850's.
Thanks to ideal growing conditions, extra-long staple length and hand harvesting, Peruvian pima cotton is the world's finest, prized for its exceptional durability, softness and brilliant luster.
Genuine Sea Island Cotton
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.
Australia's cotton farmers lead the world in sustainable, ethical cotton production. They grow more cotton with less land and water than ever before, and use 95% less pesticides than a decade ago. And they care about keeping people safe, and treating them fairly.
99.9% of Australia's cotton is exported, making Australia the third largest cotton exporter in the world. The main reason is that there are no cotton spinning mills in Australia, which is an early stage of processing where yarn is produced.