Pima Cotton
Fiber — one of 29 in the glossary
Extra-long staple cotton, grown mainly in the United States, Peru, Israel and Australia. Staple length is the length of an individual fibre, and Pima's runs roughly half again as long as ordinary upland cotton. Longer fibres mean fewer ends poking out of the yarn, which is what makes the fabric feel smoother, resist pilling and hold colour better. The same fibre sold under the Supima trademark is Pima grown in the United States and licensed.
Why staple length matters
Cotton arrives at the mill as fibres of varying length, and the length of the average fibre — the staple — decides almost everything about the yarn spun from it. Ordinary upland cotton runs around 1 1/8 inches. Pima runs closer to 1 1/2.
Longer fibres can be twisted into a finer, more even yarn with fewer loose ends sticking out of the surface. Those loose ends are what you feel as roughness, what catches and rolls into pills, and what scatters light and makes a colour look chalky. Remove most of them and the same dye reads deeper and the same weight of fabric feels softer.
This is a property of the fibre, not a finish. It cannot wash out, which is the main practical difference between Pima and a soft hand achieved with silicone softeners.
Pima, Supima and Egyptian
Supima is a trademark, not a different plant. It certifies Pima grown in the United States, and licensees pay for the mark, which is part of why a Supima blank costs more than an unmarked Pima one of similar quality.
Egyptian cotton is the same botanical species as Pima — Gossypium barbadense — grown in the Nile valley. The name is not protected in most markets, so it appears on a great deal of fabric that is not extra-long staple at all.
If the fibre matters to you, the number to ask for is the staple length. The names are marketing; the measurement is not.
Is it worth it on a blank you are printing?
For retail-facing goods, often yes. Pima blanks hold their look through more washes, which matters when the shirt carries a brand someone is judging.
For a giveaway or a one-day event, no. The fibre premium buys longevity, and nobody wears a conference shirt long enough to notice.
For printing specifically, the smooth surface is an advantage: a finer, more even face takes fine detail better than a fuzzy carded one. It is also a lighter, more fluid fabric in most Pima blanks, so a heavy ink deposit can read stiff against it.
Common questions
- What is the difference between Pima and Supima cotton?
- None, botanically. Supima is a trademark certifying Pima cotton grown in the United States. The fibre is the same; the mark is a licensed guarantee of origin, and it carries a price.
- Is Pima cotton better than regular cotton?
- For softness, colour depth and pill resistance, yes, because the fibres are longer and the yarn has fewer loose ends. For durability under hard use it is not automatically better — a heavy carded cotton will outlast a fine Pima jersey on a work site.
- Is Pima cotton the same as Egyptian cotton?
- Same species, different origin. Both are extra-long staple in principle, but Egyptian is not a protected term in most markets, so the name appears on fabric that is not extra-long staple at all. Ask for the staple length rather than the name.
- Does Pima cotton shrink?
- It is still cotton, so yes, unless it has been preshrunk or garment-dyed. Longer fibres do not change how cotton behaves in hot water.
Where this comes up
See also
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