Cotton Staple Length

The term "staple" refers to fibre length. All cotton has a staple: American Pima cotton and Egyptian cotton is Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton; Indian and Pakistani local cotton varieties tend to be medium staple; "Upland" cottons of the U.S. tend to be classified as short to medium staple, which is an inch to an inch and three-sixteenths long.

USA- ELS Cotton - PIMA

Pima is an extra long staple, an inch and seven-sixteenths. Anything longer than an inch and three-eighths is considered ELS. Pima is named after the Indian tribe Pima, who were helping to raise the ELS cotton on the USDA pilot farm in Sacaton, Arizona .

Most of the ELS cotton coming from the USA is called PIMA. Brand names such as Ralph Lauren, Weathered Stone, Brooks Brothers, Linen 'N Things, J.C.Penney, Lands' End Home, are some of the names that use the brand name "Supima" Cotton, short for Superior PIMA produced by an association of PIMA growers.

Pima cottons have been grown in South-western U. S. since the early 1900's. The First World War provided the initial boost for research and development. The U.S. Defence Department was looking for places to grow ELS "American-Egyptian" cottons. This variety was long fibered and very strong. At that time, ELS was used to make tire cords and high quality fabrics to cover the fuselage and wings of the new airplane technology miracle. The "Goodyear" Tyres Company in Arizona was founded to be close to the source of cotton production.

The end of the war and major changes in technology put a temporary halt to much of the U.S. research into ELS cottons. Later in 1950, Pima cotton got a boost as USDA and other cotton breeders produced an ELS cotton with superior fibre properties, lustre and silkiness and unusually high yield. The American ELS cotton was christened "Pima," in recognition of Pima Indians who were helping to raise ELS cotton on the USDA experimental farm in Sacaton, Arizona. There is now a variety called Superior Pima or "Supima". Pakistan is the largest world importer of PIMA cotton for its textile industry