What is Egyptian Cotton? And what is special about it?
Egyptian cotton is a term applied to the 'Extra Long Staple cotton produced in Egypt. Extra Long Staple or 'ELS' is a term that refers to the length of the individual cotton fibres.
It originates from a 'Gossypium Barbadense' plant and grows along the River Nile in Egypt, which has optimum conditions for this plant to produce the longest staple cotton fibres. Sometimes, "Egyptian long-staple" and "extra-long-staple" are used.
Egyptian cotton is the best cotton due to its strength and total softness. In addition, the longer fibres of the cotton make an excellent yarn that is resistant to stress and incredibly strong.
The birth of Egyptian cotton was a beautiful garden in Cairo!
The very first Egyptian cotton and the development of the market class started in 1820 and was first cultivated by a Frenchman, Monsieur Jumel. He spotted a fantastic opportunity and discovered some neglected cotton plants languishing in a beautiful Cairo garden.
He took the risk, experimented a little and created luxurious extra-long-staple cotton. The results bowled over Egypt's ruler, and Egyptian cotton soon flourished.
What Is Different About Egyptian Cotton?
- Longest Staple
Egyptian cotton is undoubtedly one of the finest and most luxurious materials provided in the world today, known globally to be the longest-staple of all. This is because Egyptian cotton produces fibres far longer than any other cotton.
The fibres create fine yarns, spun into extra fine uniform threads without sacrificing the length before being woven into fabric.
- Handpicked
Egyptian cotton is still harvested by hand. As opposed to mechanical picking, it guarantees the highest purity level. It prevents stress on the fibres, leaving them straight, fully intact and allowing the cotton to maintain its fine structure. This leads to long-lasting fabrics that are strong, breathable, soft and resistant to fraying and pilling. It gets even better with time and washes.
- Ideal Climate
They are grown in the Nile River Valley. Egypt's humidity, consistent temperatures, and the fertile soil of the River Nile; all contribute to the ideal climate for growing cotton that boasts extra-long fibres to produce an incredibly soft and supple weave.
These criteria have resulted in Egyptian cotton being the best cotton globally. Moreover, it is the one usually found in luxury five-star hotels.
Common Misconceptions About Egyptian Cotton
- Egyptian cotton is any cotton grown in Egypt.
Both long and short-staple cotton is grown in Egypt, and products developed with either of these cotton grades can technically be labelled as “Egyptian Cotton”. However, the well-known luxurious Egyptian cotton only originates from the species Gossypium Barbadense when grown in Egypt.
- Egyptian cotton can be produced in other parts of the world.
Gossypium Barbadense cotton plant can also be found and cultivated in different countries. However, when the plant is grown in Egypt -specifically- in the soil along the River Nile with an inherent chemical composition suited for growing cotton, it provides even longer staples due to specific climate conditions and the other mentioned factors.
Cotton manufacturers often associate their cotton products with 'Egyptian cotton' produced in different countries. You may have heard before that only 1% of the world's cotton is grown in Egypt. Egyptian cotton is the rarest cotton available because it can only grow in the Nile River Valley.
The Verdict
Two conditions should be met for the cotton to be the luxurious globally known Egyptian cotton; the cotton must originate from the ELS species - and be grown in Egypt.
