Pima Cotton vs. Egyptian Cotton Sateen
Pima cotton and Egyptian cotton sateen are both high-quality linens. Deciding between the two can be difficult unless you know what each product really is and what gives each one its own character. Does this Spark an idea?
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Features
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Pima cotton has extra long fibers and is typically referred to as extra-long staple. The fiber length is 1-7/16 inch. If the fiber is at least 1-2/8 inch, then it falls into the ELS category--anything shorter and it is classified under another type.
Considerations
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Egyptian cotton can be an ELS cotton; however, not all Egyptian cotton has long fibers. Most cotton exported from Egypt is not ELS. Even though Egypt is one of the largest producers of ELS cotton, it keeps most of it within the country. The sateen feature is a special weave that makes this sheet extra smooth to the touch.
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Misconceptions
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If you purchase Pima cotton, you know you are getting a long staple fiber, but you do not know if you are getting this with Egyptian cotton sateen. Pima cotton is softer then most other cotton varieties because it is roller ginned not saw ginned like shorter staple length cottons.
Thread Count
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Egyptian cotton sateen is a very strong and resilient, giving it longer life then standard linens. Linens made with Egyptian cotton have a high thread count, usually from 800 to as much as 1,500. According to the Yahoo! shopping site, Pima cotton products have a lower thread count, ranging from 250 to 600.
History
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Pima cotton is grown in the U.S., Israel, Peru and Australia. The name, Pima, comes from the Pima Indian tribe that grew cotton in Arizona. Only three percent of the cotton grown in the U.S. is Pima because there is a select area where it can be grown.
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References
- Photo Credit bedroom image by david hughes from Fotolia.com
