As we all know there are many different types of cotton. Although some aspects are pretty similar, each of them has a different hand feel and properties.

Today we want to focus on the king of cotton, the finest one: Gossypium barbadense, or Pima Cotton, named after the Pima Indians, who helped in cultivating it in Arizona’s experimental farms in the early 1900s.

Why is Pima Cotton the best on the market?

Let’s start by saying that it has an extra-long staple, a feature not common in other cotton types. Its 35mm fiber allows it to make a final product that is extremely soft, yet incredibly strong.

Pima Cotton is known to have a low percentage of pilling over time, making it 50% more long-lasting than other types of cotton.

Thanks to its hypoallergenic properties, Pima Cotton is also appropriate for people with skin sensitivities as it doesn’t cause allergies, unlike other fibers. It also adapts to the body temperature, making it perfect for both daytime and nighttime.

As all this wouldn’t be enough to assign the crown to Pima Cotton, it also is extremely shiny compared to other cotton species.

Where is Pima Cotton produced?

Nowadays Pima Cotton is mainly produced on the northern coast of Peru. 

Across the northern valleys of Peru, the rich soil soaks the right amount of moisture and gets just the perfect amount of sunlight, giving the plants exceptional growing conditions, making it the ideal home for Pima Cotton. 

How is Pima Cotton produced?

Pima Cotton is harvested entirely by hand. Why? Because in this way the wise hand of the farmers can clean the wad of all the impurities that are left, which would affect the final softness of the fabric.