Cotton is a popular fabric choice for clothing companies and individuals alike. Dating back to ancient history, cotton has been a widespread material to use. The first records of cotton in history are seen in Middle Eastern and Latin American culture, but the love of cotton quickly spread as societies expanded.
Cotton starts as a cotton plant; it was originally harvested and manipulated by hand. When spinning was introduced in the 14th century, people began harvesting and forming cotton with machinery.
There are many different types of cotton. However, three main types are highlighted throughout history and culture as being especially loved and valued. These include Pima cotton, Egyptian cotton, which is commonly used in sheets and bedding, and Supima cotton.
What is Supima cotton? Let’s take a closer look at everything you need to know about Supima cotton, what it is, and why we love it.
The Rundown
Supima cotton is an incredibly soft, breathable type of cotton used in clothing. In order to understand why we love Supima cotton, it’s important to understand the history and culture surrounding it.
Let’s discuss.
Origins of Supima Cotton
Pima cotton and Supima cotton are closely related. In fact, Supima cotton is an abbreviation for “superior Pima” cotton. Supima cotton was first manufactured in the United States, but it has since expanded to many other countries and locations.
There are key distinctions between Pima cotton and Supima cotton, but one of the most significant is how often they’re used. Supima cotton is used significantly more often than Pima cotton or Egyptian cotton.
Where We Get Our Supima Cotton
Here at Olivers, we source all our Supima cotton from Japan. We use this high-grade cotton option in most of our cotton materials. This includes our Classic French Terry fabric.
Later on, we’ll break down how we use 100% Japanese Supima Cotton along with other materials to design stretchable, athletic, and leisurewear designed for anything.
Unique Structure
Supima cotton has a unique structure. Its fibers are longer and more durable than other cotton fibers. This stronger structure makes Supima an especially excellent option for athletic wear and clothing designed for durability.
7 Reasons Why We Love Supima Cotton
There’s a rich history behind Supima cotton. From ancient days to the present, Supima has stood the test of time and proves to be a superior fabric choice. However, this is only a part of why we love Supima cotton.
Below are seven reasons why Supima cotton is truly remarkable.
1. Superior Durability
A distinct characteristic of Supima cotton that sets it apart from other types of fabric is its strength and durability. Supima offers two times the strength of regular cotton and Pima cotton.
This is due to its structure. Supima’s fibers are longer and more durable than other cotton fibers. Whether you’re attending a board meeting or riding your board down your favorite street, you can rely on this fabric to withstand whatever you throw at it.
2. Long-Lasting
Another benefit of using Supima cotton is its extensive life. This fabric is known for its durability and long-lasting life. When you choose Supima cotton for your closet, you can enjoy a long life no matter how often you wear a piece of clothing.
This also makes Supima cotton an excellent choice for leisurewear. If you’re looking for clothing that is up for the challenge, Supima is the best option. You’ll enjoy a longer-lasting product with Supima cotton as opposed to any other type of fabric.
3. Wrinkle-Resistant
Some types of fabric wrinkle more easily than others. Luckily, Supima is wrinkle-resistant, even for activewear. Our clothing is designed for use in the office and on the trails. If you want to wear those morning workout clothes to lunch later, you’ll need a fabric that doesn’t wrinkle with movement.
Supima cotton is designed to deter and resist wrinkles, no matter how active you are. You can wear Supima with confidence that you’ll look as good in the office as you do on the slopes.
4. Fade-Resistant
Another benefit of Supima cotton is that it’s fade-resistant. With some fabrics and materials, the color fades with each use and each wash. This can shorten the life of your favorite clothing. Luckily, Supima cotton resists fading, even with washes and regular wear and tear.
5. Say Goodbye to Pilling
One of the most frustrating obstacles with clothing is pilling. Pilling is when an article of clothing has fabrics or fibers that tangle together in little knots of yarn. These knots are known as pills. This can occur for a variety of reasons. For many types of fabric, pilling is normal — even expected in most types of low-quality clothing.
There are many ways to remove pilling. Fabric combs, pilling machines, and fuzz removers have been designed to remove pills and get your clothing soft once more. The problem with these inventions is that they only put a temporary solution to a deeper problem without solving the deeper concern at hand.
This fabric is excellent at resisting pilling. Because the fibers are tough, they don’t break. Because they don’t break, they can’t tangle together in pills. Supima is made from soft, clean yarn that’s manufactured and designed in such a way that it resists pilling.
As time goes on, instead of dealing with lumps of yarn that’s come loose, you can enjoy clothing that only gets softer as time goes on.
6. Unparalleled Softness
Not only does Supima cotton stay softer for longer, but it’s also softer, to begin with. This quality is an excellent addition to the benefits of this fabric. For those looking for leisurewear that’s durable while also soft and warm, look no further than Supima.
7. Simplicity and Convenience
Many types of high-quality clothing require special care and attention to detail. While high-quality clothing is a plus, high-maintenance clothing can be a chore. This is why we love Supima cotton. It offers durability and resistance to wear and tear that, in turn, offers simplicity and convenience.
Simply wash, wear, and repeat. You don’t have to worry about hand-washing or taking special care not to get Supima dirty, wrinkles, faded, pilled, or torn. Our collection of Supima cotton wear is designed for heavy-duty activities. Enjoy high quality in a low-maintenance package.
Drawbacks To Consider
When it comes to Supima cotton, there’s no shortage of benefits to consider. As with any product, there are also a few drawbacks to keep in mind.
None of us are perfect, including Supima cotton. Here are the drawbacks of this fabric:
A Higher Cost
One drawback to Supima cotton over other types of cotton materials is its cost. Because of the range of benefits of Supima cotton, it has a higher cost than other types.
While it can be more expensive, this cotton offsets the cost with its benefits. Instead of having to replace your athleticwear in a few years, Supima lasts much longer.
Calls for Specific Washing Temperatures
For the most part, Supima cotton is a high-quality material with low maintenance requirements. This means you can put your clothes through heavy wear and tear and expect them to resist and remain in good condition.
However, this type of cotton doesn’t react well to extreme temperatures. So, when you do choose to wash clothing made with Supima cotton, using cool or lukewarm temperatures is vital.
This will help keep your clothing in good condition and extend the life of your clothes.
How Olivers Uses Supima Cotton
We incorporate Supima cotton in our Classic French Terry Fabric to make the strongest, softest clothing for you to enjoy.
Our Classic Hoodie is available in Hazelnut, Petrol, Oat, and Grey Melange colors. This versatile pullover is the perfect addition for your morning run, an afternoon game of frisbee, or your bike ride commute to and from the office.
Our Classic Sweatpant is designed with durable, Supima cotton fibers that give you comfort, strength, and style in one perfect pair.
Choosing the Best Leisurewear
When it comes to clothing you can relax in, go for a run in, or enjoy a night out in, Supima cotton is an excellent material to consider. Rich in history, this strong, durable, soft cotton offers many benefits that other types don’t.
Don’t settle for clothing that will pill, tear, fade, wrinkle, and require maintenance to keep up with. Investing in Supima is investing in your comfort and performance.
Sources:
Egyptian Cotton vs. Sateen Sheets | Sleep Foundation
A Method for the Assessment of Textile Pilling Tendency Using Optical Coherence Tomography | NIH
