Cotton Types
Let’s first understand the wide variety of cotton. Based on the cultivated species and fiber length, thickness, and fineness, cotton can be categorized into three main strains:
Coarse-staple cotton (obsolete cotton)
Also known as Asian cotton, this refers to cotton varieties of Gossypium and Gossypium herbaceum, with short, coarse, and elastic fibers. Due to their short, coarse, and hard fibers, white or dull white in color, and low mercerization, this type of cotton has low utility and unit yield. It has been largely eliminated in China, and no commercial cotton is produced worldwide.
Fine-staple cotton (the most common cotton)
Also known as Upland cotton, this refers to cotton varieties of Upland cotton, with fibers of medium fineness and length, a pure white or creamy white color, and a mercerized sheen. It can be spun into yarns ranging from 11 to 100 tex (60 to 6 count). Fine-staple cotton accounts for 85% of the world’s total cotton production and is currently the most predominantly cultivated cotton variety in my country.
Long-staple cotton (the highest grade of cotton)
Also known as Sea Island cotton, it refers to various varieties of Sea Island cotton and hybrids of Sea and Land. Its fibers are long, fine, and soft, creamy white or light yellow, with a rich mercerized sheen and excellent quality. It is the raw material for producing cotton yarn below 10tex. Countries currently producing long-staple cotton include Egypt, Sudan, the United States, Morocco, and Central Asian countries. my country’s main production bases for long-staple cotton are in Xinjiang and other regions. Long-staple cotton can be further divided into extra-long-staple cotton and medium-long-staple cotton.
Key Factors Affecting Cotton Quality
Due to differences in cotton variety, growing environment, planting, and harvesting methods, the fiber properties and price of each cotton produced vary significantly. The most critical factors affecting quality are the fiber length and harvesting method.
Long-staple cotton vs. short-staple cotton
When you think of cotton, you immediately picture the white, fibrous balls growing on branches in cotton fields. These flower-like structures are called bolls. They are actually the fruit of the cotton plant. After the cotton flower is pollinated and produces cotton seeds, the fine hairs on the seeds grow from the cotton seed coat, gradually filling the inside of the fruit and eventually bursting through the outer layer.
Cotton fibers grown on cotton seeds can be categorized by length as extra-long-staple cotton (2.5 to 6.5 mm), long-staple cotton (1.3 to 3.3 mm), and short-staple cotton (1 to 2.5 mm).
Generally speaking, longer-staple cotton yarns have fewer exposed fiber ends, resulting in softer, lighter fabrics suitable for high-end clothing, fitted bedding, towels, and more. Short-staple cotton, on the other hand, has more exposed fiber ends, making it rougher and more durable, often used in everyday clothing.
Hand-picked Cotton vs. Machine-Harvested Cotton
In addition to cotton fiber length, harvesting methods also affect cotton quality. High-quality cotton products are almost always made from hand-picked cotton. This is not only because hand-picking preserves the fibers intact, but also because cotton berries mature from the bottom of the plant. Hand-picking allows the cotton from the lower part of the plant to be harvested first, and then the upper part to be harvested again after a month or two, rather than pulling the plants apart like machine harvesting does. This not only damages the fibers but also contaminates them with oil and dust from the machine.
When buying bedding, we often see vendors claiming it’s Xinjiang cotton or Egyptian long-staple cotton. In the past couple of years, Pima cotton has been heavily promoted, making it difficult to fully understand.
Let’s take a look at the differences between these three types of cotton.
Xinjiang cotton, Egyptian cotton, and Pima cotton are actually representative of three regions. Why are cotton from these three regions so renowned? It’s primarily due to climate. Cotton quality, such as length, fineness, and micronaire count, is strongly influenced by climate.
Xinjiang Cotton
Xinjiang cotton is primarily divided into fine-staple and long-staple cotton, distinguished by fineness and length. Long-staple cotton is undoubtedly longer and finer than fine-staple cotton. Due to its climate and concentrated production areas, Xinjiang cotton boasts superior color, length, foreign matter removal, and strength compared to cotton from other domestic production areas.
As a result, fabrics spun and woven from Xinjiang cotton exhibit excellent moisture absorption and breathability, a high gloss, increased strength, and fewer yarn defects, representing the highest quality of pure cotton fabrics in China. Furthermore, cotton quilts made from Xinjiang cotton exhibit high fiber loft, resulting in superior warmth.
Xinjiang’s unique natural conditions, including alkaline soil, abundant sunshine, and long growing seasons, contribute to the exceptional performance of Xinjiang cotton. Xinjiang cotton boasts a soft texture, a comfortable feel, excellent water absorption, and far superior quality to other cottons.
Xinjiang cotton is produced in both southern and northern Xinjiang, with Aksu being the primary production area and a high-quality cotton production base. It has become a hub for cotton trading and a center for the textile industry in Xinjiang. Xinjiang cotton, with its pure white color and strong tensile strength, is one of the most promising new cotton regions. Xinjiang, with its abundant soil and water resources and dry climate with little rainfall, is the primary cotton-producing region in Xinjiang, accounting for 80% of Xinjiang’s cotton production and a major production base for long-staple cotton. With ample sunlight and abundant water resources, snowmelt provides abundant water for cotton irrigation.
What exactly is long-staple cotton? How does it differ from regular cotton? Long-staple cotton, as opposed to fine-staple cotton, refers to cotton with fibers longer than 33mm. Also known as sea island cotton, it is a cultivated cotton variety with a long growth cycle and high heat requirements. Its growing period is generally 10-15 days longer than that of upland cotton.
Egyptian cotton
Egyptian cotton is divided into fine-staple and long-staple cotton. Generally, we refer to long-staple cotton. Egyptian cotton is produced in many different regions, with the highest quality long-staple cotton from the Jiza 45 region, though its production is very low. Egyptian long-staple cotton boasts superior fiber length, fineness, and maturity compared to Xinjiang cotton. Egyptian long-staple cotton is generally used to produce high-end fabrics, primarily in yarn counts of 80 or above. The resulting fabric has a silky sheen. Its long fibers and excellent cohesion result in exceptional strength, while its high moisture regain also ensures excellent dyeing properties. It generally costs around 1,000-2,000 RMB.
Egyptian cotton symbolizes the highest quality in the cotton world. Along with West Indian Wisic cotton and Indian Suvin cotton, it is considered one of the world’s finest cotton varieties. These two varieties are now extremely rare, accounting for only 0.00004% of global cotton production. Their fabrics are typically used as tribute to royalty and are prohibitively expensive, making them unused in bedding. Egyptian cotton, while produced in slightly higher quantities, offers comparable fabric quality to these two varieties. Currently, the highest-quality bedding on the market is almost exclusively made of Egyptian cotton. Ordinary cotton is harvested by machine and subsequently bleached with chemicals, which weakens the cotton’s strength and damages its internal structure, resulting in a stiffer, less lustrous texture after washing.
Egyptian cotton is entirely hand-picked and combed, allowing for intuitive identification of cotton quality and avoiding the damage of mechanical harvesting, resulting in fine, long cotton fibers. It is clean and pollution-free, with no added chemicals and zero harmful substances. The cotton’s structure remains intact, and it remains soft and soft even after repeated washings without becoming stiff.
The greatest advantage of Egyptian cotton lies in its fine fibers and high strength. Therefore, more fibers can be spun into yarn of the same count than ordinary cotton, resulting in yarn with greater strength, resilience, and resilience.
Smooth as silk, with excellent uniformity and strength, Egyptian cotton produces exceptionally fine yarn. The yarn can generally be used directly without plying, and after mercerizing, the resulting fabric is as smooth as silk. Egyptian cotton has a growing cycle 10-15 days longer than regular cotton. It experiences longer sunshine hours, matures more quickly, has longer lint, and feels better, making it far superior to regular cotton.
Pima Cotton
Pima cotton has become quite popular in recent years. It belongs to the long-staple cotton category and is primarily produced in the United States and Peru. Its longer fibers result in a softer fabric with a better drape. However, cotton length is only one aspect of quality, so overall, Egyptian long-staple cotton is superior.
Comprehensive Performance Comparison of Three Long-staple Cottons
Xinjiang Long-staple Cotton
Fiber Main Length 37.29mm, Short Fiber Index (16.0mm) 6.9%, Micronaire 4.22, Maturity 0.98, Trash Content 3.6%, Moisture Regain 5.7%, Fiber Uniformity 86.3, Fineness 161 mtex, and 101 Neps/g. Egyptian long-staple cotton
Body length 35.74mm, staple fiber index (16.0mm) 8.9%, micronaire value 4.22, maturity 0.98, trash content 2.8%, moisture regain 5.7%, fiber uniformity 89.7, fineness 159 mtex, 127 neps/g
American Pima cotton
Body length 35.89mm, staple fiber index (12.7mm) 6.5%, micronaire value 4.22, maturity 0.93, trash content 3.1%, moisture regain 5.7%, fiber uniformity 87.1, fineness 171 mtex, 136 neps/g
Based on the comprehensive evaluation, Egyptian long-staple cotton performs better!
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Post time: Sep-13-2025