Pima cotton, originally cultivated in Peru, is now made in the southwest region of the United States and is considered a superior alternative to ordinary cotton. Pima cotton is often compared to Egyptian cotton because of its texture and durability. It is called the American version of the magnificence that is Egyptian cotton.

Most people are not aware of the difference between regular cotton and pima cotton or even what makes one cotton better than another. The quality of cotton is determined by its staple length and the rule of thumb is the longer the better. Pima is known as an Extra Long Staple cotton and it is the staple length that gives a piece of fabric its texture, softness, and durability. Because pima cotton is a natural fiber, it is known that the longer and smoother a filament of the cotton is, the softer than fabric will be. Very much like its sibling Egyptian cotton, pima cotton is composed of long threads and because of this it can be used for a variety of manufactured goods, such as towels, sheets, socks, shirts, and more.

The long threads allow for the cotton to be woven a number of times to form a soft, dense fabric.  Pima cotton is especially popular when used for sweaters because although it is a cotton and is light, it allows for optimum warmth and coverage. The staple that makes up pima cotton is extremely strong and creates a soft texture and a wonderful luster that is better than basic cotton. The cotton itself is smooth, thickly woven, and long lasting. Most pima cotton is also hand harvested, which means the bolls of the cotton are as pure as they can possibly be and the imperfections are weaved out by hand. Because of this, the cotton is more easily absorbing and more colors can be made available for pima cotton products.

Another great thing about pima cotton is that the thick density of the resulting fabrics and products are more resistant to pilling than other fabrics. Pilling is when the fibers of a piece of clothing begin to be undone and small balls end up visible on the surface. Pilling usually happens from washing or extensive wear and cannot be avoided if a fabric is available to it. Also, pima cotton is not only lush but it is sensible because it can be washed or dry cleaned without losing its finer qualities. Pima cotton is simple to preserve and an article made with pima cotton is a great investment since it will last for many years of use.  Pima cotton, unlike other threads, only gets softer after each time of usage and washing. Obviously, pima cotton is much better than regular cotton and is luxurious while being practical at the same time. So now that you know about the difference between pima cotton and regular cotton, you can feel safe about spending the money for an item of pima cotton since you are investing in something that will last for a long time, is moderately priced, can be easily preserved, and is softer and smoother to the touch and while wearing.