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Throughout the past two centuries, Egyptian cotton has
prevailed as one of Egypt's biggest competitive advantages.
With an established reputation of being the "best" cotton in
the world, its softness, strength, and superior
characteristics have positioned products made of Egyptian
cotton as the world's finest.
Egyptian cotton sheets have not gained such a reputation
without reason. Egyptian cotton "is" the world's finest cotton
and the following characteristics are what set Egyptian
cotton apart from other natural fibers:
1-The long length of the fiber makes it possible to make the
finest of yarns without sacrificing the strength of the
yarn
2-The superior strength of the fiber makes fabrics more solid and
more resistant to stress
3-Its ability to absorb liquids gives fabrics made of
Egyptian cotton deeper, brighter and more resistant colors
4-Its softness increases with each washing
Egyptian cotton is hand picked to guarantees the highest
levels of purity. In addition, hand picking puts no stress on
the fibers - as opposed to mechanical picking - leaving the
fibers straight and intact. All these factors have resulted in
the Egyptian cotton being, by far, the best cotton in the world.
Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer, and last
longer than any other cotton in the world.
It was thought for ages that cotton was cotton and thread
count was king when choosing quality sheets. That is no longer
true. Consumer guidelines for buying bedding suggest that
cotton from Egypt is superior to other cotton. Is this true
and, if so, what is the big difference?
Egyptian cottons are used to create bedding of all types
from sheets to pillowcases to comforters. The long staple or
long fiber of Egyptian-grown cotton means that there is more
continuous fiber to use when creating threads or yarns. This
yarn is smaller in diameter yet stronger than other cottons.
Smaller yarn means that more threads per square inch can be
use to create stronger fabric which is light in weight yet
breathes well.
More threads per inch mean that the thread count on the
bedding label will be higher. Many buyers think that choosing
high thread count sheets is the only gauge of quality. This is
not true, but in the case of cotton grown in Egypt, the higher
thread count means the fabric will be incredibly strong and
will last for years and years. If cared for properly, Egyptian
produced cotton fabric used for creating bedding products can
last for decades.
The hand or feel of the sheets created from Egyptian grown
cotton is a bit harder than other cottons when the bedding is
new. However, with every single laundering, the cotton sheets
from Egyptian fibers become softer and softer. Like a fine
wine, age improves the Egyptian fiber cotton bedding and,
unlike many products, you will prize your Egyptian fiber
sheets of cotton more and more as they age and become soft and
cuddly.
Cotton grown in the Egyptian fields will also produce less
lint and therefore will not pill after repeated washings as
some materials may do. At one time, the only way to obtain
Egyptian fiber cotton sheets was to shop in high-end expensive
stores. This is no longer true and most department stores and
online bedding stores carry a selection of Egyptian produced
cotton sheets and other bedding items for the buyer seeking
this quality product.
King Cotton was once the name for the cotton grown in the
Deep South of the United States. This cotton has much shorter
fibers or staple than the Egyptian produced cotton. Egyptian
fiber is now considered the king of all cottons for its
durability and luxurious feel. After all, we spend almost
one-third of our lives in our beds and our bedding should be
comfortable and durable. Choosing the right sheets made from
the king of cotton, Egyptian produced fibers, you will
experience a bed that is comfortable and cozy.
A word of caution regarding bedding
labels: if the package says "cotton rich" the actual amount of
cotton, whether Egyptian or other cotton, is not stated and
can be a very small amount. It is better to select products
that state 100% cotton or, if choosing a blend fabric, that
clearly state the exact proportion of cotton in the bedding.
This will ensure your product composition is one that you will
be pleased
with.
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