gentl.mn/all-about-cotton
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So what exactly is cotton? It's basically linked from the cotton plant which is part of the Gossypium family and the fibers were meant to protect the seeds and are comprised entirely out of cellulose material you often find in nature, such as trees. Outer fabrics such as viscose, or bamboo fabrics, are all based on cellulose as well. Cotton plants are actually shrubs and they grow wildly but today, they're cultivated most of the time.
Today, most of the cotton comes through US, China, India, as well as many countries in Africa, and South America. In the US, commercial level growth of cotton is heavily subsidized while developed nations hugely rely on machines to harvest cotton, it is still picked by hand in Africa, or in Egypt, in India, and developing countries.
In terms of cotton quality, it all starts with a staple length. Short staple is considered three-quarters of an inch or about one and a half centimeters. Medium staple cotton is considerably about three-quarters of an inch to one and a quarter inch; a long staple cotton is anything from one and a quarter inch all the way up to two and a half inches. While the majority of cotton in the world is a short staple and then some medium staple, you will only see the staple infused in marketing for higher-end cottons.
Sometimes, shirt makers also advertise Egyptian cotton and basically what they mean is it's the longest staple cotton from a batch, it's not necessarily cotton that is always from Egypt. You'll also find Egyptian cotton in towels or anything that touches the skin. Usually, it's used to demand a higher price from the consumer. A subgroup of Egyptian cotton you see so-called Giza cotton which is more high-end. Each Giza quality comes with a number. With Giza 45 con being the most luxurious and high-end Egyptian cotton on the market, its extra-long has superior fineness and is very consistent.
In my experience, West Indian sea cotton is really the cream of the crop and I would even place it above a Giza 45 cotton. For dress shirts, I always go for a two-ply cotton and make sure that it's a hundred percent cotton and it's not stretch with polyester or nylon. While it makes it more durable and it's may be appropriate for uniforms, work wear, maybe for chefs in the kitchen, it's not something you want to wear on your skin because it's rougher and not as comfortable, also it's not as absorbent.
So how can you find out if the cotton is luxurious? The problem is that you have a soft cotton, it can feel very comfortable on your skin, but it's, in fact, soft because the staple is so short. Higher-end cotton is usually very fine which means you can have a very fine weave and you get a very nice Sheen. For men's shirts, probably Albini is the largest kid on the block.
So what are their cotton buying do's and don'ts?
Don't believe that all cotton is created equal. Quality cotton is usually softer, it is shinier, it is finer, and it has a smaller impact on the environment because you can wear it for longer periods of time. You should always expect more from a higher and cotton retailer; they should be able to tell you what specific kind of cotton is used, how many plys they are, how heavy the fabric is, and where it was sourced.
At the same time, don't believe all the labels that are not backed up by a trusted industry Authority such as Albini, Thomas Mason, or Tessitura Monti, or other famous cotton makers which are known to produce a quality product made out of long staple cotton.
So how should you care for cotton? Fortunately, it's one of the more easier items to take care of. You can machine wash it, you can hand wash it, but machine wash is totally fine, the only time I'd stay away from machine washing my cotton is in a suit such as a seersucker suit or another cotton suit but mainly because of the canvas and the things on the inside not necessarily because of the fabric itself.
#notsponsored #cotton #fabrics
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