Cotton shirts have always been a favorite among Malaysians. We wear it everywhere, whether hanging out with friends, going to the gym, or going to work. They are simple and can be worn with almost any type of jeans.
Lately, though, the cool thing to do is wear premium cotton shirts instead of any cotton shirts. In Malaysia, more and more brands are starting to sell shirts made with high-quality cotton.
What distinguishes 100 Pima cotton t-shirts from ordinary cotton shirts?
In this article, we’ll talk about the most common kinds of cotton, what makes premium cotton “premium,” and how to tell good cotton from lousy cotton.
How Many Kinds of Cotton Do You Know?
People probably need to realize this, but many different kinds of cotton worldwide exist. This is because the feel and quality of cotton can change depending on how the fabric is treated, what type of cotton plant the fibers came from, and when they were picked.
In general, there are three types of cotton: Upland cotton, Egyptian cotton, and Pima cotton.
What’s the Difference Between Premium Cotton and Other Cotton?
The only thing that makes one cotton fabric better than a regular is the length of the fibers. The size of the fibers tells how soft and silky the fabric is. When you visit men’s clothing stores, check the features of cotton t-shirts.
Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton both have longer fibers than Upland cotton. In addition to being more comfortable, Pima and Egyptian cotton garments typically last longer. Because it feels better and lasts longer, premium cotton is preferable to regular cotton.
Pima is considered one of the best types of cotton in the world. Pima is mostly grown in the United States, Australia, Peru, and Israel. Extra-long staple cotton has long fibers that make it both soft and strong. When it comes to clothes, this means that the fabrics are soft and smooth, and they don’t fray, tear, pill, wrinkle, or fade.
It makes sense that many clothes say they are made from pure Pima. But finding Pima is challenging. Recent studies showed that most products labeled as Pima aren’t pure and are often mixed with other types of cotton that need to be better.
Certified Supima cotton is always made of 100% American Pima cotton, with no other lower-quality cotton mixed in. This is different from Pima, which is often made with cotton that could be better.
The name “Supima” is a trademark that the Supima organization can only give. The trademark talks about how pure and high-quality cotton is, but that doesn’t mean that Supima is different from American Pima.
Beware: How to Tell Premium Cotton from Fake Ones
Most shoppers for clothing are unaware that just because something is labeled as “premium cotton” doesn’t necessarily mean it is. Some dishonest retailers label clothing as “100% Premium Cotton” even though it contains a mixture of premium and regular cotton.
Without scientific tests, there is no way to know if a shirt is made of 100% cotton. Still, the price is one of the biggest red flags. If the price is too reasonable to be actual (really low), it isn’t 100% premium cotton.
Conclusion
A growing number of Malaysians want to purchase premium cotton shirts. Because the natural fibers are longer, premium cotton shirts feel better and last longer than regular cotton shirts.
At first glance, cotton shirts might all appear to be the same, but they can differ greatly. The best indicator of whether you are buying good cotton is the price. You should not purchase the item if the price is too low for a shirt that says, “100 Pima cotton t-shirts.”