As spring turns to summer, we’re always on the hunt for clothing that looks great, wears well, and helps us stay comfortable all season long. When it comes to the best fabrics, it’s tough to beat pima cotton. Check out our tips for incorporating soft, breathable, and durable pima cotton into your summer wardrobe.
What is Pima Cotton?
Cotton actually comes from two different species of plants. The most common type is Upland cotton, which makes up nearly 90% of all cotton produced around the world. The remaining 10% is made up of two higher-quality cottons — Egyptian cotton and pima cotton, which are both “extra-long staple” cotton. These longer, silkier individual cotton fibers create a premium fabric that is both luxuriously soft and incredibly strong. While Egyptian cotton, when it’s authentic, is a premium fabric from the Nile River Valley, pima cotton has a decidedly American story.
What Makes Pima Cotton Shirts Great?
When you think of what you love about your favorite shirt, comfort, style, and durability likely come to mind. For the perfect summer shirt, one fabric is the clear winner – cotton. Cotton is breathable, absorbent, and versatile, making it the original, all-natural performance material and helping you stay cool when temperatures rise. Pima cotton is the highest quality cotton available, thanks to those long, silky fibers. This means that pima cotton t-shirts, dress shirts, or polo shirts will not only be some of the most comfortable items in your closet, they’ll be softer, stronger, and more colorfast too. Pima cotton resists fading and pilling and is easy to maintain – because who has time for hand-washing when there’s summer fun to be had?
How to Shop for Pima Cotton Shirts
We’re used to checking out shirt labels for brands, sizes, and even country of origin. But it’s often easy to overlook fabric. Taking a moment to fully read all the labeling on the tag or packaging can help you be sure you’re getting a high-quality product. Cotton labeling can be confusing, and unscrupulous producers may try to blend different cottons to pass it off as a superior fabric. If you want to be sure you’re getting the best, familiarize yourself with FTC regulations, which are straightforward enough for the average consumer to understand. In short, it’s important that you look for more detail than just “100% cotton” and choose companies you trust who make their commitment to sustainable, transparent sourcing clear and verifiable. As a producer of verified pure pima cotton, we’re fans of all the companies who work to make it easier for consumers to find clearly labeled, high-quality goods. With just a little bit of extra legwork, you can stock your wardrobe with pima cotton shirts that are sure to become your summer go-to’s in no time.
