Extra-Long Staple Cotton (ELS) — Pima and Egyptian
topic
Extra-long staple (ELS) cotton from Gossypium barbadense includes Pima/Supima (USA, Peru), Egyptian Giza varieties (Giza 45, Giza 86, Giza 96), and Sea Island cotton. UHML exceeds 34 mm (typically 36–45 mm), uniformity index 84–90%, fibre strength 38–48 g/tex (40–60% stronger than upland), micronaire 2.5–3.8, and elongation 7–11%. ELS accounts for 3–4% of world production at 800,000–1,000,000 tonnes/year. Suitable for ring spinning at Ne 80–200+ producing luxury shirting and fine knitwear. Price premium of 40–120% over upland cotton reflects superior spinning performance and fabric quality. Egyptian Giza varieties are hand-harvested, adding $0.20–0.50/kg premium. Supima Association certifies US Pima cotton with DNA traceability from field to finished product.
Role
Premium fibre for luxury shirting, fine percale bedding, and high-count knitwear markets, providing the long, fine, strong fibre characteristics required for spinning counts above Ne 80 and producing fabrics with superior softness and durability at luxury price points.