Pima Versus Supima: What They Are and What You Need to Know

The quality of the hotel
linens is always of the utmost importance. If
you take just a quick look at Yelp! Trip Advisor or other similar sites,
you’ll quickly see that it’s an area that guests mention regularly, sometimes in a positive, but more often, in a
negative way. “The sheets were scratchy,”
“the towels were flimsy,” and
similar comments are posted all too often.

This all means that
shopping for the best hotel linens is not always as simple as you might think.
You do want to provide quality, but not at a price that breaks the budget. And there seem to be so many options to choose from in
the first place!

When choosing hotel linens,
it’s likely that you’ll keep seeing two terms over and over again; Pima and
Supima, both used in reference to cotton products. But just what are these
things, and perhaps more importantly, which should
you choose? In a battle of ‘Pima vs. Supima’ who
wins? Here are some important facts and pointers to help you figure it
all out.

What is Pima Cotton

No doubt you’ve seen
pictures before of cotton fields boasting acres and acres of the fluffy white
buds that will one day become a fabric that has almost unlimited uses. What you
may not realize is that there are different types of cotton plant used to
create the cotton fabric we all know.

Pima cotton is one of the
extra long staple cottons (Egyptian is another well-known example of this
cotton type) and as such boasts properties that many other cotton varieties do
not. It originated in Peru but is
actually named for the Pima Indians who brought it to North America and
perfected its cultivation.

These days, in the US, pima
cotton is grown primarily in Arizona, California, Texas, and New Mexico, as it
is only in these states that the delicate balance of the right soil, the right
temperature and the right water levels needed for pima cotton to truly thrive
exist.

You may also be wondering
what extra-long staple cotton is. Extra-long staple cotton has individual
fibers within each fluffy cotton bud that measure at least one and
three-eighths of an inch in length. This means that pima cotton fibers are 50%
longer than standard cotton. Why should you care? Because when woven pima
cotton becomes a silk-like fabric that is softer, stronger and far longer
lasting. Facts which, if you are shopping for
hotel towels, hotel sheets or other hotel linens, are certainly
something to pay attention to. 

What is Supima Cotton? 

Pima. Supima. Sound very
similar don’t they? That’s because in many ways they are. Supima cotton is
different to though pima cotton, but only sort of. Allow us to explain.

Supima is not another
strain of cotton; it’s actually a brand
name. The brand belongs to The Supima Association, an industry body that
grades, regulates and markets the pima cotton offered for sale in the USA.

To be bestowed with the
Supima label a batch of pima cotton must meet some rather strict standards in
terms of thread length, cultivation procedures and its intended movement
through the supply chain. In order to be branded as Supima pima cotton must be exclusively grown and processed in the
USA.

In the most basic of terms,
Supima’s name speaks for itself. Supima = superior pima. What does this mean in
terms of product? It means that
hotel towels, hotel sheets and any other hotel linens a hotelier might consider purchasing that carry the
Supima label really are the best of the best.

Pima vs. Supima: Which is Right
for You?

Hotel linens crafted from
pima cotton are superior to most of the other options on the market. Supima is
top of the line. Both are great choices for the towels, sheets, pillowcases and
more that a hotelier needs to furnish a guest room. So which should you opt
for, if left with a choice between the two.

In reality, that choice may
simply boil down to budget and personal preference. Pima products are utilized
by some of the best hotels in the USA and beyond, and so it certainly meets
some very exacting standards. Supima is more expensive, but you are assured
that the cotton is of the highest possible quality, so if you are hoping to
create a truly five star ambience and experience for your guests, the extra
expense may very well be justified. 

This post originally appeared on
hotels4humanity.com

Pima Versus Supima: What They Are and What You Need to Know published first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Pima Versus Supima: What They Are and What You Need to Know syndicated from https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Pima Versus Supima: What They Are and What You Need to Know syndicated from https://www.hotels4humanity.com/