Cotton has come to be associated with premium-quality cotton fiber. This is not a surprise, since the history of the material consists of efforts to manufacture the best quality cotton. Supima

Below, we take a look at how this extra-long staple cotton came to be and how it became a symbol of quality in textile manufacturing.

Origins of Pima Cotton

Before there was Supima, or American Pima cotton, there was just Pima cotton. Peru is the oldest country in the world where cotton fragments were discovered.

The country thus has a long tradition of cultivating high-quality extra-long staple cotton. Although not called Pima cotton then, Peru is the original cultivator of the cotton that would eventually be mimicked with American Pima cotton.

Another cotton type that cannot be overlooked in the origin story is Egyptian cotton. In the early 20^th century, the US Department of Agriculture stepped up efforts to manufacture Egyptian-style long-staple cotton in the U.S.

Hence, the origins of American Pima cotton can be traced back to the U.S.’ desire to rival other countries for extra-long staple fine cotton and the belief that such cultivation can thrive in the country.

Rise of American Pima Cotton

Once a USDA team, led by David Fairchild, had brought back Egyptian cultivars, the process was set in motion for the successful growth of American Pima cotton. Pima was the second successful cultivar from the original material bought from Egypt.

Any history of Pima cotton must acknowledge the part played by the Pima[1] tribe in the original cultivation of the cotton variety. The Native American tribe was known for its mastery in textiles and thus the US government entrusted their help for cultivation.

The United States Department of Agriculture partnered with the tribe to successfully grow the cultivar brought over from Egypt. Hence, in 1910, the Pima name was given to the cultivar in honor of the tribe.

Advent of Supima

American Pima cotton can often be mixed with other, substandard cottons. Forgers can even go so far as to label regular, inferior cotton as Pima cotton. There was thus need to regulate Pima cotton grown in the U.S. and ensure transparency & legitimacy.

And so was born Supima, standing for superior Pima. The organization’s dual aim was to ensure genuineness in American Pima cotton and to market the fiber to the entire world.

A Supima trademark ensured that the cotton was 100% American-grown on certified farms. It was a new step forward in accountability & traceability and served to enhance the reputation of American Pima cotton.

Early Progress of Supima

The effect Supima had was immense. In 1956, two years after the establishment of the organization, American Pima cotton had overtaken Egyptian cotton in domestic textile mill consumption, becoming the primary extra-long staple cotton in the country.

New varieties of Supima helped to keep the cotton relevant and progressive. As such, the 1960s saw the development of new varieties of Pima cotton. Pima S-2 was released in 1962, while the Pima S-3 and S-4 varieties were released in 1966.

At the same time, there was a push to commercialize American Pima cotton further. For this purpose, women’s rain wear designed with Supima was created in 1966. This followed campaign ads in the late fifties featuring supermodel and actress Suzy Parker.

 International Expansion and Licensing Program

The 1980s saw the international expansion of Supima and the establishment of the licensing program. The Japanese company Uni-Ace Ltd. was licensed under the Supima license in 1980.

After the successful partnership with Uni-Ace, Supima launched its full-fledged licensing program in 1988. By 1989, ten large-size textile manufacturers from Japan were licensed.

1990 was the year American Pima production began in California. Today, the majority of American Pima cotton production happens in the state.

The Present

American Pima cotton has established itself as the cotton of choice for luxury apparel and home textiles. The prestige of American Pima cotton has led to such prestigious brands as Uniqlo, Levi’s and Banana Republic coming under the Supima umbrella.

The license program keeps growing. The number of licensed organizations increased from 35 in 1998 to 300 in 2005 and today there are more than 500 licensed partners across the globe trading in Supima cotton.

History of Supima: Summary Table

Conclusion

American Pima cotton has established itself as a fiber of integrity in the international market and is a favorite of luxury brands. If you are a luxury brand sourcing or looking to source Supima cotton, you will need to keep a keen eye on prices as it commands a premium over regular cotton.

For such brands, Fibre2Fashion’s TexPro is the premier solution. The business intelligence tool allows brands to peer into the historical movement of American Pima prices.

What’s more, TexPro also displays the current prices (updated daily) and allows a peek into the future with forecast prices. All this information is presented in a user-friendly manner, through graphs and informative summaries.

Want to stay on top of Supima prices and improve sourcing? Try out TexPro today.