Supima Cotton & Rayon Fiber

Supima Cotton

Cotton is generally a short staple fiber but, Supima cotton is a rare extra long staple fiber cotton, measuring at least 34 millimeters. This type of cotton is primarily found on family farms in California and the American Southwest. It was developed nearly 100 years ago in Arizona. Its name, which means superior pima, to pay tribute to the special quality seeds used to produce this cotton. This cotton is referred to as "the worlds finest cotton" this is due to the excellent strength and color last of this cotton. 
It is used by big cotton producers since it offers such great strength ad holds color well. With having 35% longer fibers, it helps make this cotton softer than short fiber cotton. The twists with this cotton come out cleaner and smoother with less pilling happening. Having such a soft fiber that is strong allows it to be nicely draped. 
When growing a high end cotton the process of growing the crops is best to be clean and sustainable. Most farmers who grow Supima cotton do not use toxic chemicals or fertilizers to grow their crop. They grow it in the most organic way possible. This also contributes to why this cotton is higher than the others on the market. Most cotton is picked and processed by mechanical means but, part of what makes Supima cotton stand out is that a majority of it is done by hand. They start the process by hand picking the seeds and are ginned to remove dirt and other debris. Once they have been ginned, they are formed into large bales and sent to be formed into fibers. Supima cotton is used primarily in household textiles, garments (dresses, shirts, etc.), and can even be used a silk substitute. 



Rayon Fibers 

Rayon is often referred to as an artificial silk, due to its ability to mimic silk. The process of making this "artificial silk" is quite different than I ever imagined. This fiber is produced in a lab and it all starts with a beaker of copper carbonate, which is copper sulfate and baking soda mixed with one another. Once the beaker of copper carbonate is made ammonia is added into the beaker. This forms a complex compound with a bright blue color. From there cotton wool is placed into the beaker, where it dissolves. Once this is dissolved it creates a thicker consistency and it put into a syringe. The substance is injected into a beaker of sulfuric acid and forms a thread-like substance, as pictured below. 

The fibers will soak in the sulfuric acid and become a solid substance that is colorless. Rayon is heavily used in the clothing and interior textile world. Rayon has many desirable properties including a smooth finish, soft texture, cool to the touch, and absorbs very well. However, it does have some negative attributes such as low resiliency and does not retain its appearance for long periods of time.  When used in an interior setting rayon is called "viscose" and is used for items such as upholstery, table cloths, bedding, drapery. 


















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