Supima cotton
A trademarked branding for American-grown extra-long staple cotton (ELS). Stronger, softer, and more durable than standard upland cotton.
Supima is an industry trademark held by the American Cotton Producers organization, used to brand fabrics made from American Pima cotton — an extra-long staple variety grown almost exclusively in California, Arizona, and West Texas. The fibers are roughly 50% longer than standard cotton, which means yarn spun from them is stronger, smoother, and resists pilling.
The practical difference is real but often oversold. A Supima tee will hold its shape and color longer than a standard cotton tee, and feel softer in the hand. But "Supima" alone tells you nothing about weight, knit, or construction quality. A 140 GSM Supima tee from a fast-fashion brand is still flimsy. The cotton is the input; the construction is what you actually wear.
Look for Supima alongside other quality signals: GSM, knit type, manufacturing country. By itself it's a marketing flag, not a guarantee.
GSM
Grams per square meter — the standard unit for fabric weight. Higher GSM = heavier, denser, often more durable.
Pima cotton
An extra-long staple cotton variety grown in the American Southwest, Peru, and Egypt. The generic version of the trademarked Supima.
Pilling
Small balls of tangled fibers that form on fabric surfaces from friction. Tells you about fiber quality, knit construction, and how the garment was made.