Best Pima Cotton Sheets - 2020 Top Picks and Buyer’s Guide

You need new sheets and you like cotton, but there are so many to choose from. This buyer’s guide will give you some basics on Pima cotton, highlight our top five picks for best Pima cotton sheets, and help you understand what to think about when purchasing new sheets. If you are in a hurry, just pick from one of our recommendations, they are tried and true, and you won’t be disappointed. If you are dying to know more, read on for a better understanding of cotton sheets and all their variables. To start, just a little background on Pima cotton.

Our Top Picks for Best Pima Cotton Sheets

Pima Cotton

Pima cotton is considered a better, higher-end form of cotton. Work on its cultivation is recorded as far back as the 1790’s, but Pima cottons’ roots can be traced back to the area between southern Ecuador and northern Peru. In the United States, it became a focus of growers in the Sea Islands of South Carolina where, during the 1800’s, there was substantial experimentation with stains of Egyptian cotton and Gossypium barbadense. The results were an extra-long fiber cotton that was stronger, softer, and more durable than regular cotton.

This cotton is now world renowned and is said to rival even silk, thus the adjective silky smooth, that is so often applied to Pima cotton. It is considered better than the best Egyptian cotton and is grown only in select parts of the world. Current cultivation is taking place in the southwest United States in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and the US is a major exporter of Pima cotton. It is also grown in Peru, which produces the coveted Peruvian Pima Cotton, and in Australia. It accounts for only a small percentage of all the cotton grown in the world.

Supima Cotton

Supima is a trademark name for specifically US grown Pima cotton. Supima is the name of a non-profit association promoting Pima cotton sales world-wide and registering US grown Pima cotton for quality assurance. The organization was founded in El Paso, Texas in 1954 and combined the names superior and Pima to create Supima. They currently license approximately 400 mills and clothing manufacturers who are allowed to use the trademark name SUPIMA®

Cotton Fibers

In the description of cotton sheets, you will run across comments about cotton fibers: short or long staple fiber, or extra-long staple as in the case of Pima cotton. What distinguishes Pima from other types of cotton is the length of the fibers?

Shorter fibers produce rougher fabric that also tends to pill. Shorter fibers are those around 1-inch. Next comes the long-staple fibers which as you would expect are softer, more durable, and less pilling. These run around the 1.5-inch mark. Then we have the supreme extra-long staple cotton fiber which is Pima. This runs upwards of 2-inches and is extremely soft, very long-lasting, and durable with no pilling.

Cotton Finishes

There are two common finishes for cotton; percale and sateen. They refer to how the cotton was woven and how the sheets feel.

• Percale: The choice for people who like a crisper feel to their sheets. Also, if you sleep hot, have night sweats, or hot flashes, percale can be more comfortable. Percale sheets are generally quite popular in warmer climates.
• Sateen: A more complicated weave that nets a softer finish, sateen is what you might look for if you like the feel of silk. Sateen is thought of as the better choice for colder climates as it runs warmer and can help make sleep more comfortable during winter the months.

How To Choose The Best Pima Cotton Sheets For Your Needs 

When looking at different sheet sets it helps to have a checklist. Here are some things to consider:

• Price: Pima is not as expensive as you might think, but still plan to spend between $50-$200 for a good set of sheets. Surprisingly, you can get good sheets at either price point or anywhere in between. Also be aware that more expensive does not mean better. If you are on a tight budget, consider one of our best budget sheets.
• Size: Check first thing if the manufacturer carries the size you need. Some companies don’t make the less common sizes like Twin XL or California king, and some companies only carry queen and king. If you have a less common bed size, like California king or short queen, check the size offerings before you press purchase on a sheet set that doesn’t come in the size you need.
• Return Policy and Warranty: What if you don’t like the sheets? Unlikely, as Pima is so amazing, but you never know, and returns can be a big hassle. Check ahead how the company handles returns. Also, what kind of warranty they have. You may have to do a bit of digging to find out, but it is important to know. Do you need to decide in the first 30 days, or do you have up to a year? Warranties vary, so know what you are getting into and use the sheets right away so you can see if they are going to work.
• Eco-Friendly and Ethical: Something to consider is the entire context for how your sheets are made. From the raw materials and how they are grown (with or without pesticide), to how they are harvested (low paid migrant workers or fairly paid employees), to the chemicals used in processing and making the sheets. If you want to make sure your sheets come from an ethical employer, are made under fair working conditions, without chemicals that can cause health issues for you the customer, as well as the workers in the chain of production, then read more about the companies producing the sheets.
• Certifications: To help guide your choice there are many different certifications that can apply to cotton sheets. Fair Trade, Vegan, GOTS, 1 % for the Planet, Fair Trade, Climate Beneficial, MADESAFE, and OEKO-TEX, to name a few. If you have a strong leaning towards a certain aspect of linen production, worker treatment, or chemical load, look at the various certifications that apply to the sheets you are considering.

Summary

Interested in a really good set of sheets? Pima cotton was developed over a long period of time and is an exceptional hybrid that can’t be beat for softness, durability, and no pilling. It is grown in select regions of the world and the US crops are trademarked as Supima cotton and are a major US export. Of the five best pima cotton sheets profiled above, they range from 280-700 thread count, but are all really soft. Some are percale, some sateen weave, but all are 100% pima cotton.