Text: Lucie KrůčkováPhoto: Ilja Hubálek
Cotton of the highest quality can be recognised at a glance and, above all, by the touch. Its colours are beautifully rich. A luxurious cotton cloth has an understated sheen. The true miracle, however, begins with the touch. It is so wonderfully soft. Clothing made from the finest cotton is something you wish to put on at once. The material's greater durability, which ensures the longevity of the garment, is then the proverbial cherry on top. Let us introduce you to the types of top-quality cotton and the leading producers of the finest cotton fabrics.
If a fabric bears any of the following designations, you can be certain that before you lies a truly unique piece of textile craftsmanship.
The extra-long fibres with a diameter of 2.95 microns come from Egypt, specifically from the region of the Nile Delta. Giza 45 cotton is extraordinarily soft to the touch with a fine, smooth surface, and it is therefore known as the queen of Egyptian cottons.
Giza 87 cotton has long fibres with a diameter of 3.10 microns. This cotton too comes from the fertile region of the Nile Delta. Fabric made from such cotton yarns is exceptionally soft. It also excels in high durability. It is used chiefly for white shirts, as it is the purest.
Another long-fibre cotton, this time with a diameter of 4 microns, originates in America. The fibres of Supima cotton are extra long and possess a uniform structure. Supima is remarkable for the tensile strength of its fibres. To the eye, fabric made from this cotton has a silken sheen, and it is exceptionally pleasant and soft to the touch.
Sea Island cotton comes from Barbados. Its fibres are extra long with a diameter of 3.1 to 3.4 microns. Sea Island cotton is the rarest of all, for it is produced in only very small quantities. Fabrics made from Sea Island cotton are soft, silken in lustre and exceedingly durable.
Filo di Scozia is the designation of a yarn spun from Egyptian, twice-mercerised long-staple cotton. It is soft to the touch and has an intriguing lustrous appearance that strikingly recalls silk. Its colours are rich, vivid and resistant to fading. Materials made from Filo di Scozia yarn also excel in their functional properties — they breathe naturally and are excellent at absorbing moisture. The resulting product is thus hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
Luxurious cotton fabrics and their uses
European producers of luxurious cotton fabrics
In Europe, the production of cotton fabrics has a long tradition. It is partly thanks to this that materials of the very highest quality are created here. Among the leading European producers is the Italian group Albini, with its brands Cotonificio Albini and Thomas Mason. In Great Britain you will find the celebrated firm D & J Anderson, while in Switzerland there is, for example, Alumo.
Shirts made from the fabrics of the Italian producer Cotonificio Albini rank among the very best the market has to offer. The fabrics are woven from long-staple cotton. Sometimes the yarn itself is dyed, at other times it is the already woven cloth. It depends on the effect that is to be achieved. Albini fabrics also play with texture and prints. By combining dyeing of the base, a unique print and an interesting structure with a top-quality raw material, unique fabrics for luxurious shirts are thus created.
Originally a British brand, Thomas Mason today forms part of the Italian Albini group. Its fabrics draw on a rich history, when the house tailored for English aristocracy and the business elite. Thomas Mason fabrics come in varying textures. The collections include bold textiles from heavier yarns as well as fine, feather-light fabrics. The range features shirtings, classic denim, jersey fabrics and luxurious blended materials such as cotton-cashmere for winter or light cotton-linen for summer. The designs carry the hallmark of classic English style, yet are not without a fresh new breath of wind.
The European king of linen and luxurious cotton fabrics. The light Solbiati Zefino fabrics are 100% cotton and are especially suited for lightweight summer jackets. Solbiati fabrics stand out for their quality and their pleasingly sophisticated designs. At present the crepe pattern, which is so agreeable to the touch, is much in use.
The D & J Anderson brand was founded in 1822 in Glasgow and it too today forms part of the Albini group. D & J Anderson specialises in the production of fabrics from Egyptian Giza 45 cotton, one of the finest cottons in the world. D & J Anderson cotton fabrics are unique and are adored even by the truly discerning customers of the British royal family.
In Switzerland too we may find several exceptional producers of luxurious cotton fabrics. Among them, the company Alumo stands out. It produces double-faced shirt fabrics from extra-long-staple cotton.
Cotton is, in short, a remarkable natural material which, in the hands of leading experts, acquires truly unique qualities. It offers fashion designers an enormous creative playground, while customers enjoy the softness and delicacy of top-quality luxury cotton. The Blažek brand likewise incorporates cotton fabrics of the finest quality into its collections. Shirts from Albini fabrics, lightweight summer jackets and casual cotton trousers must not be missing. You may view these and other pieces from the current Blažek collection in our e-shop or directly in our brick-and-mortar stores, where our fashion specialists will be pleased to advise you on your choice.
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