Egyptian Cotton is the most recognised cotton brand in the US, according to a recent consumer research report. The research was carried out by an independent US-based marketing agency, PBM, on a sample of 522 American consumers, who had recently purchased cotton goods. Egyptian cotton fibre is one of the best because of its length, strength, and softness.

Egyptian Cotton was also the name most people associated with quality and were prepared to pay a premium for, ahead of Pima cotton, Turkish cotton, and Supima. While a huge 86 per cent of those questioned couldn’t name an actual brand, of those who could name one type of cotton, 95 per cent cited Egyptian Cotton, with the remaining 5 per cent naming Pima.

When asked to rate the importance of listed qualities, 52 per cent of consumers said texture was the most important consideration when buying a cotton product. Only 2 per cent considered products being manufactured in the US as an important factor.

When consumers were asked to arrange a list of cotton brands in order of perceived quality 89 per cent placed Egyptian Cotton as one of their top two choices. Pima made top two in 45 per cent of selections, followed by Turkish Cotton (35 per cent), Supima (19 per cent) and Sea Island Cotton (12 per cent). When asked which brand they would pay a premium for, 61 per cent said Egyptian Cotton which was also the consumers’ preferred option for towels and bedding.

Wael Olama, chairman of the Cotton Egypt Association (CEA) said, “This survey underlines the strength of the Egyptian Cotton brand in the mind of the consumer.”

The Cotton Egypt Association recently unveiled a new brand identity and digital platform to re-enforce Egyptian Cotton as the finest cotton in the world.

Khaled Schuman, executive director of the Cotton Egypt Association said, “We are extremely proud of the thorough accreditation programme we have created in association with Bureau Veritas. The success of this is mirrored in the increase in retailer confidence we have experienced in the UK.” (GK)