If you have been shopping for Egyptian cotton sheets, this question may not even have crossed your mind. However, it is important to make sure you are getting what you pay for.
You may think it’s as simple as reading the package – 100% Egyptian cotton means just that right? Not necessarily. Only true Egyptian cotton is allowed to carry the official trademarked logo, shown below.
To make sure that this logo is only used appropriately, and labeling is correct, the following quality controls are in place:
1. In 2001, the The Egyptian Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade, the Egyptian Government, designed the logo. It is now registered as an international trademark, and as a certification mark in the United States.
2. Yet, even that wasn’t enough to stop fraud. So, in 2007, the Cotton Egypt Association (CEA), formed by the Egyptian Government and the Alexandria Cotton Exporters’ Association, started going after those who were using the logo and claiming to sell 100% Egyptian cotton. They randomly pulled products from the shelves and had them professionally tested. They found that in some cases, consumers were being ripped off as the products contained only 10% Egyptian cotton.
3. The CEA was then appointed to oversee all aspects of the use of the logo. They instituted a license program, where companies had to apply to use the logo. There products were then tested for quality control to assure that the products were in fact 100% cotton. Only then were the companies allowed to legally use the logo. In order to qualify, the products must be made not just with cotton grown in Egypt, but specifically 100% Egyptian Barbadense variety cotton. Licenses must be renewed yearly.
For more information on the differences, please see: Egyptian Cotton Is Said To Have Long Fibers. What Does That Mean Exactly?
4. The CEA, as part of it’s oversight, is aware of how much cotton is grown, and where it is directed to be manufactured into cotton products. They still do random quality control tests, and they work with customs officials to ensure the logo is being used properly.
5. In the US, the Textile Act and Rules, which is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission regulates labels. The following rules are some of those that also ensure protections for the labeling of Egyptian cotton:
a. The fiber content statement may include the name of a type of cotton, cotton trademark, or a term that implies the presence of a type of cotton, as long as it’s not deceptive. If you use a cotton name, trademark, or other term that implies the presence of a type of cotton, the generic fiber name “cotton” must be used with it. For instance, “100% Sea Island Cotton,” “50% Pima Cotton, 50% Upland Cotton,” “85% Egyptian Cotton, 15% Silk.”
b. If your product contains more than one kind of cotton, a content statement that claims the product is made of only one type of cotton is not acceptable. For example, when a sheet contains 50% Egyptian Cotton and 50% Upland Cotton, a fiber content label that reads, “100% Egyptian Cotton,” is unacceptable.
c. A fiber trademark or other term must not be used to imply the presence of a fiber that is not actually present in the product. For example, a trademark such as “Pimalux” (a fictitious trademark) couldn’t be used if the textile product didn’t contain pima cotton.
d. Also, a trademark or other term that implies that a product is wholly made of one kind of cotton may not be used when the product is made of more than one kind of cotton, or when it contains fibers other than cotton. For example, “Pimalux Towel – 100% Cotton” would not be an acceptable disclosure for a product made of 50% Pima Cotton, 50% Upland Cotton because the statement may falsely imply that all of the cotton in the towel is pima cotton. An acceptable fiber content statement would be “Pimalux Towel – 50% Pima Cotton, 50% Upland Cotton.”
References:
1. Calling It Cotton: Labeling and Advertising Cotton Products
2. Protecting The Brand, Egyptian cotton gets tough on mislabeling
3. Cotton from the Land of the Pharaos
4. Egyptian Cotton Enforces Brand Rights”
>>Egyptian Cotton Sheets: Frequently Asked Questions
>>How do I know that what I’m getting is real Egyptian cotton?
>>Is It Necessary To Get High Thread Counts To Have Luxury Sheets?
>>I’m Confused By All The Cottons – Upland, Pima, Supima, Egyptian – What’s The Difference?
>>I’ve Heard Egyptian Cotton Is Handpicked. Why Is That Important?
>>What Does The Length Of The Fiber Have To Do With How Good The Cotton Is?
>>Egyptian Cotton Is Said To Have Long Fibers. What Does That Mean Exactly?
