There is no solution. Greed prevents giant retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target from wanting to restrict counterfeits. The supply is so low that it would be easy to sift out counterfeits algorithmically from products advertising "Egyptian cotton." The fact is, they don't want to and work hard to keep that burden on consumers.
God bless egypt! Egypt is a poor country and many of it's people are not educated at all. But they have such a great soul and they are hard working people! Although it is a third world country the people always smile in the streets and they are super nice!
It is poor because of mismanagement of the military and their control of the economy before they controlled Egypt government in Egypt, which used to lend Great Britain. ITS paper currency equal more than gold.
I would like to see guaranteed slave free Egyptian cotton considering that you can buy slaves for $200 per man right next door in Libya now. it's like Arab slave trade all over again. I think I'd have a choice of american-made slavery free cotton guaranteed.
the us has at least 30 million undocumented slaves from all around the world who are paid below minimum wage or not paid at all. without even taking prisoners or missing peoples into account. libya has none to little of that compared to the us.
I was gifted a real set of Egyptian cotton sheets. They are far superior. I’ve had them for over ten years and they’re still perfect. If they ever get a rip I’ll repair them because they’re amazing. Now I cannot find them at all. I’d invest in another set if I could find them but I’ve never found a true Egyptian cotton set. That microfiber issue you mentioned is rampant in retailers everywhere. Trust me when I say if you saw them in the store somewhere you’d know by looking at the fabric that it was real. There’s no way to fake that fabric. I have much respect for the farmer and the manufacturers for making it.
I am Egyptian and my family used to grow and sell Egyptian cotton , we know it by touch and experience ,there had been a lack of textile authentic Egyptian cotton production here for many reasons ,but soon in 2024 we will inaugrate the largest acotton textile factoryin the world .
Like with Angus beef. Real Angus cattle production is a small percentage of the beef industry, but majority of the beef in stores are labeled as "Angus" and priced higher.
Haha, no its not in the head. Egyptian cotton is smooth like synthetic fibres, but what synthetic fibres cant do it absorb moisture like cotton does. Thats why egyptian cotton feels both smooth and comfortable at the same time.
i mean thats applied in many businesses tho, a software engineer can write something that get a company billions of dollar and they get paid only a small percentage of that and the owner of the company checks into the company once a week by video conference.
@@CyrusTheVirus187 Whooo! Boy, are you naive! My mother picked cotton and grapes in the San Joaquin Valley in early 50s to save enough money to get her 3 kids into the US. You need to buy a ticket for a while in Africa, Latin America, and no doubt North America to see this. Hold a gun to their head? Absolutely! It's called hunger, keep body together and a roof over their heads. And that's just the basics. Or, take a trip to the Nile Delta. Beautiful place .. but lots of poor people scarping away.
I have been living outside of Egypt for 10 years now, I haven't had better sleep than when I was in Egypt, the mattresses were filled with cotton and the pillows too (especially those long pillows, I can't find them anywhere). they were not even that expensive, I'm actually considering shipping these thing to where I would be living when I get married, these products were on another level. الحمد لله على كل حال
I bought 800ct Egyptian cotton bed sets 25 years ago from Egypt. I could never afford them now. I have had to make repairs - heel rubbing on the bottom sheet has been the main problem. However, they feel like silk, soft and smooth. They make for a fabulous nights sleep. I have never found their equal.
As an Egyptian, I’ve always been proud of this history and craftsmanship. Sadly, I wish we market this product better also offer it in our airports so people can buy them easily there.
@@q_ayyah You are more than welcome. I'm beyond tickled that you responded to my comment. I've been a fan of yours for a while, just didn't know your name. Hope you have a blessed day.
I've run across it in some hotels. It's nice. But I don't think I'd be willing to pay $600-$800 to get it for my home. I've got sheets I paid about $80 for which feel nearly as nice. (Bear in mind that bedding wears out with use, so this isn't a one-time expense. You're going to need to pay it again every few years.)
good quality cotton, even from common everyday cotton, is very nice, but the one time i felt a shirt made from actual egyptian cotton made me wish i was able to afford it, and that was almost 2 decades ago
My understanding is that Egyptian Cotton refers to the density of the cotton fibres. Its interesting to learn that it acutally a variety. Most retailers call it Egyptian Cotton due to high firbre density. Egypt has to do a global educational campaign to warn manufacturers and retailers just like the Champagne and Balsamic Vinegar countries/ regions do
Surely Egyptian cotton means cotton from Egypt??? A variety from Egypt grown in Egypt? You wouldn't buy English cotton and expect it to have come from France!
Hopefully the water problem will be solved as places like the Sahara are transformed back into forests an technology allows more moisture to be pulled from the air (giant greenhouses could be an option) and also i have had a real Egyptian cotton sheets and clothing few times in my life an it totally feels different to touch an also how it breathes if that makes sense. I still don't understand why there isn't more forced standards/checks considering so many other things go through checks before they are sold
"Transformed back into forests" Egypt hasn't had large forest's for some time, when it was wetter it was more of a reed marsh/swamp along the Nile not a forest or woodland 😂
Thank you for great research and reporting. I have noticed a lot of fabrics being misrepresented. Linen, cotton, flax, wool, and more, are promoted in item descriptions. Sometimes, the word “blend” is added in an attempt at “integrity”. The actual label will indicate a minimal amount of the natural fiber. A lot don’t list the percentages in the “blend”. Buying on line requires the consumer to be diligent, and be willing to say “no”, but financial constraints are causing an increase in petroleum based fabrics being purchased. Throw MLM’s into the mix, and conditions are ripe for exploitation of buyers
I had ordered "hotel quality" cotton sheets from some company online. I do not remember the country but I felt it was India but it may not have been. I think they were also Egyptian cotton. They didn't seem that high in thread count of what ad said, but they are very very soft. They remind me of old hospital sheets. Not the sheets they have used in last 35-40 years. The issue is I got two flat sheets. But some cultures and businesses and hospitals did not use fitted sheets. I was able to get corners sewn in one sheet. Still, they are very soft. I don't use them often so they do not wear out as they are special to me.
My great grand father was in cotton business till the 50's , had hundreds hectares of cotton fields, there is something which people outside Egypt don't know ..the Word EGYPTIAN COTTON refers to a certain type which was Giza 45 & 70 ELS no cotton on earth can match this in quality, softness and durability..Egypt no longer plant these type the current replacement is Giza 92,95 and 96 which are long staples but inferior quality comapre to Giza 45 & 70 .. there are cultivated varities like medium staple, short staple and Pima ( mix type between Amercian and Egyptian cotton) .. if a company in Italy uses PIMA cotton they can write Egyptian cotton and put 500$ price tag on a shirt legally ...but if you are looking for the true Egyptian Cotton , good luck you are looking for a diansour.
It’s so crazy to me that the United States allows false advertising in every sector. Food is so bad! A cow is considered grass fed beef if it’s eaten grass one time in its life even if it was grass pellets. Then they charge more for it and it’s allowed by the FDA. Same with this. Egyptian cotton products are sold for so much more money! I don’t care that you’re lying about your product unless you try and charge a premium price for an inferior product
You can totally tell the difference if you feel them. Real egyptian cotton is harder wearing but also fine enough to be soft. Most soften the cotton using viscose or chemicals that weaken the fabric.
On holiday in Egypt. I desperately tried to buy a pair of sheets in good cotton. The ones were offered with a cheapest possible polyester ones which I would not fit ever have bought and the vendor swearing blind. They were cotton I had shown thousands of sheets in my lifetime, and I knew a polyester one when I saw itthey are cheats
To buy authentic cotton here you need to go outside the 'touristic' places , El-Mahlla المحله like products are still the best but need a lot of local experience to hunt it even for Egyptians themselves and they are not cheap but available . We go to certain palces in Egypt to buy it in bundles .
Here's a clue: If it's a corporate chain store, they're overpriced fakes that are FULLY INTENTIONALLY sold at inflated prices, until there's enough profit to suddenly pretend to be concerned with legitimacy. It's a business model, an advertising game, just pin the blame on someone else, knowing they won't come forward either.
Pakistan is facing a similar issue, where Himalayan Pink Salt from Pakistan is sold by Indian companies as an Indian product, yet the salt is only available in Pakistan. More needs to be done to protect the identity of the source of raw materials. In the UK atleast, the salt is now being advertised as a product of Pakistan, but Indian companies continuing to sell this salt as theirs in the US and the far east.
You can never trust a label or a retailer on where is been made or produced, that’s the same with honey, most honey contains sugar or mixed with other honey from more then one country. So never trust a label or how it’s been made….
The issue here, is that the common name for the species Gossypium barbadense *is* Egyptian cotton. While the scientific name is Barbadian cotton, the common name *is* Egyptian cotton. It has no more to do with the origin of the individual product than Brussels sprouts. It pertains only to the genetic type of the plant. G. barbadense grown anywhere else is still Egyptian cotton; just as Brussels sprouts grown elsewhere are still Brussels sprouts. Gossypium barbadense isn’t even native to Egypt; it was brought from South America. That being said, even still, regular (upland) cotton *is* often passed off as higher grade and Egyptian cottons. This, yes, me must fight. As this, yes, is fraud. Blatant, irreverent, irresponsible, criminal, despicable fraud.
The part with climate change is huge and sad. Egypt produces very little CO2, but in comparison has to pay the price for other countries who harm the enviorment.
Chia blockchain is used by the World Bank to track and carbon credits from origin to redemption... I reckon it can be used to trace genuine egyptian cotton from field to product.
Guess what. we also sleep on mattress filled with Cotton. Mine is probably 40 years old. of course, every a few years the case of the mattress would be changed and redone. but the cotton is the same. it just get a good wash and shake then it will be filled in the mattress again.
I didn’t realize until I went to college that my whole life I’d only ever slept on Egyptian cotton sheets, can def tell the difference when just cotton
The final fabric is so thin it's like looking at paper, The threads are almost like silk. Make sure it's label Giza or look for sea island which is the same species.
It is: but it’s also found in Peru and South America. The main difference between this species of Cotten is that those grown in Egypt have a different length of fibre.
I remember getting "100% Egyptian cotton" beach towels from costco or Sams club when I was a kid & while I now am sus, it is a very soft and well made towel years later... I will need to investigate further :)
I lived in Egypt for a year in mid-90s. A friend home-side wanted an 'Egyptian cotton' tablecloth. I bought one in a nice store in Cairo. (NOT local, tourist shops) Always wondered if I was 'took'. Probably. Also, wary of 'Portuguese linen'. Probably also many scams. Bought 'Portuguese linen' at Costco, knowing pretty well that it was not.
My family are several generation farmers of many things, including cotton. They tell people constantly that the organic cotton they believe they're getting is not and is sprayed with pesticides. Dishonest advertising is everywhere.
