The term Egyptian
cotton is usually applied to the extra long staple cotton (Gossypium
barbadense) produced in Egypt and used by luxury and upmarket brands
worldwide.
These plants were introduced to Egypt in the nineteenth century by
Egypt’s ruler, Mohammed Ali Pasha, who developed them as a cash crop to
support his army. The plant is tropical and grows as a small, bushy
tree requiring high humid
ity and rainfall. It contains the chemical gossypol, reducing its susceptibility to insect and fungal damage.

Cotton from Egyptian fibers is more breathable and becomes softer
over time with use. It produces less lint and will not pill. This
high-quality fiber is long and narrower than other cottons, allowing
thread counts of up to 1,000 per square inch. This provides a lighter
weight and extremely strong, long-lasting durability. Sheets made with
Egyptian cotton can last forty or fifty years.
In Egypt, the introduction in 1820 of long-staple cotton,
transformed its agriculture into a cash-crop monoculture by 1900. The
social effects of this were enormous: land ownership became
concentrated and many foreigners arrived, shifting production towards
international markets.
During the American Civil War, British and French traders invested
heavily in cotton plantations and the Egyptian government of Viceroy
Isma’il took out substantial loans from European bankers and stock
exchanges. After the American Civil War ended in 1865, British and
French traders abandoned Egyptian cotton and returned to cheap American
exports, sending Egypt into a deficit spiral that led to the country
declaring bankruptcy in 1876, a key factor behind Egypt’s annexation by
the British Empire in 1882.