Every Tarrit garment begins with a question: where does this fibre come from, and what does it cost the world? Four extraordinary fabrics. Four complete stories.
Explore the Fabrics"The most honest thing a brand can do is tell you exactly what your clothes are made of, where they came from, and what it took to get them here."
The rarest cotton on earth — grown in floodplain silt for five thousand years
There is a small strip of earth along the Nile Delta — between the cities of Giza, Beheira, and Kafr el-Sheikh — where something remarkable happens every year. A specific combination of ancient alluvial soil, predictable flood cycles, long sunny days, and cool nights conspires to produce a cotton fibre unlike anything else on the planet.
Cotton has been cultivated in Egypt for over five millennia, but Giza cotton as we know it emerged in the early 19th century when Mohammed Ali Pasha introduced improved Gossypium barbadense varieties to the Nile Delta. The unique terroir — a word usually reserved for wine, but no less true here — transformed the crop into something extraordinary.
Giza 45, the finest variant, produces fibres measuring between 36 and 45 millimetres in length. To put that in context: standard commercial cotton averages 25–28mm. This is what makes Giza cotton an "Extra Long Staple" (ELS) fibre, and it changes everything about how the fabric behaves against your skin.
The name "Giza" followed by a number (Giza 45, Giza 87, Giza 96) denotes specific cultivated varieties, each bred over decades by Egyptian agricultural scientists. Less than 1% of the world's cotton production meets ELS classification. Giza 45 represents a fraction of that fraction.
Longer fibres mean fewer fibre ends per centimetre of yarn. Fewer ends means less surface fuzz, which means the fabric develops almost no pilling — even after years of washing. The long fibres also allow yarns to be spun into much finer counts, which is why Giza cotton sheets are described in thread counts of 600, 800, even 1000, while still feeling breathable rather than heavy.
The fibre wall is naturally thicker, which gives Giza cotton its characteristic lustre — a soft, silk-like sheen visible even in a simple T-shirt. And because the fibre has more surface area per unit length, it absorbs dye deeply and evenly, producing colours that remain vivid through years of washing.
Giza cotton is a conventionally grown crop, which means it is not inherently organic. This is an honest truth we state plainly: the Nile Delta is not pesticide-free. However, there are important environmental distinctions. Because Giza cotton yields a premium price, farmers can afford to produce less of it per acre — reducing pressure to use inputs aggressively. Irrigation is largely fed by the Nile, reducing dependence on groundwater depletion that affects other cotton-growing regions.
We source only from certified mills that participate in the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) and Egyptian Cotton Association traceability programmes. Cotton's environmental burden is real and we don't minimise it. But durability is sustainability. A Giza cotton shirt that lasts eight to ten years displaces three or four lower-quality garments. The maths matter.
For much of the 20th century, Egyptian cotton was a matter of national pride — a luxury export that funded hospitals, schools, and infrastructure. At its peak, Egypt produced over a million tonnes annually. Today, authentic Giza 45 is increasingly scarce.
When you wear Tarrit Giza cotton, you are participating in a centuries-old agricultural tradition and helping sustain the small cooperatives of farmers in the Delta who have grown this fibre for generations. We believe that is worth knowing.
We choose Giza cotton for pieces that need to be simultaneously elevated and lived-in. It is the only fibre that gives you hotel-linen softness at the start, and more softness after every wash. For shirts worn on important days and ordinary days alike, this is non-negotiable.
There is no synthetic substitute. No "inspired by" version. You either use real Giza cotton, or you don't.
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The fibre born from a closed loop — where nothing is wasted and everything is returned
Tencel is what happens when a 21st-century understanding of chemistry meets a 19th-century question: can we make soft, breathable fabric without cotton's water demands, polyester's petroleum origins, or viscose's toxic production process? The answer, it turns out, is growing in forests.
Tencel is a brand name owned by Lenzing AG, an Austrian company founded in 1938. The generic term for the fibre is lyocell — a member of the cellulosic fibre family that also includes cotton, linen, and viscose. What distinguishes lyocell from viscose (often mislabeled as "rayon") is the production process.
Tencel is made from wood pulp — primarily eucalyptus, which grows quickly without irrigation or pesticides, and beech, sourced from certified FSC and PEFC forests in Europe and North America. The pulp is dissolved in a non-toxic solvent called NMMO and extruded through tiny holes to create fibres.
Here is what makes this genuinely remarkable: 99.5% of that solvent is captured, purified, and reused in a closed-loop system. The process uses 10–20 times less water than conventional cotton. And the fibre itself is fully biodegradable — under the right conditions, it breaks down within months in soil.
Tencel's nanoscale fibril structure gives it unique moisture management. It absorbs moisture into the fibre itself (rather than on its surface), then releases it efficiently. This keeps you genuinely dry and cool. Clinical studies have shown Tencel fabrics reduce skin temperature by up to 1.5°C compared to cotton in similar conditions.
The smooth fibre surface means bacteria cannot easily proliferate — which is why Tencel garments remain odour-free significantly longer than cotton equivalents. For people living in warm climates like India's, this is not a luxury; it is a practical necessity.
Tencel drapes with a softness that is often described as silk-adjacent. It has a natural fluid weight that makes it particularly suited to shirts, loungewear, and layering pieces where ease of movement matters as much as aesthetics.
This is where Tencel separates itself most clearly from every other fabric option. The FSC-certified wood sources regenerate faster than they are harvested. The solvent is recycled. The water use is minimal. The end product biodegrades. There is almost no waste at any point in the production chain.
Compared to conventional cotton: Tencel uses up to 95% less water, requires no pesticides, generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram, and produces a biodegradable end product. Compared to polyester: there are no microplastics shed during washing, no petroleum feedstocks, and no multi-century decomposition timeline.
Tencel represents a new chapter in the history of textiles — one where technological ingenuity is directed not at producing faster or cheaper, but at closing loops. It emerged in the 1990s from a genuine scientific effort to solve a problem: how do we clothe a growing global population without destroying the water systems, forests, and soils that sustain it?
In the context of Indian fashion specifically, where humidity is a daily reality and the demand for natural, breathable fabrics is deeply embedded in cultural history, Tencel represents a continuity of that preference through a modern, ecologically conscious lens.
We choose Tencel for garments where drape, breathability, and moisture management are paramount. In a country where the average annual temperature is rising and wardrobes need to work across seasons, Tencel is the answer to the question: what do you wear when it's 34°C and you need to look considered?
Its softness improves with washing. Its environmental credentials are independently verified. And it feels, genuinely, like wearing nothing — which is exactly what summer clothing should aspire to.
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The oldest luxury textile in human history — found in pharaoh's tombs and modern wardrobes alike
Linen was the first luxury fabric. Before silk was traded across continents, before cotton was cultivated at scale, flax was being spun and woven in the Nile Delta over 36,000 years ago. It was found wrapped around Egyptian mummies in their tombs, worn by pharaohs as a symbol of purity, and traded as a currency of status. That same fibre, in its best form, is still grown in a narrow strip of northwestern Europe — and it is still extraordinary.
Linen comes from the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum — "most useful linen"), a slender, blue-flowered crop that grows best in cool, moist climates with well-drained soil. The Flemish region of Belgium, along with parts of northern France and the Netherlands, produces what is widely considered the world's finest linen. The climate here is almost accidentally perfect for flax: enough rain to eliminate the need for irrigation, cool enough to slow the plant's growth and develop longer, finer fibres.
Belgian linen has been cultivated and refined since the Middle Ages. Flemish weavers were renowned across Europe — the word "Flanders" became synonymous with fine cloth in medieval trade. Today, Belgian flax accounts for approximately 80% of the world's finest linen production.
The production process — called "retting," then "scutching," then "hackling" — is a mechanical separation of flax fibres from the woody stalk, and it is almost entirely without chemicals. Rain-retting is the most traditional and least chemically intensive method.
Linen fibre is 2–3 times stronger than cotton fibre. This is why a linen shirt becomes softer and more beautiful with every wash rather than wearing out. The hollow fibre structure allows air to flow freely through the fabric, keeping you 3–5°C cooler than an equivalent weight cotton in the same conditions. Linen is also a natural thermoregulator — warming in cool conditions, cooling in warm ones.
Linen absorbs up to 20% of its weight in moisture before it feels wet, and then releases it rapidly. This combination of absorption capacity and quick drying makes it ideal for India's layered climate across seasons.
The characteristic texture of linen — that distinctive slubbing, the slight irregularity in the weave — is not a flaw. It is the honest expression of a natural fibre, and it is one of the most copied aesthetic qualities in synthetic fabrics worldwide.
Linen may be the most environmentally benign major textile crop in production. Flax requires no irrigation (rainfall in Belgium is sufficient), uses significantly fewer pesticides than cotton, fixes nitrogen in the soil, and every part of the plant is used — fibres for textiles, seeds for linseed oil, and woody core for paper, animal bedding, and building materials.
Linen is fully biodegradable and compostable. An untreated linen garment at the end of its life can be returned to the earth. In a world drowning in synthetic textile waste, this matters more each year.
In India, linen has a particular resonance. Khadi — the hand-spun cotton cloth that became the fabric of independence — shares linen's philosophy: natural, honest, locally rooted, and resistant to the disposability of mass-produced textiles. As India's climate becomes harder to dress for comfortably, linen's cooling properties and increasing availability are making it a staple of thoughtful wardrobes across the country.
Linen garments develop a patina — a character acquired through wearing and washing — that no synthetic fabric can replicate. A five-year-old linen shirt, worn regularly, laundered frequently, has a softness and drape that its first wear only hinted at. Linen rewards loyalty.
We choose linen for garments that are meant to be lived in across years, not seasons. The combination of unrivalled breathability, radical durability, and zero-waste production makes it the correct choice for anyone who takes both their comfort and their ecological responsibility seriously.
We source Belgian and French linen certified by the European Flax® label — a rigorous third-party verification that guarantees field-to-fibre traceability, no GMO crops, and compliance with European environmental regulations. The seal is not a marketing device; it is a supply chain document.
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American Pima cotton — verified from seed to shelf, the rarest certified cotton in the world
Supima is not a species of cotton. It is a certification, a promise, and a supply chain system — the most rigorous of its kind in the world. To carry the Supima mark, a garment must contain cotton traceable all the way back to a specific farm in the American Southwest, grown from a specific Pima seed, harvested and processed by licensed partners who maintain chain-of-custody documentation at every stage.
Pima cotton takes its name from the Pima Native American people of the American Southwest, who assisted U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers in cultivating early varieties of the crop in the early 20th century. Their knowledge of the land, its water, and its seasons was instrumental in establishing a cotton crop suited to the hot, dry conditions of Arizona and California.
Supima — a contraction of "Superior Pima" — was established in 1954 as a growers' cooperative and brand certification body. Today, approximately 500 American farms grow Supima cotton, and every bale they produce is registered and tracked. Supima cotton accounts for less than 1% of all cotton grown worldwide.
The certification is the point. In a global supply chain rife with mislabeling, greenwashing, and "inspired by" claims, Supima's independent testing regime — which uses isotopic analysis to verify cotton's American geographic origin — is an extraordinary act of transparency. It is technically impossible to fake Supima certification.
Like Giza cotton, Supima is an Extra Long Staple fibre — fibres averaging 35–38mm in length. This produces yarn with fewer joins, which means stronger fabric, smoother hand feel, and dramatically less pilling over time. In direct comparative wear tests, Supima cotton garments show 45% greater tensile strength and 4× greater resistance to pilling than standard Upland cotton equivalents.
The long fibres allow very fine yarn counts, producing a fabric that is simultaneously lightweight and extremely durable. Supima has a natural luminosity — a subtle sheen that gives garments an understated richness without any surface treatment or finishing chemicals.
Colour retention is exceptional. The long fibres absorb dye more completely, and the smooth fibre surface reflects light more evenly, which means colours appear richer and remain so through repeated washing.
Supima cotton is grown in the American Southwest — a region of low rainfall and high heat. This means irrigation is necessary, and water use is a legitimate environmental consideration. American cotton farming is among the most heavily regulated in the world, with documented water usage, mandatory soil conservation practices, and federally monitored pesticide restrictions.
The Supima Association has invested significantly in research toward reduced-input farming, including drought-resistant varieties, precision drip irrigation systems (which reduce water use by up to 50% compared to flood irrigation), and integrated pest management practices. Supima's supply chain transparency means that the environmental costs of each garment are traceable, documented, and improvable over time.
There is something significant about a cotton fibre whose name honours an Indigenous people's contribution to American agriculture. The Pima people's knowledge has been commercialised in ways they did not fully control — a history shared by many Indigenous agricultural contributions globally. We note this not to diminish the quality of the fibre, but because we believe that honest luxury requires historical honesty too.
What Supima represents now is a form of quality craftsmanship that is increasingly rare in American manufacturing: an agricultural product so precisely grown, so carefully documented, and so rigorously protected from fraud that it functions as an heirloom material.
We choose Supima for garments that must be both definitively luxurious and definitively honest. In a market full of vague claims, Supima's independent verification system means we can tell you exactly what your garment is made of, and prove it. For essential pieces — the perfect T-shirt, the foundational polo, the shirt you wear to everything — there is no better raw material on earth.
We use Supima alongside Giza cotton for different applications: Giza for its luminous drape and silk-like hand, Supima for its structural resilience and colour depth. Both are extraordinary. Both are real.
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across what matters most
| Fabric | Softness | Breathability | Durability | Eco Impact | Best For | Gets Better With Age? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giza Cotton | Dress shirts, elevated basics, special occasion | Yes — gets silkier with every wash | ||||
| Tencel™ | Summer, humid climates, travel, everyday wear | Yes — softens over time, resists odour longer | ||||
| Linen | Hot-weather classics, transitional pieces, long-term wardrobe | Dramatically — becomes softer than cotton over years | ||||
| Supima® Cotton | Essential T-shirts, polos, anything worn most days | Yes — holds shape and colour better than any other cotton |
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Giza cotton is an Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, meaning its fibres are significantly longer (36–45mm) than standard cotton (25–28mm). This produces stronger yarn, less surface fuzz, dramatically less pilling, and a silk-like sheen that standard cotton cannot achieve. Only a small fraction of cotton grown globally qualifies as ELS — Giza cotton is the rarest and most prized variety.
No — while all three are cellulosic fibres made from plant material, Tencel (lyocell) uses a fundamentally different and far more sustainable production process. Viscose and rayon typically use toxic chemicals in an open-loop process, generating significant waste. Tencel uses a non-toxic solvent in a closed-loop system that recaptures and reuses 99.5% of chemicals. Tencel is also biodegradable. They feel similar but are very different environmentally.
Linen wrinkles easily and naturally — this is not a defect but an honest expression of the fibre's natural structure. Many linen wearers consider this part of its character and charm. If you prefer a crisper look, iron linen while slightly damp at medium-high heat and it will smooth beautifully. Over time and with washing, linen becomes increasingly soft and the wrinkles become less pronounced. The "worn-in" look of well-loved linen is one of fashion's great pleasures.
Three reasons: rarity, quality, and verification. Supima cotton represents less than 1% of global cotton production. Its ELS fibres require more careful harvesting and processing. And the Supima certification system — with isotopic testing that verifies geographic origin — adds a verification layer that has real cost. You are paying for a genuinely better fibre and a guarantee that it is what it claims to be. Most "Pima cotton" or "Egyptian cotton" sold globally is mislabeled; Supima certification means it cannot be faked.
All four fabrics perform well in warm climates, but for different reasons. Tencel and Linen are the most cooling — both have exceptional moisture management and breathability. Giza and Supima cotton are slightly warmer but still far superior to polyester blends. For India's most humid months, we recommend Tencel for maximum comfort. For coastal and transitional weather, linen is unrivalled. For year-round everyday use, Giza and Supima cotton offer the best balance of luxury and practicality.
Honestly: all cotton farming carries environmental costs, primarily water use and chemical inputs. Tencel has the strongest sustainability credentials of our four fabrics, with closed-loop production and certified sustainable wood sources. Linen is the most environmentally benign crop. For cotton, we work with certification programmes (BCI, Supima, European Flax®) that enforce minimum environmental standards and improve over time. We believe the most sustainable purchase is one that lasts — all four of our fabrics are chosen partly because they significantly outlast cheaper alternatives.
We rely on third-party certification systems that go beyond brand claims. Supima cotton uses isotopic geographic testing. European Flax® certifies Belgian and French linen through a rigorous field-to-fibre audit. Tencel is a registered trademark of Lenzing AG with independent product certification. Giza cotton is certified through the Egyptian Cotton Association. We are happy to share our full supplier certifications on request — transparency is not a marketing device for us; it is a supply chain discipline.
Tencel and linen are typically best for sensitive skin. Tencel's nanoscale smooth fibre surface and moisture-wicking properties reduce skin irritation and bacterial growth. Linen becomes increasingly soft with washing and its natural properties resist mites and bacteria. Both are inherently hypoallergenic. Giza and Supima cotton are also gentle on skin due to their long, fine fibres — significantly gentler than standard cotton. If you have specific allergies to dyes or finishing chemicals, contact us and we can advise on undyed or minimally finished options.
Tarrit
We tell you exactly what your clothes are made of — including the inconvenient parts.
The most sustainable garment is the one you don't replace for a decade.
Every fibre certified. Every claim verifiable. No exceptions.
Because none of this matters if you don't want to wear it every day.