When we think of bed we tend to associate it with comfort. Sleeping on a mattress with clean, crisp, bed sheets, a soft, cosy duvet, and a sumptuous pillow has to be one of today’s simple pleasures. However, this was not always the case. The earliest human beings slept on the cold, hard floor using leaves and straw as a base. Instead of duvet covers or quilts, they used animal furs for warmth.

Just like with most things, though, not all cotton plants are created equal. Egyptian cotton that grows along the Nile River produces the highest quality textiles because of its extra-long staples.