New York: An extended staple Only 150 bales of sea island cotton are produced annually, or 0.0004% of the world’s total cotton production.
That production has long been set aside for a select group of producers of high-end clothing, mostly custom shirts. The unique right to manufacture bedding from “the Hermès of cotton,” which is 20% longer than exceptionally long stable Egyptian Giza cotton, has now been given to Scandia Home.
Scandia’s wholesale clientele, which include interior designers and stores selling fine linens, will also have access to the luxury home textiles company’s recently opened Lucea Sea Island online.
Getting access to the cotton, which is hand-harvested in tiny batches from the West Indies, where particular soil conditions and centuries-old farming practices generate extremely long, fine cotton fibers, was the first step in securing the supply chain for the collection, which took two years.
The West Indies Sea Island Cotton Association (WISICA), which certifies which businesses are permitted to purchase the cotton for production, collaborated with Scandia. Jamaica provides the Sea Island Cotton used in Scandia’s bedding, which is spun in Switzerland before being woven and sewed in Italy.
Colleen Brewer, vice president of development and creative at Scandia, stated, “WISICA was very pleased to get the cotton into another category – and into the United States.”
Sheets ($1,125 queen), duvet covers ($2,500 queen), shams (less than $500 each), and pillowcases ($575 for a standard pair) are all part of the Lucea Sea Island line. According to Brewer, Scandia’s elite clientele can afford those costs.
“We consider it to be an heirloom product,” the statement continued.
Each piece of bedding bears the co-branded Scandia-Wisica mark. Customers who purchase duvet covers also get a pamphlet that tells the story of Sea Island Cotton. Additionally, Lucea Sea Island holds an Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification.
The hand, according to Brewer, is “sumptuous but not precious,” and Lucea Sea bedding is made to withstand children, pets, and “anything that jumps on your bed.”
Although Scandia is still growing, it has long been recognized for its basic European down bedding. A cashmere/cotton blend coverlet made in Italy with 60% cashmere is one of the more recent additions. Additionally, in January, the business will launch a new line of bathmats and soft towels at the Atlanta Market.
Additionally, it is growing its retail presence. Next year, it will launch its first location on the East Coast, in the former Gracious Home store at 3rd Avenue and 70th Street in New York. At the moment, the business runs four West Coast locations.
Brewer stated, “We’re about quality and things that last.” “The brand is lovely.”
