Pima Cotton vs. Modal: Which Is the Softest Fabric for Pajamas?

Picture the moment you slip into a freshly laundered pajama set — that first contact with skin, the quiet exhale that follows. The fabric you're wearing shapes that entire experience. Between pima cotton vs. modal, modal is the softer of the two: silkier, more fluid, with a drape that glides over skin in a way that feels almost weightless. Pima cotton is genuinely exceptional in its own right — crisp, breathable, the classic feeling of clean sleep — but it offers a different kind of softness. Which one belongs in your nightly ritual depends on how you sleep, what your skin craves, and the version of softness you want to come home to. After nearly three decades working with TENCEL™ Modal at Eberjey, the question we hear most from customers who've tried both fabrics is always the same: why does Modal feel different from anything else they've worn? 

What Is Pima Cotton, and Why Does It Feel So Different From Regular Cotton? 

Not all cotton is created equal. Pima cotton — sold as Supima® when grown in the United States — is a variety of extra-long staple (ELS) cotton distinguished by its exceptional smoothness, durability, and resistance to pilling. What sets it apart is fiber length: standard cotton fibers measure roughly 1 inch, while pima cotton fibers stretch to 1.4 inches or longer. Longer fibers mean fewer fiber ends breaking through the surface of the fabric, which translates directly to a smoother, more polished feel against skin. 

Pima cotton grows primarily in Peru, Australia, and the American Southwest. Peruvian Pima in particular has cultivated a strong reputation in the luxury textile world — the high-altitude desert climate and hand-harvesting traditions produce a fiber with remarkable consistency and natural sheen (Peru Pima Association, 2022). 

What Makes Pima Cotton Feel Different on Skin? 

The longer staple length gives pima cotton a few distinct tactile qualities: 

What Is Modal Fabric, and How Is It Made? 

Modal is a semi-synthetic fabric made from the pulp of beech trees, sourced from sustainably managed forests in Central Europe. The production process — developed and patented by the Austrian fiber company Lenzing AG — converts wood pulp into a soft, pliable fiber through a closed-loop manufacturing process that recaptures and reuses over 95% of the water and chemicals involved (Lenzing AG, 2023). 

TENCEL™ Modal, the certified fiber at the heart of Eberjey's signature sleepwear, is the gold standard within this category. It carries OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, independently verifying that the fabric is free from over 100 harmful substances — meaningful for anyone with sensitive skin or a commitment to thoughtful living (OEKO-TEX Association, 2023). 

Which Fabric Is Actually Softer: Pima Cotton or Modal? 

Modal, by most objective and subjective measures, feels softer than pima cotton. 

On standardized fabric softness measurements like the Kawabata Evaluation System (KES) — which quantifies surface friction and bending stiffness — modal fibers consistently score closer to silk than cotton does (Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics, 2020). In blind-touch tests, people reach for words like "silkier," "more liquid," or "like touching a cloud" to describe modal, while pima cotton earns "crisp," "clean," and "smooth." 

Modal (TENCEL™): Lenzing's production process for TENCEL™ Modal is widely regarded as one of the most environmentally responsible fiber manufacturing processes in the industry. The beech trees used require no irrigation or pesticides and are harvested from FSC-certified forests. The closed-loop solvent process recovers and reuses 95%+ of chemicals, and the resulting fiber biodegrades under industrial composting conditions (Lenzing AG, 2023). 

On a life-cycle basis, modal carries a lower water and chemical footprint than conventionally grown cotton — why Eberjey built its core collection around it. 

How Do Pima Cotton and Modal Compare for Everyday Care? 

Both fabrics are easy to care for, though modal asks for a touch more attention. 

Pima cotton care: 

Modal care: 

The main practical difference is heat sensitivity. A pima cotton set handles a warm dryer cycle without concern. Modal treated to high heat may show slight shrinkage over time — but holds its softness and color vibrancy across many more wash cycles. 

Which Fabric Works Better Across Every Season? 

If you're choosing one fabric to wear through every season, modal is the more versatile option — though pima cotton is unmatched for summer heat. 

Modal's moisture-wicking properties and temperature-regulating feel make it comfortable across a wide range of sleeping temperatures — airy in warm months, effortlessly layerable when the room cools down. 

Pima cotton excels in summer. More directly breathable than modal, it carries the crisp, clean sensation many people associate with sleeping cool, but lacks modal's season-spanning adaptability. 

For a single investment piece that works across every season, Eberjey's Gisele collection in TENCEL™ Modal earns its enduring reputation. If warm-weather sleeping is your priority or you run consistently hot,  offer that cooling structure with the same commitment to quality. 

What to Look for When Buying Pajamas in Either Fabric 

Whether you choose pima cotton or modal, quality varies enormously within each category. Here is what to look for: 

For Pima Cotton Pajamas: 

For Modal Pajamas: 

Eberjey's Gisele TENCEL™ Modal Pajama Set meets every one of these standards — certified fiber, OEKO-TEX verified, flat-fell seams, and a fabric composition designed specifically for sleep. The craft that has made it a gifting staple and customer favorite, year after year. 

Pima Cotton vs. Modal: Finding Your Softer Side 

The softest pajamas are the ones you actually reach for — night after night, season after season. Modal, with its silky drape, temperature-regulating feel, and long-lasting buttery-soft hand-feel, suits those who want their nightly ritual to feel like a quiet luxury. Pima cotton, crisp and breathable and enduring in its own right, is the choice for warm sleepers or anyone drawn to the clean, considered feeling of classic cotton. Neither is wrong. Both are a genuine step toward more effortless, more restful inside life — the kind that begins the moment you get dressed for bed. 

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