Definition of "long-staple" [long-staple]

• Having a long fiber: a commercial term applied to cotton of a superior grade, also called sea-island cotton. See cotton-plant.

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "Once it was established that this meant the producers could grow high-quality, long-staple cotton she was able to design the fibre into her new collection, as a series of cotton dresses."
• "Linen yarns, too, are spun out of both short-staple fibers, called tow, and long-staple fibers, called line."
• "Combed cotton fabric is made of combed yarns that contain the longest of the long-staple cotton fibers."