Bed Linen Basics
What do you look for when purchasing sheets and pillowcases? Do you like an impeccably-made bed, free from wrinkles? Is price range your main concern? Is it time to switch your linens with the seasons? Maybe you want luxurious bedding that feels amazingly smooth on your skin, regardless of the price. Find them all online. Let us help.
An Introduction to Fibers
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Egyptian Cotton Linens
-- feel softer than any other cotton, generate less lint and are the most durable.
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Pima Cotton Linens
-- exceptionally soft, strong and durable cotton developed from Egyptian cotton and grown only in the southwestern United States. (That's why it used to be called American-Egyptian.)
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Modal Linens
-- natural fiber made of 100% beechwood cellulose. This fiber is exceptionally soft, 50% more absorbent than cotton and dries faster than cotton. This fiber is great in towels.
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Lyocell Linens
-- manufactured fiber made from trees. These are soft, strong and absorbent. Often used to simulated silk or suede.
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Polyester Linens
-- polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most popular. These are strong synthetic fibers that resist shrinking, stretching, mildew, abrasion and wrinkling. It washes easily and dries quickly. These are also used to make plastic soft drink bottles.
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Silk Sheets
-- silk sheets are sexy and smooth but high maintenance. If you plan to use them regularly, make sure you can afford the dry cleaning bill that will come with them.
Why Cotton?
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Egyptian and Pima cottons are the softest and are considered high quality. If you are shopping for sheets or towels, always read the fine print to determine the amount of cotton in the sheets or towels. One hundred percent cotton is best. Today's all-cotton sheets and towels are less likely to shrink and don't wrinkle as much.
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Some cotton blends are also good because some polyester fibers used feel like cotton. Cotton/Modal or Cotton/Lyocell blends for towels are actually better than 100% cotton because they absorb more water and dry more quickly. Keep in mind, however, that some people may be sensitive to synthetic fabrics. If you're not sure, 100% cotton is always a good bet for sheets.
Popular types of Sheets
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Jersey Knit Sheets
-- Soft sheets that feel like your favorite worn t-shirt. Great for the spring and summer.
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Cotton Sheets
-- Soft and luxurious. Most people prefer 100% cotton sheets rather than a mixed blend.
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Flannel Sheets
-- Is it a chilly night? Try curling up under thick flannel sheets. The wool will keep you warm, while the cotton will keep your blanket feeling fluffy and comforting.
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Satin or Sateen Sheets
-- Great for the summer, these sheets are always cool, light, and airy.
Sheets and Thread Count
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The thread count is the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. Thread count for sheets ranges from around 180 to more than 1000. Thread count is related to the softness and the thickness of the sheet.
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In general, the higher the thread count, the higher the price. Higher than 500 does not necessarily mean the best sheet.
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Sometimes a lower thread count is better. When the thread count is higher, each individual thread is thinner -- which means that the sheet is more delicate and requires more careful maintenance. For kids' sheets, sheets that get washed frequently, or just for convenience, a lower thread count means that the sheets will probably last longer with normal to heavy wear and tear.
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Also, if you buy flannel sheets, expect to see a low thread count. Flannel sheets are
supposed
to be thick!
