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Bedding Sheets Buying Guide
It's estimated that we spend about a third of our lives asleep - that's over 200,000 hours! It's important to choose sheets that are comfortable and durable. Picking the right sheets can be easy when you have the right information. While thread count is important, there are other factors to consider when purchasing bedding.
- Fiber Quality
- Yarn Size
- Finishing
- Thread Count
Fiber quality refers to the content of the bedding. Most sheets are 100% Cotton. The most popular due to the high quality is 100% Egyptian Cotton. What makes Egyptian Cotton the best in the world? The length of the yarn and the growing process; the longer the yarn, the better the quality. The best cotton and most sought after is grown along the Nile River in Egypt and takes up to 2 years to grow. Good things come to those who wait.
You can also purchase sheets made of silk, silk/cotton, modal and linen.
How a sheet is woven has a significant impact on its finish and feel. All of the common construction types below produce sheets with very different hand feel. While each weave has its benefits, from the crispness of percale to the coziness of flannel, personal preference will largely dictate which one is right for you. Try changing your sheets seasonally for the ultimate comfort.
Flannel
A medium weight, plain or twill-weave fabric made of cotton with a napped finish on one or both sides. This raised surface gives flannel its fluffy look and supersoft, cozy feel.
Percale
Plain-weave fabric made from both carded and combed cotton yarns. Lightweight and closely woven, percale sheets have a smooth finish and crisp feel.
Sateen
A weaving technique that results in fabric with more yarn surface on the face than other basic weaves. The result is an exceptionally soft feel and smooth, lustrous finish that resembles satin.
Yarn Size also plays an important role in bed linen quality. Higher quality is achieved with a finer yarn because more is able to be woven together per square inch. Finer yarns allow for lighter, more supple fabric.
After the the weaving process, the fabric must be finished. The finishing process includes singeing and mercerizing. Singeing burns off tiny fuzz that can occur during pilling. Many lower quality and low thread count sheets will do this after just a few times of washing.
Mercerizing is conducted under tension. It increases strength, luster and affinity for dye.
Many of the higher-end bedding companies will do both of these processes before allowing their product to be sold.
Thread Count is the most common known quality when considering bed linens. Most consumers have heard that the higher the thread count, the better the quality. This is a common misconception. Just because a fabric has a high thread count does not mean it is the best. Given the right yarn and the right weaving process a 300 thread count sheet can feel like a 600 thread count sheet. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of a fabric. This can, however, be misleading. Because thread count is such a huge marketing tool in the bedding industry right now, some companies will use a 2 ply yarn to achieve a higher thread count. The best quality fabric is made from 1 ply yarn with 1 pick. The higher-end bedding companies use the 1 ply yarn approach.
Next time you are in the market for a new sheet set take into consideration these important factors and you should get the best quality sheets for your needs.