Buy Bed Linens

Let's face it: there's something about quality fabric, quality construction, and exquisite design that speak to us all. On the surface, one set of bed linens is the same as any other. But that's where the mystery lies, and you won't understand it until you experience it.

Picking out designer linens can be a baffling procedure. Today's designer linen advertisements bombard the consumer with terms like all natural fibers, Egyptian cotton, brushed cotton, thread count, percale, sateen, mercerized, and more. Prices encompass a broad range, from less than $10 on a twin sheet set, to more than $1000 for a king. With all of this data, how do you go about selecting the best bed linens for your dollar?

Think the definition of designer linen is a high thread count? Guess again. The mystery to selecting the best fabric is learning which elements to consider. While thread count is a condition, potentially more crucial is the caliber of the cotton, the tactile property of the cloth, the nature of the finish, and the style.

What precisely is thread count?
It is only a degree of how many threads are interwoven into one square inch of material. The thread count of "average" cotton or muslin is about 150; good caliber sheets start at 180 thread count and a count of 200 and higher are considered above average. Thread count also has to do with the thread structure and the caliber of the thread. With better quality material, like those developed with Egyptian cotton, additional thread can be interwoven into every square inch, creating better quality linen.

How much fabric can fit into one square inch of material? While advances in spinning and milling sciences have driven up the totals, thread counts higher than approximately 400 are somewhat misleading, typically meaning the utilization of a "plied" yarn (one that is created by twining together diaphanous threads.) For commercializing intents, it is not rare to count the twined yarn as double and to depict linen with 250 single four-ply yarns in a square inch as a 1,000-thread count product. In accordance with accepted textile manufacturer practices, though, while they may produce remarkably soft and decadent linens, plied yarns don't increase thread counts.

Thread Count: In all likelihood, thread count is the most promoted statistic for designer linen, Simply put, thread count is just the number of yarns in a square inch of fabric. Higher thread counts equal lighter, smoother, and stronger cloth. However, low thread counts do not equal low quality. Low thread count fabric can be very tensile, but will sometimes shrink more, and not last as long. Thread count is often less important than the quality of the fibers.

Texture: Texture refinements also contribute to the final quality of designer linen. Embossing, napping, and glazing are textures employed to impact the appearance and "hand" of the material.

Cotton Quality: Because cotton is most often selected for bed linens, you should acquaint yourself with the different cotton attributes. The grade of cotton utilized in bedding reaches from short to long staple. It has a large impact on the linen's visual aspect, tensile strength, and cost. Utilizing combed cotton adds another dimension to designer bedding, and makes it tougher and more long lasting.

Type of Fiber: This can be another confusing subject, with several choices. All natural, synthetic, or numerous blends of the two.

Weave: In designer bedding, fabric weave is an inherent role in the strength and cost of the end product, and is acquired by the intertwining of yarns. In bedding, you'll find pattern weaves, plain, satin, and twill.

There is nothing so indispensable as an unspoiled night’s sleep. Customers are familiar with terms such as "thread count," "Egyptian cotton," and "combed cotton," but not everybody has a complete grasp of what these words mean, when measuring comfort, caliber, and value of linens.

With the exclusion of long staple cotton, cotton caliber is not commonly mentioned on a linen packaging. In a retail outlet, you can feel the material to determine if they'll be comfortable for sleeping. If you do business over the Internet, or by mail order, the cotton's quality will most likely be marked in the description. A few stores will send you a swatch of fabric to decide, and almost all stores have a money back guarantee if you aren't satisfied with your purchase.

Types of Cotton

Short staple: A good product is made with this type of material, but it usually doesn't last as long and is not as soft as other options.

Intermediate staple: A very good product is made with intermediate staple cotton. Longer lasting, but not as yielding or lustrous. Usually used in bedding with up to 230-thread count.

Long staple: This is your Egyptian or Pima cottons, and is usually the most expensive. With enough strength to last for a lifetime (and more), long staple cotton creates the most brilliant, smooth designer linens. The definition of the word decadent.

Combed: An additional dimension of designer bedding, it is usually mentioned on the packaging. Ensuring a better quality, glossy, and stronger caliber of designer linen, only the finest tiers of cotton can be combed. It is essential for creating high thread count linens

Types of Fibers

Natural: Flax, silk, wool and cotton are natural fibers. Like all of nature, there will be innate differences that impart a unique charm and beauty to designer bedding. Its principal benefit over synthetics is that it adjusts to temperature and humidity changes, and should make sleeping comfortable in any environment. The main disadvantage is that you'll need to remove them from the dryer without delay (or hang them to dry) if you don't want them to wrinkle.

Synthetic: Made from chemicals, polyester, acrylic, and rayon would be considered synthetics. Brilliant colors can be applied to synthetic fabrics, and they won't wrinkle like natural fibers. However, they aren't very porous, and could be uncomfortable if it's warm or humid.

Blends: Using two or more fibers will give you a blend that can be superior to the individual components on their own. Done well, this can give you the best of each world. For instance, a cotton/linen mixture will demonstrate linen features such as a sharp, clean texture and brilliance AND showing cotton properties like durability and less shrinkage.

Types of Weaves

Plain: The most elementary, and most crucial, of the weaves is the Plain. Used in approximately 80% of bedding, it entails each thread of yarn crossing over and under another to create solid, even material. Percale, gingham, and batiste are common examples.

Satin: Usually called Sateen, it makes a brilliant, silky bed linen with a higher thread count, and is usually made of combed cotton. Each yarn thread goes over between four and eight other yarn threads, in a swaged pattern. A large number of threads are exposed on this surface, which mean that if the thread count isn't high enough, you'll have problems with snagging. Typically, sateen sheets are higher in price because they take longer to make.

Twill: Gives you a more liquid drape, stronger than "plain", twill weaves are distinguished by a diagonal rib running left to right. One thread goes over between 2 and 4 other yard threads. Extra pliability can be revealed by brushing because of the larger numbers of fibers on the surface. An example would be flannel sheets. Typically more expensive than plain weaves, but not as high as satins.

Pattern: There are two types of pattern weaves: dobby and jacquard. Because they are the most difficult and complicated to produce, the price of designer bedding created this way usually reflects that. Damask and waffle cloth are two examples of Dobby, the less expensive of the two. Elementary patterns like stripes can be made, but designs are limited because only 30 groups can have separate weaving action at any one time. Tapestry and brocade are two examples of jacquard weave, which can have 200 to 1,200 groups weaving at a time. Very complicated and involved designs can be created using this method, and it necessitates top caliber yarn, and commands top price for designer bedding and curtains.

Lastly, when you are ready to purchase your linens, be sure to measure your mattress to ensure that the sheets fit properly. An easy way to measure your mattress is to take a piece of cardboard and stick it between the mattress and box springs then place another piece of cardboard on top of the mattress and measure the distance between them. Don't forget, if you have a pillow top mattress or any other kind of covering with measurable width, leave it on when you do your measurements. Fitted sheets that have elastic going all the way around may be more expensive but well worth the extra dollars that you will spend.