Once upon a time, not so very long ago, buying bed sheets was a simple process. This is no longer the case, buying bed sheets has become a major project when you take into account the amount of information available concerning thread count, percale, piman, Egyptian Cotton.

What does it all mean to someone who just wants to update their bedding?

Understanding how your linens are made from and how they are made will give you the means to know what exactly you are getting for your money. I will talk about each of the different types of bedding over the next few posts.

The majority of bed linens are made from Egyptian cotton, pima or supima, sateens, polycotton blends and cotton with the very best quality you can buy being Egyptian Cotton.

Egyptian Cotton

So, we now know that the best quality cotton comes from the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Linen made from Egyptian cotton is considered to be the most luxurious and durable with a lovely silky feel and lustre to the finished product. The quality is on account of the extra long fibers used to create Egyptian cotton. Expected thread count is from 200-300.

Of course not all Egyptian cotton is the same and like everything else it can vary in grades, fiber length, ply (the number of threads twisted together) and the weave. The manner in which the sheeting is manufactured can also vary greatly. Thread count also contributes to the quality of bed linen. This refers to the number of vertical and horizontal threads contained in a one inch square of fabric. This is determined by the ply and thickness of the thread used. Egyptian cotton is fine and so it has more threads per square inch than other cottons.

Because the finer threads are more fragile, you will find that quality Egyptian cotton is twisted into a two ply thread. This also ensures that the twisted fibers are better able to resist pilling.

Thread count is not the only thing that contributes to quality linen, Percale, which is often mistaken for a blend of cotton and polyester, also plays a vital part. Percale is the weave not the material content. So it is the combination of the closely woven percale weave and the high thread count that results in the soft luxurious feel of quality sheets.

I have recently purchasedd 1000 thread count Egyptian sheets and believe me it is like sleeping on a cloud. However, I have been told that after a thread count on 400 the only difference is the price. I have to say that I beg to differ. I definitely notice the difference in the luxurious feel of my Egyptian cotton sheets to the lesser thread count linen I have.

Where Can I Buy Egyptian Cotton Bed Sheets?

Amazon.com
BedBathStore.com