Bedding Fabrics and What the Labels Mean

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Bedding Fabrics and What the Labels Mean

Thread count myths, cotton weaves, viscose from bamboo and washing

Bedding is sold on one number that tells you very little, and the things that actually determine how sheets feel are rarely on the front of the packet.

Thread count is a weak signal

Above roughly 400, higher counts are achieved by twisting multiple thin plies together and counting each, which produces a denser, heavier and frequently less breathable sheet rather than a better one.

Fibre quality and weave matter far more. A 300 count long-staple cotton percale beats a 1000 count sheet of short fibres.

Weave

Percale is a plain weave — crisp, matte, breathable and cool, and it creases. Sateen has more surface threads exposed, giving a smooth silky feel with more warmth and a slight sheen.

Linen is loosely woven, very breathable, softens over years and always looks rumpled.

Cotton staple length

Long and extra-long staple cotton produces smoother, stronger yarn that pills less. Look for the staple description rather than only a place name, since these are frequently misused on labels.

Viscose from bamboo

Almost all bamboo fabric is viscose, made by dissolving bamboo pulp chemically and regenerating it as fibre. It is soft, drapes well and manages moisture, and it is a manufactured cellulose rather than a natural bamboo fibre.

Regulators have acted against labelling it simply as bamboo. Lyocell processing in a closed loop recovers most of the solvent and is the better environmental option.

Washing

Wash at forty to sixty, wash new bedding before use, skip fabric softener, which coats fibres and reduces absorbency, and avoid high heat drying.

Viscose is weaker when wet, so treat bamboo bedding gently.

Duvets and togs

Tog describes warmth rather than quality. Around 4.5 tog suits summer, 10.5 spring and autumn, and 13.5 winter, and an all-seasons set clips together for the coldest months.

Down is warmest for its weight; synthetic is easier to wash and suits allergies. Check the fill power and fill weight rather than only the tog.

Washing bedding

Weekly for sheets and pillowcases, at sixty degrees periodically. Wash duvets and pillows a couple of times a year where the filling allows, and dry them completely.

Pillow protectors and mattress covers

A washable protector keeps pillows and mattresses clean and extends their usable life considerably. Choose a breathable one rather than a plastic-backed cover, which traps heat and moisture.

Wash protectors as often as sheets, since they are in the same contact.

Sheets that fit

Measure the mattress depth including any topper and buy fitted sheets with a deeper pocket than you think. A sheet that pings off a corner in the night is the most common bedding complaint.

Deep-pocket and extra-deep are not standardised, so work from the stated centimetres.

Buying

Check the pocket depth of fitted sheets against your mattress including any topper.

WHERE TO BUY

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