Plus Tips on caring for sheets - the right way...

 By Sharon Stajda,

The right bed linens can make all the difference in a good night sleep...

It is said that we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed. So it's only natural to desire a comfortable experience when we climb into bed each night. Nothing can ruin a good night's sleep like uncomfortable bed linens; sheets that are too hot, too cool, pill, rough, scratchy, you name it.

So what is the most important element to consider when you go to purchase new sheets - sheets that will provide you with your comfort preference? Fabric.

Buying sheets can be difficult. There are so many fabrics to choose from: cotton, percale, and polyester, just to name a few. How does one know which fabric will be more comfortable and wear better with frequent laundering?

Before you head out to purchase bed linens, stop and ask yourself: Just what do I like to feel on my skin when I climb into bed? Do I prefer soft and cool, crisp and cool, or warm? Once you have considered your comfort preferences, you are ready to investigate the many fabrics that sheets are made of.

One can grow weary with trying to decipher all of the different terminology used on bed sheet packaging. I will attempt to arm you with some important information that will make it a bit easier to pick the right sheets for your comfort preference.

Let us begin with 100% cotton fabric. Cotton is one of the most durable and breathable fabrics around. Cotton sheets are for those who like a soft coolness that becomes warm, but when you move to another area of the bed it has that coolness to the touch.

Unfortunately, all cotton fabrics are not created equal. It is important to choose cotton sheets which have been finished with fuzz singeing to prevent pilling, and mercerized to increase the fabric's strength. In regard to yarn ply, the best cotton is woven with one ply yarn, which is long staple (this indicates the yarn is in very long strands). The longer the strand used in weaving cotton fabric the more durable and long lasting the fabric will be.

Thread count is another very important element in the production of cotton. Thread count can become tricky, because some manufactures use two ply yarns. Two ply yarns are produced by splitting one ply yarn. This denatures the cotton strand, and makes it much more likely that the bed sheet will pill, wear out sooner, and have a rougher hand. The worst part of all of this is that these manufactures claim that their thread count is double to what it actually is. They can claim this because all they have done is to split the one ply yarn into two ply yarns. So, for example, with a 400 thread count you are actually getting sheets with 200 thread count which will pill, feel rough, and will have poor durability.

When purchasing cotton sheets it is wise to buy 250 thread count and up, with one ply yarn, that have also been mercerized. The higher the thread count of the sheet the softer and lighter the sheet will feel. The lower 250 thread count will feel heavier, yet will still be soft and give a cooler feel to the sleeper. The lower thread count may also be more apt to wrinkle a bit, and need light ironing. A sheet produced with a lower thread count with a high quality one ply yarn will feel softer than a sheet produced with a higher thread count that was made with lower quality two ply yarns. Just keep in mind that if one ply yarn is used the sheet will be more costly as thread count increases. So when you are out shopping for bargains, and the package states that the bed sheets are made with 650 thread count, check for yarn ply. As a rule you will note the fabric was produced with two ply yarns.

Cotton jersey sheets are for those who like warmth. They do not possess the coolness of plain cotton. They are very soft, and as a rule wear well. Just think of your favorite T-shirt. Cotton/Flannel sheets are cozy. Flannel sheets are very soft, and promote warmth. These sheets are for the person who is always cool, and desires lots of warmth when they get under those covers at night. No cool spots here.

On to linen. Linen is made from the flax seed. These sheets are expensive, but are very strong, absorbent, and dry quickly. They breathe and will provide coolness to the skin. Keep in mind, they are not as soft as your plain cotton sheets, but do soften up after many washes. Linen is a great choice for warm climates and for durability.

Silk sheets are made from the cultivated silk fiber from silkworms. These sheets are perhaps the lightest, softest fabric bed sheets are made of. Silk is naturally soft and lightweight, along with being very absorbent. Silk sheets are not for the person that likes cool. They are soft, but tend to be warm. Silk sheets are also very costly, and need careful care when laundering; most require dry cleaning.

Synthetic fiber polyester is a man-made fabric produced from substances such as coal, water or petroleum. This fabric is very wrinkle resistant and does not pill. As a rule, polyester sheets are durable and will last for years. They have a rough hand that will soften after washing several times. They are very lightweight, and don't breathe well. This makes them feel very warm.

Cotton polyester blends are not as durable as cotton, and don't breathe as well as cotton. They are lightweight, and are warm to sleep on. As a rule, they pill with washing. This gives a sandy feel to the hand, and naturally a poor night's sleep.

Percale is a type of weaving where the cotton fibers are wrapped around the polyester fibers. Percale sheets feel like cotton, when the thread count is 180 or higher per square inch. They provide a feeling of cool to the touch and are soft. They are a fair alternative to cotton sheets, but will not last as long. Repeated washing denatures the cotton fiber, and the sheets become thin, and eventually uncomfortable.

Finally, we've come to the ultimate fabric in bed linens; Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton is the strongest cotton in the world. As its name implies, it is grown in Egypt in the Nile valley region. If kept in one ply long staple strands, it is the highest quality fabric which can be used in the production of bed sheets. Egyptian cotton will provide the softest, most durable bed sheets one can purchase. But again, some manufactures will start out with the ideal one ply long staple strands of Egyptian cotton, and split the yarn into two ply, cutting the staple short. As mentioned earlier, this method will yield a poorer quality cotton sheet. So when the package claims "Made of Egyptian Cotton", remember to check for ply. (As a rule, two ply Egyptian cotton is still pretty good, but won't last as long as a one ply sheet made with Egyptian cotton.)

If you are lucky enough to purchase 100% Egyptian single strand long staple cotton sheets, with a thread count of 400 and above, you will have the ultimate in comfort, and durability

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