When shopping for bed linen you are confronted with a wealth of different options from Egyptian and Percale to regular cotton and polycotton. Once you can learn to decipher what each of these are and how they vary you will be able to choose the ideal bed sheets for you.

There are three key factors that determine the quality and feel of a cotton bed sheet:

• The fibre
• How the fabric has been woven
• Thread count

Understanding the key elements will help you to pick the perfect bed sheet for a great night’s sleep.

The cotton fibre

Cotton is the most common fibre used for bed linen; there are three main varieties: American Upland, Pima and Egyptian cotton.

American Upland – The most widely used of the cotton fibres, it can be identified by its short-long staple. Generally speaking if an item’s label reads just ‘100% cotton’ it has been made using American Upland.

Pima – Characterised by its fine and long staple, Pima produces a very soft weave. Pima cotton is often labelled as ‘Supima’ – a trademark of the Supima Foundation.

Egyptian Cotton – Egyptian has the longest and finest staple of the cotton plants. Grown in the Nile River Valley, it produces a very soft and supple weave ideal for bed linen.

The cotton weave

Oxford, Percale and Sateen are terms commonly used to describe how the fabric has been woven. Each of the weaves has different characteristics.

Oxford – First produced in the 19^th century, the Oxford weave is soft and heavy. This fabric is characterised by its weave which has twice as many warp threads as it does weft threads. Oxford cottons stands up very well to laundering and as such is often a popular choice in hotels.

Percale – A plain weave fabric, the threads cross over and under each other one at a time. Tightly woven, this weave produces a soft and fine finish.

Sateen – In a Sateen weave the warp threads are interlaced with filling threads to give the resulting fabric a lustrous, smooth face.

Thread Count

Once you have chosen your fibre and weave it is now time to check the thread count. The thread count refers to the number of threads woven per inch. As a general rule, cotton bed sheets with a higher thread count will be more durable and softer. A good benchmark is 200, but 300 thread count bed linen is notably softer. 

What bed linen should you buy?

Bed linen comes in huge variety of materials and colours, with both printed and embroidered designs. If you are looking for a touch of hotel luxury in your bedroom opt for an Oxford 200-300 thread count duvet cover. For a lighter and softer feel in the summer, why not opt for a super soft cotton percale.

For help with finding the ideal cotton bedding for your home call today on 0800 389 0059 or order online.