Buying Bed Sheets

Recently I went out shopping for bedding, specifically for a sheet set for my queen size bed. It had been awhile since I last purchased bedding, and I came away from the stores with a head full of questions. I’m not sure what happened in the bedding industry from the last time I bought sheets to this present day. They have so many different types of sheets, and fabrics and thread counts that range from 120 to 1000! What is a person to do? Well, I didn’t buy any today. I thought I’ve got to wrap my mind around the terms they are using and I came home and did some research. I wanted to be prepared to know which fabrics are best for bed sheets.

When I started researching I found so many florals duvet cover different kinds of fabric I put them in alphabetical order. And since I spent so much time on this I thought others might like to use my list. This is what I came up with:

Bamboo: Fairly recent on the bed scene – it is made from the pulp of bamboo grass. This fabric is resistant to bacteria and is hypo-allergenic. It’s a great sheet for those suffering with allergies. It is an alternative to organic cotton since bamboo grows quickly while using much less water than cotton without fertilizers or pesticides. These sheets are soft, supple and silky to the touch.

Cotton: The single most popular fabric. Cotton is considered the best all season fiber. It is cool in the summer, and warm in the winder. Cotton breathes well and keeps body moisture away from the skin. You will find many of the popular cotton sheets listed.
Cotton Blend: A common blend of cotton/polyester. It is a blend of natural cotton with synthetic fibers producing easy care sheets. Blends are more durable than synthetic fibers, but they will wear out faster than 100% cotton sheets. And because polyester is not a very breathable fabric these sheets will be warmer than all cotton sheets.

Egyptian Cotton: Often referred to as the sheet for the Queen of the Nile. This cotton is grown along side the Nile River, best known for optimal cotton climate conditions producing exceptional quality cotton. This highly absorbent cotton is strong yet breathable and is known for its superior durability, luster, and silky feel because of its extra long fiber staple.

Flannel: A medium weight fabric in a plain or twill weave that is soft and fuzzy. Flannel is made of cotton with a napped finish on one or both sides. Napping is a brushing technique that gives a raised surface a fluffy soft appearance with a very cozy warm feeling. It is a great sheet for warmth during the fall and winter months. And many moms like flannel crib sheets for their babies.

Italian linen: This fabric is made only in Italy, made from the finest cotton grown exclusively in Egypt. It is a very luxurious fabric and sheets made of this caliber are truly a luxury item for only those who can afford them.

Jersey: These sheets are knitted in a circular, flatbed or warp knitted method. Jersey sheets are not woven so you will not find a thread count listed. They are very stretchy.