I
never
get requests
for certain blog subjects.
But my dear southern
sister-in-law, Rose,
asked that I do some
research into buying bed sheets.
(She must have liked the research I did
about the turkeys with big boobs!)
This intrigued me so much
that I decided to put off
the laundry,
dishes,
vacuuming,
dusting,
and emptying the
week-old spaghetti from the fridge-
just to entertain her curiosity.
I was curious, too.
Who hasn't had to buy new sheets
and was bombarded by the choices?
It's totally overwhelming.
First off, let me say
that all you snobs out there
who wear stickers on your foreheads
that brag about your 1200 thread count sheets,
aren't impressing me at all.
Not any more.
TPI, or threads per inch,
means the number of threads
woven together in a square inch.
For example,
100 threads lengthwise
and 100 threads width wise
produces a thread count of 200.
The more threads in an inch,
usually means the softer the feel.
But the material of those threads
can also be a factor
on whether your sheets feel like
sand paper- or velvet.
COMBED COTTON: A cleaning process that eliminates impurities and short, less desirable fibers.
Don't confuse Sateen Cotton with "satin". It has none.
It is only the name given to the texture
of the woven cotton.
MUSLIN: Considered to be low end of the cotton line. Usually rough.
PERCALE: For those that love a crisp, ironed sheet. A smooth, flat, closely woven and combed fabric that comes in 100% cotton or 50/50 cotton/poly blends.Found in the 180-200 TPI range.
PIMA or SUPIMA: A high quality cotton whose long fiber staple is somewhat similar to that of Egyptian cotton. Very soft. TPI 200-300.
EGYPTIAN COTTON: Grown alongside the river, this cotton owes its superior durability, luster, and silky hand feel to its extra long fiber staple. TC counts range from 200-400.
Yet,some TPI claims can be misleading.
There are some manufacturers that weave
two or three ply fibers together.
And when they put these 100
three-ply fibers in a square inch,
they label the sheet as having 600 thread count.
However, according to
Consumer Reports,
buying anything over 400 count
is a waste of money.
There's just not that much difference.
The extra ply fibers
only tend to make the sheet heavier,
which does not necessarily
make it softer.
The best way to choose a sheet
is by feeling it first.
Most packages now days have a
side zipper that allows the consumer
to touch the fabric before purchasing.
My research shows that most people
prefer the crisp, cool, old fashioned
type of sheet made by Wamsutta.
Bed, Bath and Beyond sells them online.
Studies say that most people should own
at least three sets of sheets for each bed.
One to put on the bed,
one to have ready and waiting,
and one in the laundry.
They also recommend buying extra pillow cases
because facial oil, makeup, hair,
and other factors tend to
wear the cases out sooner than the sheets.
Of course, you have to realize
that if you wear a potato sack to bed,
the texture of your sheets won't
really matter.
Choosing pajamas can be an important
factor of a good night's sleep.
So- there you have it, Rose.
Not nearly as interesting
as well-endowed poultry,
but a tidbit of info
that might help this shopping season.
Glad you asked.
Hope it helped.
Crap.
My housework is calling now.
But, you know what?
I think I'll just go back to bed.
My 250 thread count
one-ply
poly-cotton sheets
are calling a whole lot louder.
