The best cotton sheets
Apr 21, 2011 2:36 PM
Joined: Apr 16, 2011
Points: 15
Today I went around looking for sheets but could not decide. I found

 1 Egyptian cotton sheets - Does cotton in them come from Egypt?

2 Pima cotton sheets - what is Pima cotton?

3 Jersey sheets some of which were cotton while others were a blend of cotton and polyster. What are jersey sheets?

4 damask sheets - I don't know what damask means? Can someone tell me please?.

Which cotton sheets will feel more luxurious and what is the difference between all these?

Thank you.

This message was modified Apr 21, 2011 by helpme
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #1 Apr 21, 2011 4:08 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
I can't tell you the answer to all your questions but I can tell you what I learned from my own experience as it relates to my own preferences.

Jersey sheets sleep very hot. I hate them.

I recommend 100% cotton but somewhere around 300 thread count. Once you get up into the high thread counts the sheets do not breathe as well. In my experience what works best is the lowest thread count that does not feel to "scratchy" or "rough". I think mine are around 350 thread count and I am very sensitive to rough material on my body and I like these just fine. The times I have tried higher thread counts, they feel great to the touch but sleep too hot for me.

As I recall we had a thread about this maybe a year ago, and some people agreed with me on this. Try doing a search for "sheets".

Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #2 Apr 21, 2011 6:05 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
 

Cotton Types 
Cotton is the most widely used fiber for fabric because of its strength, durability and breathability. The word "staple" refers to fiber length. When someone refers to "long staple cotton" they are referring to variety 1, 2, or 3. The longer the fiber size of a variety, the more difficult it is to grow, and the more difficult it is to process. Hence the longer the staple, the more expensive it becomes. 

(The image below shows the approximate relative sizes of the fibers.)

1. Sea Island Cotton 
Sea Island Cotton is in extremely limited supply, and is very expensive to grow and to process. It is typically used in very expensive men's shirts. 

2. Egyptian Cotton 
Egyptian Cotton was developed from stocks that originated in South and Central America. Menoufi is the most widely used variety. The highly prized Giza variety has exceptionally strong fibers about 1½" long, and is used in the best qualities of embroidery thread, and the finest cotton fabrics for sheets, down bedding covers, and duvet tickings. 

3. Pima Cotton 
Pima cotton is in between Egyptian Cotton and American Upland long staple in length and price. It is a very good quality. 

4. American Upland Long Staple 
This cotton is only "Long Staple" in comparison to American Upland Short Staple cotton. The American Upland cottons now comprise up to 90% of the worlds crop. They are much easier to grow and process, and are therefore much less costly. They are perfectly adequate for medium quality fabrics. They make poor downproof fabrics for duvets and pillows, as they will ultimately leak. They are also unsuitable for high thread count sheets, as they will feel limp and coarse after a few launderings. This is the cotton used in bargain duvets, and in inexpensive "luxury" sheets. 

5. American Upland Short Staple 
A less expensive version of cotton, and a very basic quality. Suitable for denim for blue jeans. 

6. Asia Short Staple 
Asia Short staple is very easy to grow and process, and hence makes very cheap cloth. Unfortunately, lightweight fabrics made from this cotton are very weak and limp. They wear out quickly, and launder poorly.

 

 

 

 

 

Egyptian Cotton


The correct definition of this cotton is a particular variety of cotton noted for its very long and strong fibers. Just as tomatoes come in different varieties such as cherry and beefsteak, cotton also comes in many different specific varieties. Some are very inexpensive, and some, like true Egyptian cotton, are expensive. 

In the world marketplace, many cheap cottons are also being referred to as "Egyptian Cotton". If an Egyptian Cotton article seems to be a very low price, it is probably not genuine. There are three things to be aware of when you are purchasing Egyptian cotton linens. First of all, there are the contents - Some fabrics are labeled as Egyptian cotton when in fact they have a tiny percentage of genuine Egyptian cotton ~ say 5% or so. Second of all, the definition of "Egyptian Cotton" in some dictionaries is simply any finely woven cotton ~ this does rather leave the door open. Lastly, cotton grown in the country of Egypt may sound expensive and high in quality, but can be any variety. Since American Upland cottons (which are a much shorter fiber) now comprise 90% of the world's crop, it is a safe assertion that this might be in the package 

Referring to the image on the right, the ivory colored sheet on the right sells for about four times as much money as the copper colored one on the left. They are both 300 Thread Count fabrics, both feel very nice and soft to the touch, and they are both labeled as being Egyptian cotton. You cannot normally see the difference, so the customer is left wondering why they should pay the higher price. 

If you compare these same fabrics magnified many times, you can now see the difference. There is an enormous difference in the quality of these two fabrics. The genuine Egyptian cotton has a very smooth surface, with only an occasional tiny fiber raised from the surface. The copper colored fabric has many fiber ends standing up. It is obviously made from an inexpensive, short staple cotton, because of this "furring". 

Both 300 thread count fabrics: One made with genuine Egyptian cotton (right), and the other made with cheap, short staple cotton (left).



The long fibers in Egyptian cotton have a lot more surface and length to "grab" each other, with a lot fewer ends to lift out of the thread. This makes the thread much stronger, and the resulting fabric much smoother and more resistant to pilling.

The long fiber of the Egyptian cotton means that there are very few breaks between the fibers when twisted into a thread. However the short fibers of cheap cotton mean that there are many breaks. There are a lot more fiber ends and these show up on the surface.

The short fibers in cheap cottons mean the thread will be much weaker, with a lot more ends to lift out of the thread. The resulting fabric will wear out much faster, and be far more likely to pill.



There are many other factors that will affect the quality of the fabric. These factors include: the way the thread is spun, the way it is woven, and the way it is dyes and finished. There are many technical variances. There are good methods, and there are cheap methods. The good methods result in fabrics that will remain soft, lustrous, and a pleasure to own. The cheap methods result in fabrics that are cheap, that will pill quickly, and wear out too soon. They are not a pleasure to own.

Just like Egyptian cotton is a high quality species of cotton, GIZA is one of the highest qualities of all the varieties of Egyptian cottons. Most of St.Geneve bed linens are made of GIZA Egyptian cotton. It is grown in Egypt and Turkey as well as a few other countries where conditions have to be ideal. Because the fibers are so long, it actually has to be hand harvested in order to keep the fibers intact. Machine harvesting damages the strands. 


GIZA is the Egyptian cotton of choice for very high quality cotton goods. It is found in the very best bed linens and in the very best towels. It is also used for the highest qualities of embroidery thread.


As with anything in this world, if you educate yourself you will make informed decisions. The most uninformed decision is one based solely on price. This is usually because you end up paying too much because the article does not perform, and you have to go through the whole process all over again.

 

Weave Types

Yarns


Fabric is woven from "Weft" yarns, which run sideways across the loom, and therefore across the fabric; and "Warp" yarns, which run along the length of the fabric. 

Types of Weaves


In weaving, yarns are interlaced according to preset patterns, or weaves. The yarn count and number of warp and weft yarns to the square inch determine the closeness or looseness of a weave. Woven fabrics may also be varied by the proportion of warp yarns to weft yarns. The most basic weaves are plain, satin, and twill. 

Plain


The plain weave is the simplest of all weaves, a simple over and under, alternating each thread, to make a "checkerboard" pattern. It is also the strongest of the basic weaves because the yarns are tightly interlaced. The advantage of this weave is that the very light cloths can be achieved, so it is suitable for making the very lightest down proof fabric for duvets. However, it is quite plain in appearance. 

Satin


The surface of satin weave cloth is almost made up entirely of warp or filling floats*, since in the repeat of the weave each yarn of the one system passes or floats over (or under) all but one yarn of the opposite yarn system. While the highest thread counts are made with this weave, the resulting fabric weighs a little more than what can be achieved with plain weaves. It is very pleasing to the eye, and may have a simple, smooth lustrous appearance, or have patterns woven into it. Sateen is a particular style of satin weave. 

*Simply put, the float is the portion of the yarn that you see, which extends over two or more threads. 

Sateen

The difference between satin and sateen is the fact that sateen floats are made up of weft yarns, rather than of warp yarns. 




Twill

Denim is the best known twill. It is identified by the quite visible diagonal lines in the fabric, and is often a simple "over two, under one" weave. Heavier fabrics are made this way, and they are suitable for featherproof applications such as feather pillows and featherbeds.

 

 

 

 

Jersey and damask are other ways of weaving fabrics.  Jersey fabrics are stretchier but not as smooth as normal plain (percale) or sateen cottons.  Damask is another way of saying Jacquard fabrics, these are usually done for decorative purposes, usually only intended for use on duvet covers and decorative pillows/shams.  Plain (percale) or Sateen are usually the most desirable weave types for high quality sheeting.

 

 

Thread Count 
Thread Count is Not the Whole Story...
Thread count is simply a measure of how many threads are present in a square inch of fabric. It is a combination of the number of horizontal and vertical threads found in that square inch. 

Thread count is one relatively minor measure of quality in a fabric. The quality of the fiber used to make the thread is far more important than the thread count of the fabric. To make high thread count fabrics, thread must be spun very fine in order to fit a lot into a square inch. 

It is entirely appropriate to use short staple cotton for fabrics such as denim, canvas and other heavier fabrics. However, when it is used to make fine threads, they are too weak, and the resulting fabric will be unsatisfactory. 

Start With Good Cotton Fiber ... 
Low quality thread makes a low quality 300 thread count fabric

These fabrics have the same 300 thread count. The one on the left is of a much lower quality. You can see that the threads are of an uneven size, which results in an uneven weave. There are thin patches throughout this fabric. This will cause the fabric to wear out faster and launder poorly, as it is only as strong as its weakest areas. Poor quality thread is spun from cheap shorter staple cottons. 

High quality thread makes a high quality 300 thread count fabric

 

 

The fabric on the right is a German made sateen. The mill started with a high quality thread to weave this cloth. It is even, smooth, luxurious and it will provide many years of service. This thread is spun from a more expensive long staple cotton.

 

 

Good quality long staple cotton will spin into good quality thread, and good quality thread will weave into good quality fabric. All three stages must be completed in a quality fashion, or the result will be inferior. Some fabrics will appear to be a bargain, but they won't be a pleasure to use, and they won't last. While not obvious on the surface, you can see that close magnified inspection shows a surprisingly large difference.

 
Twisted Yarns 
There are some genuinely good reasons for the production of "twisted yarns". These are threads that are made by taking very fine threads, and twisting them around each other in the same way that rope is made. Actual rope is much stronger made this way than if it was just a bundle of parallel fibers. In the same way, twisted yarns can make a thread that is stronger and smoother than regular thread. Sewing thread is made up of twisted yarns to make it strong enough for stitching. 

However, twisted yarns are not appropriate for down proof cloth, as the resulting fabric tends to be heavier and not as soft. It is wonderful for sheets and pillowcases, as it can be quite supple, and is actually thicker feeling than single ply fabrics. Single ply cotton down proof products will go up to 360 TC or so. Silk will go up to about 450 TC. You may find some duvets with thread counts such as 600 - these are twisted yarns, and we don't recommend them. 

Twisted yarn sheets however, can be quite wonderful. They will last longer, launder better and be more resistant to pilling, provided they have been well milled out of long staple cotton. Unfortunately, some mills have been producing very high thread count fabrics by employing twisted yarns made from cheap cotton. As always, you get what you pay for. 

In Canada, the law states that thread count is determined by the threads used in the actual weaving - no matter how many yarns or strands make up those threads. USA law is less specific, and thread counts are generally stated by how many yarns or strands went into the fabric. So you may have a fabric legally labeled in Canada as a "two ply 300 thread count", and in the USA it would be labeled as 600 thread count. Please be aware that a lot of packaging in Canada is to USA standards, and is not legal in Canada. If you see a "600 Thread Count" in Canada - it is in all likelihood to be a two or three ply thread.

This close-up shows a two ply thread that has been 'untwisted' to show its construction
 
 
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #3 Apr 21, 2011 6:06 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
If you want to look at the best cotton sheets available, try to find brands like St. Geneve, Sferra, SDH.  These companies bring in REAL egpytian cotton fabrics.  Most will also send swatches at little or no cost.
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #4 Apr 21, 2011 7:56 PM
Joined: Apr 15, 2011
Points: 163
Wow - thanks, Budgy! That's very interesting, useful and helpful information I've never known about before! I am learning SO MUCh from you all, and really appreciate this forum and the great questions and answers....
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #5 Apr 22, 2011 12:17 AM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 793
Thank you Budgy and Jimsocal!  I love my 300 count sheets from Flobeds since they are 100% cotton, do not sleep hot and are silky to the touch.  I also love some sheets I bought from JCPenney a few years ago.  I felt the sheets in the store and was surprised that as long as the thread count was 300, then the higher thread count was no longer important. I found out the feel of the sheets was important depending on the type of cotton used and the weave. I think my other sheets are 400 thread count.  I can not sleep on 250 or 200 thread count sheets since it is scratchy and uncomfortable.

I printed out this thread due to the pictures and description that Budgy sent in that is a real help to all of us.

Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #6 Apr 23, 2011 8:39 PM
Joined: Mar 28, 2011
Points: 22
Wow thank you Buddy! Not only does that really helps explaining some diffrences,and the pictures, well are worth a thousand words. I too have opted for Egyption cotton sheets and generally find pretty good deals on Amazon for them.
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #7 Apr 25, 2011 7:20 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 793
Budgy, I know a poster on the Garden Decorating Forums that loves Sferra Sheets and now I know why since they use real Egyptian Cotton. I will have to watch out for sales of these type of sheets. I like having a lot of sheets so I can just do one big load of sheets at a time which is best when I am only drying sheets.  I also go through a lot of sheets since I wash them often which helps with my allergies not acting up I have learned.  I also sometimes get hot flashes and have to change my sheets in the middle of the night. 
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #8 Apr 26, 2011 12:57 AM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
Sferra is notorious for their exquisite cotton sheets.  Particularly the highest strand count ones they offer, supposed to be some of the best sheets in the world.  For other really good sheets you can try to find Micro Modal, or real Linen (from flax).  Linen is a little rougher than cotton particularly when it is brand new, but they are strong and last forever...what is particularly great about them is that it is the BEST fabric to use in the summer...if someone is a really hot sleeper than linen would greatly help in taking the edge off.  It is far more absorbant than cotton, and also more breathable so it releases moisture quicker, however even if it manages to get damp it will not cling to skin.  Good linen is expensive however, and it wrinkles easily.  

Modal fabrics are much softer than cotton, although not quite as durable...so they require a more delicate washing treatment.  But from a luxury standpoint they are quickly becoming popular! St. Geneve and SDH both have some really nice modal sheets.  

Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #9 Apr 26, 2011 4:00 PM
Joined: Apr 16, 2011
Points: 15
Thank you budgy but it still leaves some questions unanswered.

 1. what are damask sheets

2. What are jersey sheets.

Jim, I don't find jersey sheets hot. I don't know why you say that?

Are you talking about some other sheets?

3. How do I identify if Egyptian cotton sheets are really of good quality.

I got some from costco and I wonder if they are really of good quality. They are 400n thread count.

4. Pima sheets - I have seen in 600 thread count. I wonder if they would feel hot?

Thank you budgy.

This message was modified Apr 26, 2011 by helpme
Re: The best cotton sheets
Reply #10 Apr 26, 2011 5:31 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
helpme wrote:

Thank you budgy but it still leaves some questions unanswered.

 

 1. what are damask sheets

2. What are jersey sheets.

Jim, I don't find jersey sheets hot. I don't know why you say that?

Are you talking about some other sheets?

3. How do I identify if Egyptian cotton sheets are really of good quality.

I got some from costco and I wonder if they are really of good quality. They are 400n thread count.

4. Pima sheets - I have seen in 600 thread count. I wonder if they would feel hot?

Thank you budgy.


Damask is another word for Jacquard or Jacquard weaving. It is really only done for decorative purposes, usually for duvet covers and pillow shams, bedskirts that kind of thing. Patterns can be all one colour or multitiude of colours.  I am going to use a 3rd party website that I think is well done to try and illustrate some of these examples.

http://www.snuggledown.com/s/catalog/duvet_covers/agadir/

^^ This Agadir fabric from SDH is a Jacquard (damask) fabric, the pattern in the fabric is there because of how the fabric is woven. 

http://www.snuggledown.com/s/catalog/duvet_covers/bregano_solid/

^^ This Bregano duvet cover from St. Geneve is also a Jacquard fabric. The pattern is not only woven in the fabric it comes from using differently dyed yarns. This means that the yarns are dyed individually and woven right into the fabric so it will not fade over time.

http://www.snuggledown.com/s/catalog/bonjour_of_switzerland/schlossberg_alena/

** This Alena fabric from Schlossberg is a cotton print.  It is still a pattern, but the fabric is woven in a normal percale or sateen weave, the colour is literally printed onto the cotton.  

Jacquard fabrics are much more durable than prints in terms of not having colour fading over time.  However Jacquards are not typically used for fitted sheets, flat sheets or pillowcases, as after washing the patterns usually become more pronounced in feel and are not as comfortable next to the skin as a normal weave. 

Jersey refers to another weave type that allows the cotton to be much more stretchy.  Jersey fabrics usually wear out very quickly unless very heavy, in which case they will sleep a little bit warmer.  The reason they wear out is for the same reason that most cheap cottons wear out, the weave is uneven to begin with and with further use and laundering the weak spots of the fabric can break and wear very easily.  

At the end of the day the cotton fabric which is lightest is usually the most breathable. Real egyptian cotton fabrics can be woven very finely and still have lots of strength, resulting in usually lighter and more breathable fabrics when comparing similar thread counts.  The lower the strand count the more breathable the fabric will be.  Although not typically as smooth or crisp feeling as a higher strand count sheet (which will also be a little more durable).  If you see 400TC sheets these are in all liklihood a 2 ply 200 thread count fabric, which would be using twisted yarns as illustrated in the first post I made.  600TC would probably be a 2 ply 300 thread count. Its too bad most manufacturers do not list these things as it is important to know.  But realistically if Costco or Walmart is selling it....its not REAL egyptian cotton or real pima cotton, its likely just a small percentage of the cotton fibres used in making the threads.  Price usually is the big indicator of quality. Egyptian cotton fabrics quite literally cannot be mass produced as easily as other cottons, it requires hand picking so the staples are not damaged, it is much more costly to mill.  Look for fabrics that are woven somewhere in Europe, preferably Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland...somewhere noted for producing high quality fabrics.  

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