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       Photos 1, 3, & 9 courtesy Eco Futures; all others by Ty Wyant. |
Home&Garden home and garden tips
When shopping for sheets, it’s good to know a few things beforehand. First, there are no federal laws regarding industry processing of raw materials. Thus, most sheets are chemically treated with formaldehyde to fix the fabric. You can find untreated, organic and even ultra-soft sheets made from bamboo at high-end bedding stores. There are also no industry standards regulating thread count or cotton labeling, so packages boasting “1,000 Thread Count” or “Pure Egyptian Cotton” could be making bogus claims. True thread count is based on the number of vertical (warp) and horizontal (weft) threads per square inch of fabric. Some sheet makers falsely boost thread count by counting plies—the very thin yarns that constitute a thread. The higher the real thread count, the softer the sheet. By and large, a 200-thread-count sheet suits most people’s needs; above 400, you’re probably wasting your money. Egyptian cotton is another area where manufacturers fudge. True Egyptian cotton is rare, and grown only in one area along Egypt’s Nile River. Valued for exceptional softness, Egyptian cotton comes with a hefty price tag. If you find a $50 sheet set that says it’s made from pure Egyptian cotton, it probably isn’t. Regarding all cottons: the longer the staple, the softer the fabric. Here’s a guide to fabrics and weaves commonly found in linens. Combed cotton. Fibers are combed in a process that separates longer, softer fibers from the shorter, scratchier ones. This results in a softer, smoother product. Egyptian cotton. Long-staple luxurious cotton that grows only along the Nile River. Flannel. Brushed (usually cotton) fabric with a soft, fuzzy feel. Hemstitch. An ornamental stitch, used especially at a hem. Jacquard. An intricate figured weave or pattern. Linen. Cloth made from the flax plant. Matelassé. Fabric with a raised embossed surface. Percale. Closely-woven cotton cloth with a plain weave consisting of single vertical and horizontal threads woven under and over each other. Pima cotton. Long-staple, ultra-soft cotton grown in the American Southwest. Polyester. Fabric made from any of several polymeric synthetic resins. Sateen. Smooth, glossy cotton made to imitate satin through a special weaving process. Silk. Fabric made from the fine, soft, shiny fibers that silkworms produce to make cocoons. Voile. Thin, sheer, plain-weave fabric typically used in dust skirts and curtains. > Go to feature article "Snuggle Up"
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