We spend 8 hours, or one-third of our day, sleeping. When considering bed sheets that come in contact with our skin, including our face, different fabric types offer different textures. Therefore, choosing bedsheets carefully is important. Here are factors to consider when purchasing bed sheets.
1. Types of Fabric
Bed sheet fabrics can be divided into two main categories: those made from 100% natural fibers and those made from synthetic fibers.
It is a fabric that is produced to have a texture similar to cotton, meaning the fabric is soft and has good heat dissipation.
However, its drawbacks include limited durability, easy fraying, and poor heat dissipation. Satin fabric properties are similar to Thai silk. This is one reason satin is used for bed sheets, with the fabric made from 100% polyester fibers, giving it a luxurious, romantic, and sexy appearance.
TC fabric A fabric blend of 35% polyester and 65% cotton. It resists wrinkles and has a stiff texture. The advantage of this blend is better stretch control compared to 100% cotton. However, inherited from synthetic fibers, it offers less breathability than pure cotton (despite having small ventilation holes in the weave). Overall breathability remains moderate.
CVC fabric A fabric blend of 50% cotton and 50% polyester is commonly known as felt. This material has balanced properties due to its equal ratio of components, making it softer and more durable than satin, with good wrinkle resistance.
2. Fabric thickness or thread count
For bed sheets, a higher thread count per square inch results in finer, softer fabric - and naturally, a higher price.
However, thread count references from textile mills come in various forms, as yarn production involves different twisting and plying techniques.
Various Forms of Yarn Spinning
1 ply = single yarn directly spun from fiber
2 ply = yarn made by twisting two single threads together into one strand
3 ply = yarn made by twisting 3 strands together into a single thread
4 ply = yarn made by twisting 4 threads together into a single strand
Common questions people ask when buying a mattress
” How many threads are there? “
The high thread count makes the fabric soft, smooth, and comfortable. However, there is often confusion about thread counting methods. The international standard measures thread count per square inch, but many textile mills or bedding stores measure per 10 square centimeters, which results in a higher thread count compared to the square inch measurement.
For example, a thread count of 250 threads per square inch equals 312 threads per 10 square centimeters.
In reality, thread counts ranging from 250-560 threads per square inch, or 300-700 threads per square centimeter, are already considered good quality. This is because weaving machines cannot produce fabric with significantly higher thread density than this.
So how do you find such fine fabrics for bed sheets with 800, 900 or 1,000 thread counts?
It's possible they count the number of threads in each ply because: 3-ply yarn with 750 threads = 250 actual threads, or 4-ply yarn with 1000 threads = 250 actual threads, as shown in the image.
3. Tailoring
4. Bed Size
We can choose to buy separate sheets or order a single sheet to cover two mattresses.
How to choose a bed sheet that fits your mattress size >> Click
