Buying sheets can be an exhausting process; just the amount of words that are unique to the sheets business alone is overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be this way. This guide tells you exactly what you need to know to choose the perfect sheets for you and your bed, and maybe even impress the salesperson a little with your lingo.
- Fabric
When choosing bed sheets, your best bet is to go with a material that you love. If it doesn’t feel good on your skin, chances are your sleep will suffer. Cotton is the most popular choice, but beware: not all cotton is made the same. The highest-quality cotton your money can buy is 100% Egyptian cotton. Egyptian cotton is the buzz word in the biz; it produces luxurious sheets that last without pilling or becoming threadbare. If your budget is a bit lower, opt for the American-grown pima cotton (also called Supima). You’ll get high-quality sheets at a price you can stomach.
- Thread Count
Thread count used to be the be-all-end-all of sheets, but that caused manufacturers to sneakily use low-quality threads and deceptive marketing to inflate the thread count. As a rule of thumb, stay within a 200-400 thread count range and consider all other factors as well when choosing your sheets.
- Weave
The weave of a fabric is important because it affects the overall feel of the sheets as well as how long they’ll last you. The most common weave is percale, which leaves sheets feeling supple and comfortable. If you tend to overheat while you sleep, opt for the popular sateen weave, which leaves sheets feeling cool and crisp like satin.
- Decor
Last but not least, choose sheets you actually like the look of. Too often people focus entirely on the quality of their sheets and end up with a colour or pattern that they don’t love. While you definitely want sheets that feel good, you want them to look good too or they might end up buried at the back of your linen closet. Make your money count by picking sheets that match your fabulous decor and make you love your bedroom.
- Price
Don’t let fancy department stores fool you: do your research and find out the average price of the sheets that you want. Just because a store charges $300 for a set of sheets does not mean that they’re necessarily high quality. On the flip side though, your $20 dollar sheets are probably not going to last you very long.
- Finish
While it might seem tempting to buy sheets labelled “easy care” and “wrinkle-free”, it most likely means the sheets have been doused in scary chemicals that are impossible to pronounce. Considering you spend ⅓ of your life in bed, you might want to keep it chemical-free, especially if you have any allergies or sensitivities. Many brands offer organic cotton to make sure you sleep easy.