What To Look For When Buying Sheets and Other Bedding

My best friend owns a company called TopOTheBed, which is an internet store specializing in quality sheets, with prices lower than even big box retailers. At his online store, TopOTheBed.com, you can find a variety of good quality, moderate to high thread count sheets, and what I really like about their product lineup is that many of the sheet sets come with extra pillow cases, or with nice embellishments such as lace trim or two tone sheet sets. Also, since he has experience with specialty mattresses, they have a broad selection of sheets that will fit both extra thick beds as well as more low profile beds such as adjustable beds, latex, air bed mattresses, or "Euro" type mattresses which are increasingly more popular with many people opting for mattresses that aren't so thick. Here's a mini bed sheet buyers guide he wrote about sheets that I think is pretty useful.

Bed Sheets 101 And Some Useful Facts About Thread Count And Style

If you're looking for sheets or bedding products but are not sure which ones to buy, don't feel alone. Buying sheets, pillows, mattress protectors, and other similar products is complicated by the fact that marketing hype seems to clearly distinguish between what is inferior and what people should buy. We get caught up in high thread count, words and phrases like "sateen cotton", "Egyptian cotton", "warp and weft", and other endless buzzwords that seem to define good vs. undesirable. First, some definitions:

100 Percent Cotton: indicated that the item is manufactured using nothing but cotton, but realize that all fabric has some synthetic material in it to provide strength, especially where seams and detailing occur. Better grades of cotton, which includes longer-staple cotton, are used in fine quality shirts and bedding fabrics (all of our sheet material is longer-staple cotton product). Egyptian cotton, a high quality cotton, has been produced in the Nile River Valley for many centuries. This type of cotton has long been known for its soft luxurious hand (the "hand" of a fabric are the sensory qualities it brings, such as softness, smoothness, weight, fullness, degree of coarseness, etc., when handled) and luster, and is used for apparel and in some cases, bedding. Other types of high quality cotton include Pima, Supima, American Egyptian, and Sea Island cotton. At TopOTheBed.com, all of our pure cotton sheet sets are crafted from 100 percent longer-staple cotton. Cotton/Poly Blend Products Available: If you are looking for a quality sheet manufactured using a cotton and polyester blend you can purchase our 250 Thread Count sheet sets. The weight is substantial, they are great for warmer climates, and you can buy our queen set for an unbelievable $36.50 which includes a flat and fitted sheet and 2 pillow cases, in 4 great colors.
Sateen Cotton: a manufacturing technique using 100 percent cotton, where the fibers are sewn in such a way as to provide a smooth, satiny feel to the material. Satin is cotton manufactured using a similar technique, the end result being an extremely silky smooth, almost velvety kind of feel to the fabric. Warp and Weft: Okay, if someone is telling you to be concerned about warp and weft when buying sheets, you're going overboard..but here's a practical definition: Weaving, an ancient craft, produces fabric or cloth by interlacing threads or yarns on a loom. The warp is the strong set of threads which run lengthwise in the loom. The weft is the yarn or threads carried by the shuttle back and forth across the warp. So weaving a fabric, or a tapestry, is carried out by bringing together, in a symmetrical pattern, a warp and a weft.
Thread Count: We discuss the "mystery of thread count" in various places on our site, TopOTheBed.com . Higher is better, right? 500 thread count is better than 200, Egyptian Cotton is the best, etc. Take it from us, relying on thread count to determine which sheets are the best is not only inaccurate, but it reflects a poor understanding of how sheets should be chosen, or how they are manufactured today. Thread count is, just like it sounds, a method of determining how many threads are woven into a square inch of material. But it has nothing really to do with choosing the right sheet for you. By far, most people are quite comfortable with a good set of 200-400 thread count sheets. They are lightweight, great for "hot sleepers", ventilate well, and have a good "hand", or feel to them. That is, they are not coarse, wear well over time, can be machine washed without being distressed, and provide years of reliable use. If you love satin sheets, buy higher thread count, like 400-600, but don't waste your money on thread counts higher than 800..it's pure overkill. Remember this, the higher the thread count, the greater the weight, and the hotter the sheet!.

If you're going to invest in luxurious sheets, we recommend our 600 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set, complete with fitted and flat sheet, and 2 queen pillow cases, for just $99, shipping included. Again, we believe that thread counts higher than 600 are really overkill, since the material becomes much more dense with higher thread counts, does not breathe as well, and during the summer, can be very hot to sleep under.

Our 400 Thread Count sheets are probably our best buy, with a 6 piece queen set selling for just $79, including fitted and flat sheet, and four pillow cases! You won't find a better buy on a quality sheet at the most popular 400 thread count weight. Another great deal for the money, high thread count, a light, smooth "hand" to the fabric, and for super value, are 200 Thread Count Poly/cotton Sateen sheets, our 250 Ivory Tone on Tone sheets, and our Lace Trimmed 200 Thread Count Sheets, all at amazing prices, up to 75% off retail prices. At TopOTheBed.com, our prices even beat Target, Macy's, and other major retailers consistently.

Deep Fitting Sheets And Getting The Right Fit

All of our sheets have complete product descriptions, including the maximum mattress depth that various sheet sets will comfortably fit. We have made a quick reference list here:

200 Thread Count Up To 18" Deep Mattress
200 Thread Count Lace Up To 14" Deep Mattress
250 Thread Count Tone On Tone Up To 18" Deep Mattress
400 Thread Count Egyptian Up To 18" Deep Mattress
600 Thread Count Egyptian Up To 18" Deep Mattress

Mattress Protectors

Our mattress protector is a product which originated in the medical community. The underside of is coated with a medical grade polyurethane film that is breathable, while at the same time is completely waterproof. Great for protecting expensive mattress investments, for children, and for any incontinence issues. We use them in our homes, just for general protection from drinks, etc, while watching movies in bed! Let's face it, in today's world, it's likely that your bedroom is also your media center, too! Our mattress protectors are crafted from Cotton, polyester, and polyurethane, and are 100 percent stain proof. They fit up to 21" deep beds, and feature a 10 year product and stain warranty. Can be machine washed and dried. We hope you visit TopOTheBed.com, for all of your bed sheet needs!