We Sheet you not!
Which sheet beats the rest? We are debating the merits of bedding this week and we will be judging on sustainability, luxury and looks.
First off: Lets get the guilt out of the way.
You might be sleeping on “dirty” bedsheets…Your bed might be your safe space, but are you sure its as clean as you think it is?
We are not talking about dirty laundry, even though you should double check that as well. (Most experts agree that linen should be changed once a week.)
We are talking about the environmental impact of what you sleep on.
Historically, cotton has been the go-to textile for bedding for more than a century. Before cotton, bed linen was made from, well, linen, a textile tediously woven from the fibres of the flax plant.
With the invention of the cotton gin as well as the large scale cotton producing plantations who made use of slave labour, cotton soon became the norm. This was because of its widespread availability, versatility and it’s affordability.
Growing and processing cotton, however, is an extremely water intensive process. This means that as commonplace as cotton is, it’s not necessarily the most sustainable textile.
When it comes to the best sheets for the environment there are a number of new textiles worth a try.
Tencel, Lyocell, Modal & Refibra are all much more ecologically sound than traditional cotton bedding. While the technology of making these textiles has not yet been able to recreate the luxury of the very best high thread count cotton bedding, they are by no means uncomfortable, and you can rest assured (pun intended) that you are doing your part for the environment.
Make your bed your throne.
Let’s say money is no object…what would be the most luxurious bedlinens you could possibly sleep on?
You might have heard talk of “Thread Count”. But what does that mean?
Thread count refers to the number of threads across the length and breadth of the sheet, but this alone does not necessarily indicate quality. High thread count sheets made from inferior, thin threads will mean that your sheets are prone to tearing and will not withstand multiple washes. A lower thread count of thicker or heavier threads can give you a much better-quality sheet.
Another important factor is the weave. The most common weaves are plain, percale and sateen. The weaves influence the look of the sheet, with sateen being the smoothest, shiniest sheets of all. And percale being thicker, more durable sheets.
Sateen sheets are best for people with sensitive skins, and they drape beautifully, but could be prone to snagging. Percale sheets on the other hand are described as crisp and smooth with a heavier feel than Sateen, while still maintaining a soft touch. 100%Cotton Percale wrinkles easily and does need to be ironed, while a 50/50% blend of cotton and polyester helps you skips that step. (Most hotel bedsheets are a blend of cotton and polyester percale.)
What’s the difference between percale and sateen?
As for look – well that all depends on your personal style.
While crisp white sheets and bedding are classic and elegant, many people shy away from it because they think its difficult to keep white bedlinen clean. Another issue with pure white bedding is the fact that not only does it take a lot of chemicals to bleach the textiles to start with, add on to that the fact that white bedlinen might need more cleaning products to keep it white and its obvious that there are other, more laid back sustainable options.
Natural dies that use less water and deal well with stains and spills are in vogue right now.
It’s a bonus that these hues all have wonderfully romantic names like summer dawn or olive grove or tranquil blush…what could be better than finding a tranquil blush in an olive grove on a summer dawn?
So let’s recap
The perfect sheet would be something that feels like sateen, looks like crisp white cotton, lasts like a durable percale blend and impacts the environment as little as one of the new artificial textiles.