WHAT’S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT COTTON BEDDING?

These days we see many mixed material products and yet we seldom stop to think when a particular material is best. Ask a lady why she wears cotton underwear and she is likely to say because it is healthy and, of course, she is right because cotton is a natural product, is hypoallergenic, and allows the body to breathe. Whilst cotton knickers may be seen as the safe but boring option, cotton bedding is not. In fact, it is universally accepted as the right material for sleeping within for the same reasons as underwear – it allows the body (and for that matter the bed) to breathe.

So having accepted that cotton is the best bedding how do you decide which cotton is best for you and your family? Is it just a question of cost or are there other factors to consider? Not all cotton is the same and one of the most common descriptions you will hear is ‘Egyptian’ cotton. It is true that cotton grown on the loamy soils near the River Nile is particularly good but these days the term Egyptian Cotton represents the type of cotton, not where it is grown. What makes this cotton superior is its long-staple that results in a finer, smoother more consistent finish.

An article written in the USA on superiorthreads.com goes as far as saying that a 200 thread Egyptian cotton product is superior to an 800 thread product from the best American cotton!

That brings us nicely onto thread count. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of material. So you can imagine that 200 threads in an inch of material (which happens to be the lowest count of any King of Cotton bedding) means the material is pretty dense and of good quality. 200 thread count is more than okay for average family usage and you would only need to consider higher thread counts for extra luxury or for heavier usage such as in commercial situations.

Another question often asked is Percale or Sateen. This is more about personal choice with Percale being a more consistent thread resulting in a ‘crisper’ finish and Sateen being from a more irregular thread creating a softer result. And that term ‘crisp’ is an interesting one when it comes to bedding conjuring up an impression of cool freshness which people consider healthier. Certainly, the higher thread count bedding will remain ‘crisper’ for more washes. Washing bedding is important as beds do harbour a few things like bed bugs, dead skin, and worse that need to be discouraged and dispensed with. We recommend bedding should be washed every week. If you have any questions on what bedding to buy call King of Cotton on 0208 332 7999.