Not all sheets are created equal, so before you take out a second mortgage for 400 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets at $500 a pop (do the math, that’s $1.25 per thread), stick with me and you won’t be sent to the cleaners at your next white sale. Let's hit the sheets with this quick glossary of terms:
THREAD COUNT: Simply put, this is the number of threads per square inch. Hold the sheet up to the light, if you can see through the fabric and make out the actual weave, you’ve got a low thread count on your hands. The higher the thread count (or tc), the softer and more lustrous the fabric, and the more durable and less prone to shrinkage.
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COMBED COTTON: A cleaning process that eliminates impurities and short, less desirable fibers.
MUSLIN: Considered to be low end of the cotton spectrum, you may want to steer clear of these, as they tend to be one rough and tough sheet. They are generally used in children’s character theme bedding. TC counts here range from 128-140.
PERCALE: A smooth, flat, closely woven and combed fabric that comes in 100% cotton or 50/50 cotton/poly blends. Finer than muslin, expect TC’s here to range from 180-200.
PIMA or SUPIMA: A high quality cotton whose long fiber staple is somewhat similar to that of Egyptian cotton. The differences are geographical only. Pima is grown in the southwestern part of the U.S. and Egyptian is grown along the Nile River. Supima is made from extra-long staple Pima. The soft hand feel of Pima and Supima make them very desirable in bedding. Expect to find TC’s here from 200-300.
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EGYPTIAN COTTON: This is the cotton queen of the Nile. Grown alongside the river, this quintessential cotton owes its superior durability, luster, and silky hand feel to its extra long fiber staple. TC counts range from 200-400.
Don't get fleeced -- what you need to know:
Rest assured knowing that a $1500 designer sheet made out of Pima cotton with a thread count of 300 is no different than a non-designer 300 TC Pima sheet for $150. So don’t be afraid to buy private label once you know the facts.
Save big bucks by buying American. Import duties and other fees can quadruple the price of imported white goods. And, stretch your dollars by making your sheets last longer. According to Elizabeth Hough of Cotton, Inc., rotating your sheets once a week should keep your sheets looking and feeling great for a good 10-15 years.
Where the deals are:
- The Domestic Bin, www.domesticbin.com
Wamsutta, Supercale 200 TC, twin sheets on sale here for $5.99, reg. $9.99. Best bed sets: Dan River’s ‘Snow Leopard’ bed in a bag, which includes: comforter, bed ruffle, top sheet, bottom sheet and pillowcases (180TC), $79, reg. $130. Getting down with down: they've got a comforter by Aurora in Egyptian cotton, with a 330 TC, for $120, reg.$250, here only $120. Other manufacturers to look at for: Croscill, Fieldcrest, Martex and Crown Crafts at 20%-40% off department store prices. - Linen Place, www.linenplace.com
Here’s one of those private label resources we recommended. Find TC’s of 300 that sell for $300 at your local department store here for $100! Comforters, quilts, bath towels, matelasse coverlets, Egyptian cotton towels and more are made exclusively for the Linen Place, which saves you big bucks. - Bluefly, www.bluefly.com
Click on Bluefly House for tremendous savings on designer linen and bedding. Find: Ralph Lauren/Polo; Nautica, Designers Guild, Nancy Koltes, Dransfield & Ross and more at up to 70% off retail prices. Best bet here: a Nautica ( Tides Collection) comforter ensemble including comforter, bedskirt, and 2 shams for $187 that retails for $520.
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For additional assistance finding discount white goods, try one of the many shop bots (shopping robots) that offer price comparisons throughout the web. My Simon tends to deliver the goods, however, make sure to scroll all the way through as the best deals aren’t necessarily at the beginning.
