What's a really good, quality brand for sheets

masraum · 08-15-2013, 09:43 AM

I like comfortable sheets. Over the years, I've tried all types of sheets. These days the thread count wars are on, but that doesn't necessarily mean the sheets are any good.

A while back we (missus and I) got some semi-expensive sheets on sale, I think they were regularly $500-600 for the set and we got them for $300. They were the 800 thread count hotel collection at Macy's. The material felt very thick and substantial. It wasn't stiff and crinkly and almost felt like satin. Unfortunately, after the first washing (wife swears she did cold water and cool dry specifically to not shrink them), the fitted sheet shrank and stopped fitting the mattress well despite being an extra deep that easily fit before the wash/dry. It would blow out the corner seams if you stretched it onto the bed. It also seemed to shrink diagonally across the bed which I think exacerbated the issue.

We'd like another great set of sheets like that, but without the problems. So, I'm looking for recommendations for a specific brand/collection of sheets that is really top notch and will last.

Byron had this interesting post a few years ago. We'd go to the store in the list if it wasn't 1000 miles away, so instead, we are looking for more info so we can find something local. You've got to be able to touch the stuff before you spend a ton on it.

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Originally Posted by Racerbvd

Support fellow Porsche guys..

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Quality Bed Sheets - What Makes Good Quality Bed Sheets Good?
At The Linen Closet, we look for three things when choosing quality bed sheets:

The Cotton
The Thread Count
The Hand

The Cotton - Part one of quality bed sheets
For the cool, soft feel of good qualtiy bed sheets, they must be 100% cotton. Cotton wicks away moisture keeping you comfortable not clammy. The softness you can achieve with high-quality cotton is an addictive luxury your skin will remember. Polyester may wear like iron and never need to be ironed, but your skin knows the difference.

Experts generally classify cottons into four main types with many categories in each type. These classifications are based on appearance and staple length (extra-long, long, medium and short) - the longer the staple, the finer the fabric.

90% of the world’s cotton crop in American Upland cotton. This medium to long fiber cotton is grown in most cotton-producing countries. With fibers 7/8”- 1 -1/4” long, it is not suited for “good” sheets. Egyptian cotton, in contrast, is a long staple variety. It has extra-long and fine silky fibers about 1-1/2” long. Growers in the U.S. have developed Egyptian varieties known as Pima cottons. These are preferable for sheets, both for their silky softness and durability.

The Thread Count - Part two of quality bed sheets
Thread Count is the number of threads per square inch. The higher the thread count, the finer the quality of the sheet. It takes long fibers of cotton to make strong but thin threads, and it takes these silky thin threads to make high thread count fabrics. Burlap would be at the other end of the spectrum, with its fat fuzzy threads that you can count with the naked eye.

The highest count made in the United States is 310, while European sheets can go much higher. “Good Quality” sheets start at about a 200 thread count. Beware of double-ply. Some manufacturers count a double-ply yarn twice in order to up the thread count. A high thread-count sheet, made from a long staple cotton will increase in softness and luster after a number of washings. A “too good to be true” sheet may actually become stiffer. A good test is in the “hand” of the sheet.

The Hand- Part three of quality bed sheets
Cotton variety and thread-count are just indicators of good quality bed sheets, but there are a multitude of other factors that contribute to a sheets quality and feel.

Carding and combing which cleans, straightens and aligns the fibers while removing any short ones.

The type of weave, or more importantly the weaver. Italians are known for being good weavers. -The finish process which can involve water, heat or chemicals to achieve different affects on the fabric. -The Dyeing process used. Fabric can be dyed, yarn-dyed, or be left unbleached and undyed.

All of these factors effect the “hand” or the way the sheet feels to the touch. And how those sheets feel against your skin is the whole point isn’t it?

I have 300 TC organic Sateen sheets that are the entry level that I stck &sell
The next up are 300 TC Bamboo linens
The next up are 400 TC Egyptian Cotten
The highest are 600 TC Egyptian Cotton woven in Italy
The very highest are 1000 TC Egyptian Cotton woven in Italy

James Michael Koss
THE NATURAL MATTRESS STORE/ The Best BACK & SLEEP Store
194 & 198 Tamiami Trail North
Naples, FL 34102
(239)659-4560 showroom & fax
(239)280-9050 direct

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Got some 800 thread count sheets at Bed Bath and Beyond a few years ago that are working out nicely for us. Can't remember what they cost, but it was worth it

widebody911 · widebody911's Garage

My wife bought some "Hotel Life 1600" sheets; they're junk. I think the 1600 is the total number of threads in the set.

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

I don't think "hand" is advertised on the packaging. I agree 800+ Egyptian is a good start. I think around this time Sears has a sale on these sheets. They carry 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, and 1600 count sheets.

Bed Sheets: Get Egyptian Cotton, High Threat Count Sheets at Sears

72doug2,2S · 72doug2,2S's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by widebody911

My wife bought some "Hotel Life 1600" sheets; they're junk. I think the 1600 is the total number of threads in the set.

I think those are polyester. AKA Microfiber.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Macy's has a "Hotel Collection" that are quite good.

Rot 911 · 08-15-2013, 10:15 AM

$300 for sheets? That's just crazy.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Depends on who you're trying to impress...

One of my ex-GF's liked staying over at my place because I had better sheets...

widgeon13 · 08-15-2013, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by widebody911

My wife bought some "Hotel Life 1600" sheets; they're junk. I think the 1600 is the total number of threads in the set.

Hotel sheets are just designed not to retain DNA!

GH85Carrera · GH85Carrera's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rot 911

$300 for sheets? That's just crazy.

Do they come with Spiderman or Superman on the sheets?

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Thread count doesn't mean as much since it became a big marketing point. Some retailers started counting the fibers in the threads a few years ago. They figured they could count each filament in the thread and advertise that since there is no standard. So what was once a 400 or 600 thread count cloth could be called an 800 or 1200 if each thread is made of two filaments.

masraum · 08-15-2013, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

Macy's has a "Hotel Collection" that are quite good.

That was what we bought that shrank and deformed and ended up splitting the seams on the fitted sheet, but otherwise, they were great. I wasn't happy when the missus said that we had to ditch them.

Maybe from now on we should switch to not using a fitted sheet for the bottom. That would certainly eliminate that problem.

motion · 08-15-2013, 11:17 AM

We get ours at Costco. Something like $60 for the set and we're very happy with them. New set every year or two. I went with these for the winter months and love em: Amazon.com: Pinzon Signature 190-Gram Cotton Velvet Flannel Queen Sheet Set, Cream: Home & Kitchen

Scott Douglas · Scott Douglas's Garage

Just looked at the sheets on our bed (they were off for washing today).
I don't like a sheet that feels too slick, ie satiny, I like a little bit of texture to them, not rough, but most people would prefer smoother. Ours are just right IMHO.
The tag says Classics - The Charter Club - Queen Made in China but the reverse side says to wash in warm water. Not sure if we do that, we use cold a lot, but the dryer is definitely on the hot side of warm. The bottom fitted sheet fits real snug but doesn't come off when you uh, horse around on it.
We used to buy our sheets at Macy's or Robinson's-May as my wife used to work there a long time ago. Always went with the 600+ thread count. Don't know what these are thread count wise, but I like the way they feel.

BRPORSCHE · 08-15-2013, 11:26 AM

I am bigtime sheet fan. I take serious pride in my sheets. I keep them clean and have had great success. Here is a fantastic article that I read when I bought my sheets. Buy them off Amazon and you will get a good deal.

From reddit:

OK! Can do! (I like my sheets, and I take a lot of time researching before buying).

"Higher thread count" is usually what makes you go ooooh that's nice let's spend a lot of money on those good quality sheets, right?

And egyptian cotton is a good thing because it means that the threads are woven from longer strands of cotton, which makes the sheets softer and heavenly.

So, egyptian cotton and high thread counts have become buzz words that get people to spend more money on sheets.

But "egyptian cotton" is not a regulated term. The cotton could be egyptian cotton of low (short) quality that's been twined together to create the longer "egyptian" length. This is bull****.

So you should look for packaging that specifies that the cotton is "long staple", because that's what makes sheets soft and snuggle-rific... Short staple woven together to create "long staple" actually makes sheets rough.

So that's thing #1 to look for. Long staple egyptian cotton.

On to thread count! Sneakypants manufacturers falsely "meet the criteria" of a high thread count by:

1: having more than one ply... that means more than one sheet woven on top of another. This creates weight and not the quality of sheets that you would expect for that thread count. Example. You could pay for 900ct sheets, but really be getting three sheets with 300ct woven on top of each other. Good for toilet paper and your ass, bad for creating a cloud like bed.
Lesson: look for the words "single ply". This means you'll actually getting the thread count you pay for.

2 way *******s inflate thread count: they add extra little fibers in the weft (the horizontal threads in the weaving process). These do nothing but enhance thread count. They can actually be kind of itchy.
Lesson: if you see a thread count of over 800, the manufacturer is most likely using one of these ploys (saying Egyptian when it's really short staple, having more than one ply, or inserting fibers in the weft) to increase their "thread count".

TL;DR: I ****ing love sheets. ****ers lie about thread count to make you buy ****ty sheets that won't feel like clouds. Make informed sheet purchasing choices!.

VINMAN · 08-15-2013, 11:34 AM

I couldnt give a sheet...

Personaly, I like jersey sheets. Softer, more comfortable. Tried the Egyptian cotton ones, wasnt thrilled.

.

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

I thought this was about plywood -- Jeez!

rouxroux · 08-15-2013, 11:55 AM

Pepto-Bismol

bmcuscgr94 · bmcuscgr94's Garage

Read this thread and then went back to Random Pictures thread, look at banner ad on top of page - Sale on Sheet Sets from some online store. And I thought Google was the only one tracking me.

VINMAN · 08-15-2013, 12:59 PM

Actually, I think I felt a few CCs of testosterone drain from me when I posted...

Hey, anybody want to talk about bulldozers??

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