There is a lot of talk these days about thread
count, and there is also a lot of misconception as to the relevance of
high thread count to the quality of the cloth. Thread count is only one
measure of the quality of cloth, there are other factors which affect
the quality and feel of sheets but don’t get as much attention.
Cotton:
Many countries in the world grow cotton, however not
all cotton is created equal. Fine linen begins with fine cotton, and
the finest cotton is known as long staple cotton (the staple length is a
measure of the length of the individual cotton fibres). The most common
examples of long staple cotton are Egyptian Cotton and Pima Cotton.
Longer cotton fibres enable the cotton to be spun into finer yarns with
higher tensile strength, which can then be woven into a softer, more
luxurious fabric which will last a long time.
A Good Yarn:
After the raw cotton has been blended and cleaned (a
process known as ‘Ginning’), it is carded to remove the shorter, weaker
fibres. Higher quality cotton is then produced by ‘combing’ the cotton,
which removes more of the short fibres and leaves only the more
refined, stronger fibres which can then be spun into a fine yarn. All
Wallace Cotton sheets are produced from high quality combed cotton.
Thread Count:
Defines the number of warp and weft yarns per 10
square centimetres of cloth. In Europe and America most retailers refer
to thread count per square inch, but in New Zealand and Australia it is
more common to refer to threads per 10 square centimetres. The finer the
yarns used, the more threads that can be woven into 10 sq cm of cloth.
Basically the higher the thread count the softer the feel and the better
the quality.
Thread count for sheeting can range from 140 to 1000 per 10 sq cm,
however most cloth with thread count above 500 utilises what is termed
as a 2 ply weave, where 2 yarns are twisted together before weaving.
This increases the density of the cloth but not the fineness.
Good quality cotton sheets usually have a thread count of 200 plus. Our
range of sheeting starts at a thread count of 250 per 10 square
centimetres.
Sateen or Square Weave:
The type of weave also has an affect on the quality
and feel of the cloth. A Sateen weave has more warp threads on the
surface of the cloth, producing a softer, silkier feel. Sateen weaves
with a thread count of less than 250 often have a tendency to ‘pill’. A
square weave is woven in a more common one over, one under style and
usually results in a crisper feel which has a high resistance to
pilling. The choice between Sateen weave and plain weave is usually a
case of personal preference between the softness of Sateen versus the
crispness of plain weave.
Our Heritage Sheets are all made from the highest quality 300 count
cotton, square weave. Our Empire Sheets are the five star option in our
sheeting range and are made from beautifully soft 750 count cotton
sateen.
Cotton Care
When you buy good quality linen you expect it to be
of a certain standard; however when it comes to towels, caring for them
is just as important as the quality of the towel itself.
If you have ever had the problem of buying new towels and using them,
finding that you and the towel end up wet, or you buy brand new good
quality tea towels and they are useless for drying?
However this is not your fault, caring for your cotton is easy but no-one tells you how to do it.
Wallace cotton is dedicated to not only providing great quality cotton
products but we are focused on educating and informing our customers
about caring for your cotton and what cotton types we use.
Soaking towels and tea-towels
Buying good quality linen and caring for it is the key to your linen living a long life.
When you buy your towels, before you use them, soak them in a tub/bucket
of cold water for a minimum of 24 hours, this swells the cotton fibres
and increases absorbency, then throw them in the washing machine with a
tablespoon of detergent (because they are not dirty). Once this is
completed put them in the dryer on warm and a reduced spin to get rid of
any excess lint.
Your towels will come up absolutely beautiful, they will be rich and super absorbent.
Do the same with your tea-towels and really dry those dishes!
Ironing
Washing and drying linens correctly will help
eliminate creasing and make ironing easier. Natural fibres crease more
when new, but with time the fabric softens and this will reduce. For
best results, iron bed linens and table linens while still slightly
damp, using a steam iron. In the event that linens have become bone-dry,
we advise re-damping with a water spray before ironing. To give a super
crisp finish, use spray starch when ironing. As with a shirt collar,
always iron the corners of pillowcases from the outside inwards to avoid
corner creasing. If the item is embroidered or embellished, iron this
area on the reverse to enhance and protect it. When ironing sheets and
duvet covers, folding them in half lengthways makes them easier to
handle.
Always store your linen in a breathable cotton bag; thats why we love our cotton laundry bags; free with purchase! |
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