Bed Linens

Tips on purchasing the right bedding.

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Filed under: Fabrics

Silk is wonderfully smooth and very luxurious to sleep in. A common misconception is that silk sheets are hot, but they're quite nice for year-round use.

Jessica Zach shows some fabulous sheets that would make any bed cozy. From traditional sheets to luxury linens, Zach shares tips on thread count, care and what to look for before making a bedding purchase:

The most popular and traditional fabric for sheets is cotton, but linen and silk are also popular and very luxurious.
Thread count is important because it refers to how many threads there are per square inch of fabric (it can range from 200 to 1020). The higher the thread count, the softer the sheet will be. Cotton is actually the only fabric where this is a consideration.
Egyptian cotton is considered to be the best cotton available because it has the longest fiber of any kind of cotton and it's the strongest.

100-percent Italian wood fiber sheets made from wood pulp that's spun into thread are even softer than a lot of cotton sheets.

When caring for any kind of fine linen, machine wash them but use very low temperatures, mild detergents without brighteners or bleaches, and dry them on low heat being sure to remove them before they're completely dry to avoid wrinkles (higher thread count sheets tend to wrinkle). For linens to look as beautiful as they deserve to look, iron them.

Let your fingers do the shopping when choosing sheets. You'll be able to tell right away what you like, what feels good to you and what you want to sleep in.

Finally, keep the thickness of your mattress in mind when shopping to ensure the right fit.