Forgotten Cotton News & Announcements

What bed sheets are best?

May 29, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

It would be lovely to have cupboards full of the finest Egyptian Cotton or Pima Cotton bed linen with high thread counts and silky smooth finishes but this may not be within everyone’s budget. When buying pure cotton bed linen, my recommendation is to use a retailer with a reliable reputation. This usually means you will get value for what you pay for.

Go as expensive as your budget will allow. Do try to stay away from the very bottom of the price range as the bedding may prove to be of a very light fabric or prone to flaws and could disappoint. If it looks too good to be true it probably is. If you can afford it, buy a percale but remember a percale sheet or bedding can be a polycotton mix or 100% cotton so always check your labels. Pure cotton will be cooler than polycotton to sleep in and would be my preference.

It would be lovely to have cupboards full of the finest Egyptian Cotton or Pima Cotton bed linen with high thread counts and very fine finishes. However, I am not sure how realistic it is, for the average family home, to have top of the range Egyptian Cotton, for every bed in the house. With three to four beds at least in most houses and three changes a bed, it all adds up.

But all is not lost. There are good quality cotton duvet covers and sheets to be bought at very affordable prices which will give years of comfort and pleasure . The bonus is you will be less emotionally disturbed when the dog comes in from rolling in wet mud and makes straight for your bed, if you have not spent €500 on the bed covers!

So consider the Forgotten Cotton range of duvet covers. They will give you the comfort and durability of 100% cotton at a price that competes well with the synthetic ranges. Originally designed for the holiday home market it will wash time and time again.

Does thread count matter when buying bed linen?

May 28, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

Not as much as you think! When I first started out in the bed linen business, sales representatives referred to cotton bed sheets and duvet covers as five year and ten year cotton. This referred to the life expectancy of the different qualities. Both qualities were still classed as regular cotton. In fact even the five year cotton that they were selling at the time, I still use now over thirty years later so perhaps they were selling themselves and their product a little short. However the ten year cotton sheets did have that extra bit of body in it and a better finish, and I will still reach for those sheets unless I’m stuck. The five year quality had a light quality about them that I never really liked. I only bought them at the time to check the quality out and see what the sales people were talking about The five year quality never made it to the shop shelf.

A lot of suppliers will tell you that the quality of the cotton thread and the quality of the weave would be of more concern than the thread count. Also some people like a sturdy sheet and others are into the light silky sheets. For those with sensitive skin and particularly those with allergies, softness and pliability might be what works best, so check out the feel of what you have at home and decide on your favorite type of cotton for your sheets and duvet covers.

Are high thread count sheets worth it?

May 27, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

In theory the greater the number of threads per square inch the better the fabric. However this has become a bit of a marketing tool also. Originally the standard of a 180 thread count was rated as a percale and considered a “very good” quality cotton bedding for durability, and superior to regular cotton bedding. Now one now regularly sees 300 thread counts and 500 and 600 thread counts as a norm. Some companies will quote 1000 or 1200 thread counts in their products.

Thread counts can be a good guideline but it’s not the full story of the quality of cotton and the numbers can be manipulated. Also ensure when comparing sheet sets on the basis of thread count, that you are comparing like with like. Some manufacturers use threads per inch but some may use threads per square centimetre which is a larger piece of fabric so the same consistency will appear to have more threads. An example of this is shown in the picture of this blog

What thread count do you need for good sheets?

May 26, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

Anything over 180 thread count is considered a superior weave and should give years of wear assuming the cotton thread used is a reasonable quality cotton. The term percale refers to a closely woven fabric with a thread count of 180 or greater using a good quality cotton. A percale sheet should be smoother and more durable than regular cotton sheets. I would always recommend a percale for the bottom sheet if it is within your budget as this takes the most wear. Remember the percale label is used for polycotton duvet covers and bed sheets as well as cotton duvet covers and bed sheets.

percale cotton on left versus regular cotton on right — percale cotton on left versus some regular cotton on right

In this photograph I have put a percale sheet, which is a 200 thread count, on the left and a regular cotton pillowcase on the right. Both have been in use in my own house for in excess of five years, (and probably a lot longer) so they will have been through the wash many times which means the threads will now have “fluffed out”. If you look closely you will see the difference in the weave. There are about fifty or sixty threads per square inch more in the percale. The percale is using a finer thread so more threads will fit in a square inch. The percale has a crisper feel to it whereas in the regular cotton on the right, the cotton is much softer and pliable, though it may not look it up close. In case anyone is wondering, the colour difference is nothing to do with the quality of the cotton. They just happen to be from two totally different suppliers and batches. If it was paint I was talking about, I would probably describe the regular cotton as a soft white or winters white or some such colour.

The blue duvet cover set: bringing the summer sky into your bedroom

May 25, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

There is nothing more pleasant than to see the lengthening of the days and blue skies herald the beginning of spring and summer. Often referred to as “the stretch in the evenings” it marks the beginning of warmer days. The Forgotten Cotton blue and white check duvet cover set is called Summer Sky Blue, as a reminder of the pale blue skies with white puffs of clouds on those dazzling summer days. The 100% cotton duvet cover is soft to touch and cool for sleeping on those hot summer days.

Yellow Duvet Sets, the Guest room and Gender Neutral Colours

May 24, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

Yellow Check Duvet Cover — Yellow and white check duvet set with white cotton sheets

Why choose a yellow duvet cover? It is often useful to have a set of bed linen kept aside for the unexpected guest or guests. A yellow duvet set is great in that it is a gender neutral colour, well in Ireland anyway. Using a neutral check pattern like the yellow check bedding used here in the picture keeps it age neutral as well but still gives a little interest to the dressed bed. Then, it does not matter who turns up on your doorstep to stay, you will have suitable bed linen ready. I have put the Forgotten Cotton yellow and white check double duvet cover set in the picture with white cotton sheets and pillowcases to give a fresh cheerful appearance which would make any guest feel welcome. White bed linen is another great neutral colour which always looks great. It is easy to purchase in a variety of qualities and thread counts from the inexpensive to the luxury end of the market.

Thread counts in bedlinen explained

May 23, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

What does thread count mean in bed sheets?

Most people have a vague idea that thread count matters when buying bed linen. Equally some people may be unsure exactly why. Put simply, thread count is a term used for the total number of threads that make up any woven piece of fabric. The thread count in bed linen usually refers to the total number of warp and weft threads woven together in either a square inch or in 10 cm squared of fabric. The vertical threads are called the warp and the horizontal threads are called the weft.

The pink duvet cover and holiday homes.

May 22, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

The warmth of the pink and white check duvet cover is eye catching and cheerful for the summer. The coolness of 100% cotton makes it a great choice for the summer holiday homes. You don’t have to be a princess to use a pink duvet cover but it may help if staking a claim on a bed to have your colours in place. If you are experiencing very hot weather you could just not bother with a duvet and use the cover as a bedspread on its own with bed sheets. The king and super-king sizes would work as bedspreads for the double and king size beds used in Ireland and the UK.

The pale blue duvet cover for the modern apartment

April 21, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

button closing detail on duvet cover — Button closing detail at bottom of duvet cover

There are many shades of blue and each one will give a different atmosphere to a room. Generally, a blue duvet set is a good complement to the chrome or brushed steel effect in a modern interior. It also contrasts well with white painted furniture or natural wood furniture. By using a lighter shade of blue, one can keep the ambiance of the crisp clean lines, but the room will be brighter. With the Forgotten Cotton blue and white check duvet cover set, available in single, double, king or super king size, you have a good set of quality bed linen that is durable and timeless. Small details like a button closing duvet cover opening and oxford pillowcases add to the stylish finish.

The Pink Duvet Cover: a backing fabric for patchwork quilts.

March 28, 2020 by Forgotten Cotton

The fresh botanical pink duvet cover comes in a full range of sizes right up to super king. This means that it does not have to be restricted to little princesses. One of the interesting things about the super king duvet cover is the measurements of 102” x 86”. This means that if you like to make patchwork quilts, and are looking for 100% cotton backing for your quilts, this may suit you. The measurement of 86” x 102” is often used as a full size bedspread for a double bed. Both sides of the duvet covers have the same pink and white check pattern so you may even get enough backing for two quilts depending on your quilt size.

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