European Bedding

Buyers of European linens are often confused about European bedding since it is quite different from the bedding found in Europe.

Bedding from Europe can basically be divided into 3 fairly broad categories and use 2 main types of fabric.  We will cover fabric types next.

1. Linen

Before cotton became prevalent in Europe, linen was most often the fabric used for bedding.  Cotton was imported, expensive and often not as durable.  See our guide about Linen (flax) to learn more about this wondrous plant.

Suffice it to say that linen is durable, very strong, and was cultivated all over Europe.  Despite a time-consuming and labor intensive process, most older bedding was linen (if you could afford it, otherwise it was hemp or straw!).

Commonly today if you collect and buy vintage European bedding and linens, you will find linen sheets (both smaller and larger ones), Shams (although not as many as cotton ones) and sometimes, but more rarely, duvet covers (since those generally only became popular far later).

A huge selection of linen items

2. Cotton

Most bedding made in Europe today and since about the 1960s is cotton.  But not just any cotton!  Cottons used for bedding are nearly always a higher thread count than commonly found in the United States, especially for bedding.  Most European sheets, shams and duvets will be at least 350 to 400 thread count.  There are always exceptions but this rule generally holds true.

Thread count has for several years been a buzzword in bedding. Let’s face it, at one point it actually got to be something of a status symbol, a “my sheets have more threads than yours” sort of thing as manufacturers and retailers, in order to sell more sheets, pushed the issue.

The thread count is the number of horizontal and vertical threads on one square inch of fabric.  The method of counting this is different in Europe than in the US, so often when we sell cotton items we can only estimate the count.    Thread count can go fro 70 to over 1,000.  But more does not necessarily mean better.  On the contrary.   Oftentimes, especially for modern sheets, manufacturers will often twist two threads in a way that allows them to call the count double what it really is. 

But according to the National Textile Association, which cites the international standards group ASTM, accepted industry practice is to count each thread as one, even threads spun with two- or three-ply yarn. The Federal Trade Commission agrees and recently issued a warning that consumers “could be deceived or misled” by inflated thread counts.

The quality of the fibers and finish are actually more important to the durability and comfort so all these have to be taken into account, not only the count.  The hand, the way the fabric looks and feels is subjective but a knowledgable seller will be able to distinguish between run of the mill cotton and something truly special. Fine linens begin with fine cotton, and the quality of the cotton depends on the lengths of the individual fibers, or staples—the longer the staple, the better the cotton. Longer staples can be combed finer to remove more small fibers, allowing the cotton to be spun into a finer-textured thread with more tensile strength, and woven into a softer, more lustrous fabric.

So there you have it. While some may tout thread count as the best way to choose bed linens, those in the know, know better.

The quality of the cotton and the way a sheet will feel on your body is what matters most for a good night’s sleep.

A sampling of wonderful European cotton linens