bed linen guide

WHAT IS A THREAD COUNT?
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It is simply a measure of how many threads - warp (lengthwise) and w­eft (widthwise) - are woven into one square inch of fabric. The thread count of standard cotton or muslin is around 150; good-quality sheets start at 180-thread count; and a count of 200 a­nd higher is considered percale.

All Designers Guild printed bedding is on luxury 200 thread count pure cotton percale.

Softness of the sheets depends more on the quality of the fibre, which is why a 200-thread-count fine cotton sheet can have a softer hand or feel than a 400-thread-count she­et that uses an inferior grade of cotton or a twisted thread.­­

Fine linens begin with fine cotton, longer staples of cotton fibre allows the cotton to be spun into a finer-textured thread with more tensile strength, softness and lustre.

WHY IS EGYPTIAN COTTON THE BEST IN THE WORLD?

100% Egyptian cotton is acknowledged as the best quality, longest-staple cotton in the world. Although historically it all came from Egypt, today Egyptian cotton is also produced in other countries. It still complies with the original Egyptian standards of quality, including a 1 1/4- to 2-inch staple, compared, for example, with Pima cottons 7/8-inch staple.

Be aware that the type of cotton presents another area in which labels can be misleading. Look for labels that say 100% or pure Egyptian cotton.

Our White Collection bedlinen collection is made from the finest 300 thread count pure Egyptian cotton.

HOW SHOULD I CARE FOR MY DESIGNERS GUILD BED LINEN?

Washing

• Home laundering at 40 degrees is recommended for all of our linens, except where dry cleaning is indicated.
• Pre-wash all linens before us­e.
• Wash linens separately from items that contain any polyester since polyester pills and sheds its pilling on natural fibres.
• Linens washed in hot water or dried at hot temperatures will incur some shrinkage
• Bedding should be washed in warm water, using a gentle laundering agent, with a final cold rinse. If pre-soaking is necessary, it should be in cold water.
• Unless your linens are extremely soiled, use half the detergent recommended to reduce the fibre damage and to increase the longevity of your linens.

Drying

• Shaking damp linens out before drying (at low heat) will reduce wrinkles and quicken the drying time.
• Line drying linens is ideal but using your dryer with the proper settings will bring about satisfactory results, leaving linens relatively wrinkle-free and soft.

Ironing

• Iron your bed linens while they are still damp. If the piece is embroidered, ironing on the reverse side will prevent damage to the embroidery.

Storing

• Make sure that linens are not exposed to direct sunlight to avoid colour fading.
• Iron your linens before you store them and store linens flat.

GUIDE TO LAUNDRY SYMBOLS

These are the symbols you will find on the sewn-in labels of each item. Please refer to the label before laundering.

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TYPES OF PILLOWCASES