Here’s a clear definition of what thread count refers to: 

In countries using the metric system, thread count is the amount of both vertical and horizontal threads in 10 square centimetres (3.16cm x 3.16cm), while in countries using the imperial system it is the amount of threads in 1 square inch (2.54cm x 2.54cm). So, depending on the country of origin the thread count of the same fabric can be different.

Be careful though, as a higher thread count fabric is by no means a better quality fabric. Thread count can give you some indication of the finesse of the weave and density of a fabric. The higher the thread count, the more threads have been woven into a specific area. If these threads are not soft and fine, the result will be a fabric that is hard and unpliable.

Why is ‘thread count’ used so much?

Thread count has become a simple metric used by marketing departments to capture interest and impress with high numbers.  But beware! To keep prices reasonable companies often sacrifice important elements of quality such as the most fundamental quality indicator: the thread itself. 

Focus on thread quality

The initial quality of the raw cotton is always the most important factor for you to consider. No matter how many threads you squeeze into a square inch, bad quality cotton will always remain bad quality.

So, assess all the quality indicators when you’re in the market for new natural bedding. Factors such as the origin and quality, yarn size, weave, finishing and construction are all essential to creating a beautiful finished product. 

Here are 5 boxes to tick when you’re next in the market for new quality bedding: 

1. Go natural: The product should be 100% natural cotton, Egyptian cotton or long staple cotton is a good option as these are known to be superior.
2. No blends: If you are purchasing Egyptian cotton bedding make sure it is 100% Egyptian cotton and not blended with short staple cotton or poly cottons.
3. Look at the weave: It should be even without any knots and inconsistencies. Feel the fabric, is should be smooth to the touch but not feel synthetic.
4. The final product: Check the manufacturing quality and how the product has been packed. Quality products are manufactured and packed with care.
5. Read the washing instructions: Cotton bedding that does not allow for tumble drying is often manufactured from a lower grade cotton.

We wrote an info series on quality bedding. Read them all here.

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Oysters have always denoted luxury and charm. Not only are they a delicacy to enjoy at the table, the oyster is known to turn a grain of sand into a beautiful pearl. It’s this organic pearlescence that’s offered in our new colour palette; a touch of silvery white in the cool morning light turns into a warm glow in the afternoon sun.

Nothing comes close to the feeling of waking up in your own bed (the bed you chose because it has just the right combination of firm to soft), and feeling your equally familiar bedding snuggled around you. Imagine if you could take this feeling with you wherever you travel? With our beautiful, high quality bed linen, we believe you can enjoy this amazing feeling no matter where you rest your head.

“A touch of silvery white in the cool morning light turns into a warm glow in the afternoon sun.”

The Falucca Fine Linen Signature Collection is made using high quality Egyptian Cotton fabric in our Cape Town studio. We check and double check every detail to ensure the final product is not only perfect but long-lasting too, so that you can enjoy your Falucca for years to come.

Here are just a few ways the Oyster palette will elevate your sleep experience and bedroom decor:

African plains

Escape the frenetic energy of the city, and feel as if you’ve been swept off to the wide, open space of the African plains the minute you slip into your bed – beautifully made up in the Falucca Linen Oyster with a single satin stitch detail in Shadow.

The natural tones of the Oyster makes it perfectly suited to being incorporated into an earthy decor look.

Boudoir in Paris

Spend a languid and sensual morning in bed catching up on rest and indulging in the finer things in life. Luxuriate in the satin-like texture of your high quality Egyptian Cotton Oyster bed linen from Falucca Linen and feel truly 20th Century Parisian!

For this look, we chose a double Oxford border in Oyster. It’s an understated yet luxurious detail that offers unfussy elegance. For something a little different, we used Shadow as the first border.

Casual coastal

Let the sound of laughter and waves lapping the beach be the inspiration for your Oyster palette decor direction. Imagine the simple pleasure of cool, natural bedding enveloping sun-kissed skin after a wonderful day spent outdoors. The fresh ocean air and the high quality Egyptian Cotton fabric combine to give you the most outstanding sleep experience.

Love these looks or have a specific style idea for your bed?

Got a few questions? Email Falucca Fine Linen at info@faluccalinen.co.za or call Cherie on 082 548 4703.

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This season, we’ve turned our attention to soft and fresh tones, with the introduction of the Mist colour palette. This colour palette references this  life-giving natural phenomenon, with all its delicate shades of green, white and blue, against the natural landscape.

Available in our Signature Collection fabric, a silky soft, 800 thread count Egyptian cotton fabric, the palette is a classic one that we recommend pairing with floral details in your scatter cushions and throws.

The season’s warm days and blue skies are plenty of inspiration to refresh your bed’s look and feel. There’s really nothing quite as delicious as collapsing onto a beautifully made bed after spending a day soaking up the sun’s rays.

Your Falucca Linen bedding offers far more than just good looks, but also helps to keep your skin breathing and comfortable all through the night.

Natural fibres such as Egyptian cotton and Flax linen offer gentle textural experiences and also help to regulate your body’s temperature, making them ideal materials to sleep in all through the year. Read: How great quality bedding improves sleep.

View the collection over at our online store or get in touch with us at sales@faluccalinen.co.za

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#1 Read the packaging

Make sure you read all the information on the packaging, not just the parts the marketers put in bold. Look out for information about the following things:

Fibre

Cotton-polyester blend sheets are wrinkle-resistant, durable, and relatively inexpensive. They are, however, not the best option for comfort. If you’re looking for that cool, soft feel, nothing beats 100 percent cotton. You’ll hardly ever wake up clammy on cotton sheets since the fibre wicks moisture away from your skin. And perhaps lesser known is the fact that cotton sheets are less likely to stain than polyester blends. As a water-loving fibre, cotton releases dirt easily when wet.

All types of cotton share these wonderful traits, but long-staple cotton (like Egyptian Cotton), makes for a noticeably softer sheet, and the surface won’t pill and lint like one woven from shorter fibres. It’s also worth noting that Egyptian Cotton is the most readily available long fibre cotton in South Africa.

Weave

The weave affects the way a sheet feels, the way it looks, its longevity and its price. Basic plain weaves, which are woven from an equal number of vertical and horizontal yarns, are least expensive and may not rate a mention on the label. Percale is an upscale plain weave with a thread count of 180 or higher and is known for its longevity and crisp feel. Sateen weaves have more vertical than horizontal yarns. The higher proportion of vertical threads results in an extremely soft fabric which is why luxury sheets are often woven using a sateen weave.

Thread count

It’s not just about thread count. High thread counts can certainly make for better sheets, but it’s the thread (or fibre) itself that matters most. In fact, a sheet of a better quality fibre with a lower thread count will feel softer and stand up to washing better than a sheet of a lower-quality fibre with a higher thread count.

Dye

Patterns and colours are usually applied to sheets after they’re woven, which means the sheets may feel stiff until you’ve washed them a few times. The softest (and most expensive) are made of yarn-dyed fabrics, woven from already coloured yarns. When the colour is applied makes very little difference to the quality of the product and after a few washes, the only difference will be the cost.

Read on to find out a few practical ways to ensure you buy great quality cotton bedding.

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Thread count refers to the number of single ply threads both in the vertical and horizontal direction in a specified area (3.16cm2). Most cotton fabrics will start at 150 single ply.

Many people confuse the term “percale” with thread count, but percale is a method of weaving the fabric. Typically, a percale fabric has a thread count of 200 to 250. Percale therefore refers to a weave and is not a special kind of cotton. The same goes for sateen weave – this is a weave that helps to achieve a satin-like smoothness to the fabric.

While bedding fabrics are available with thread counts of up to 1000, anything in excess of 800 single ply threads can be too heavy and dense to be comfortable.

The thread count is also affected by the ply of the threads used. The ply refers to how many threads are wrapped together to form a single thread. Single ply fabrics use threads on their own and in cottons with short fibres, two threads are often twisted together to form a two-ply thread. While this doubles the thread count of the fabric it results in a heavier yet weaker fabric.

Egyptian Cotton is a longer, stronger single ply thread that when woven into a fabric, becomes lighter, yet more durable.

Here’s why you should choose Egyptian Cotton for your bedding.

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The Egyptian cotton fabric used in our range of bed linen is specifically woven for Falucca Linen Company and is tested for quality and strength prior to manufacture.

What is Egyptian Cotton?

Gossypium Barbadense.— The fine, long, silky fibres of commerce are all derived from this species. It is indigenous to a group of the West Indian Islands named the Lesser Antilles. It gets its name from Barbados, one of the West Indies. At the present time it is cultivated throughout the Southern States of North America which border on the sea, in most of the West Indian Islands, Central America, Western Africa lying between the tropics, Bourbon, Egypt, Australia, and the East Indies. There is no doubt that the plant comes to its highest and most perfect state of cultivation when it is planted near the sea.

“It may be cultivated in any region adapted to the olive and near the sea, the principal requisite being a hot and humid atmosphere, but the results of acclimatization indicate that the humid atmosphere is not entirely necessary if irrigation be employed, as this species is undoubtedly grown extensively in Egypt.”

The height of this species varies from 3 to 4 feet if cultivated as an annual, and from 6 to 8 feet if allowed to grow as a perennial. When in full leaf and flower, it is a most graceful-looking plant. Yarns having the finest counts, as they are called, are all spun from Sea Islands, which belongs to this class. When we are told that a single pound of this cotton is often spun into a thread about 160 miles long we can see that it must be exceedingly good and strong cotton to do this.

Extract taken from : Project Gutenberg’s “The Story of the Cotton Plant” by Frederick Wilkinson

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