A restful sleep is extremely important. In addition to the mattress and the bedding, the bed linen also has a significant impact on our sleep patterns. But in the jungle of the many different bed linen materials and bed linen designations, various questions arise:
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Which fabric for bedding is the right one for me? Which bedding material is right for me?
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Which bedding is best for winter?
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What is the best summer bedding?
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What should I look out for with bed linen if I am allergic?
We subject the various substances to a fact check and try to shed some light on them. Let's start sorting roughly. We will first focus on the material of the bed linen. Here we distinguish between natural and synthetic fibers .
An overview of the natural fibers:
They include silk, linen and of course cotton.
Cotton bed linen – the versatile one:
Most bed linens are made of cotton - that's not surprising, because the soft natural fiber looks great on our bare skin.
Cotton is a renewable raw material and the cotton plant belongs to the mallow family. The natural fiber is obtained from the white seed hairs of the plant.
Cotton can absorb up to 65 percent of its own weight in moisture. She gradually gives it back. Cotton bed linen is therefore extremely absorbent and breathable and temperature-regulating.
A big advantage of cotton bedding is its robustness and durability. Depending on the version, it can even be washed between 60 and 95 °C.
The high temperature gets in the way of bacteria and mites. They will surely be killed. Cotton is therefore very suitable for allergy sufferers.
Linen Bedding - The Cool Rebirth:
Linen bed linen is currently experiencing a renaissance. Long gone from our bedrooms, linen is now enjoying increasing popularity again.
Linen is obtained from the stalks of the flax plant and is therefore, like cotton, a renewable natural fibre.
It is a very high quality fabric with a silky sheen that is known for its visually beautiful crinkled look.
The material is very robust and durable. Linen is also easy to care for due to its boil-proof properties. It inhibits bacteria and is therefore also suitable for allergy sufferers.
Linen is excellent at regulating temperature. It can absorb moisture very well, but also dries quickly. With its cooling properties, linen is a perfect fabric for summer bedding.
Half linen is about half cotton and half linen. The mixed fabric thus combines the skin-friendliness and absorbency of cotton with the long service life of linen.
Silk bed linen – the noble one:
Silk is not a vegetable but an animal fiber. It is obtained from the cocoons of the silkworm - the larvae of the silk moth.
Since most silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree, it is often called mulberry silk.
Characteristic of the processed silk is its shimmering, smooth and therefore elegant surface.
The fabric is nice and light and absorbs moisture well and dries quickly. The material is very breathable and silk feels very comfortable and soft on the skin.
Another positive property: Silk has a good temperature-regulating effect: warming in winter and cooling in summer. This means that silk bed linen can also be used all year round.
However, the noble material also has its price.
And also be careful with the care, because silk is very sensitive! We recommend hand cleaning or professional dry cleaning. In exceptional cases, you can also wash silk yourself at low temperatures. Please always pay attention to the care instructions on the label!
An overview of the synthetic fibers:
Bedding made from synthetic fibers has meanwhile gained a permanent place among bed linens. The synthetic fibers, also known as synthetic fabrics, include in particular microfibers (e.g. polyester, nylon, acrylic) and viscose.
The material is very thin and this property gives it its name. One speaks of a microfiber when 10 km of the fiber weighs 1 g. They are about half as thick as silk threads
The microfiber is usually artificially produced from petroleum-based raw materials. In contrast , viscose fibers are made from regenerated cellulose. However, because the yarn is manufactured artificially with the help of chemicals, viscose is not considered a natural fiber.
Visually, the microfiber has a slightly shiny effect. In addition, it is easy to care for and does not need to be ironed. Positive properties are breathability, durability and high dimensional stability.
Due to the tight weave, the bed linen is anti-allergenic. Pollen and bacteria cannot settle in the tightly woven fabric. Microfibre bed linen is therefore suitable for allergy sufferers.
Depending on your needs, there are roughened microfiber bed linen for winter and smooth fabrics for summer bed linen.
In addition to the division into natural and synthetic fibers we have made, we now want to take a closer look at the numerous types of fabric and their properties:
Bedding for the summer
Satin bed linen and Mako satin bed linen
Satin bedding was originally woven from silk. Today it mostly consists of mixed fabrics made of synthetic fibers (often nylon and polyester) and cotton.
Mako Satin is the higher-quality satin variant, because predominantly higher-quality cotton yarns are used. In order to obtain the smooth and shiny impression, the cotton is combed, carded and mercerized (treated with caustic soda).
The weaving pattern is characteristic of both fabrics. It is characterized by four threads above and one thread below. One also speaks of the so-called Atlas binding. This weave maximizes the visible threads on the face of the fabric and maintains a pattern in the fabric. It looks more luxurious and elegant and is softer and shinier compared to the more inconspicuous reverse side of the fabric.
The incorporation of the synthetic fibers into satin is for its durability and gives it a smooth and shiny look. Satin is soft and cuddly. He hardly creases. However, precisely because of its synthetic fiber content, satin is less breathable than Mako satin.
The two fabrics also differ in terms of their care properties. Here it is always important to pay attention to the care labels, because while Mako satin is machine washable, the washability of satin depends on the mixture of fabrics. Satin often needs to be dry cleaned or hand washed if necessary.
Satin and Mako Satin feels pleasantly cool on the skin. This makes this type the ideal summer bedding.
Seersucker linens
The term seersucker comes from the Persian " shir o shekar " and means something like milk and sugar.
The light and airy cotton fabric is known for its creped look and has a crumpled or wavy surface effect.
The characteristic crinkled look and crepe effect is created either by embossing the fabric or by a specific weaving process. Different yarns are used in the woven seersucker. In the subsequent washing process, the individual threads of the fabric shrink to different degrees and pull the fabric together. The resulting crepe effect
If seersucker is made of cotton, it has the positive properties of the material. It is absorbent and breathable.
In addition, seersucker bed linen is easy to care for and does not need to be ironed. On the other hand, the fabric snags more easily and is less tear-resistant than other smooth fabrics.
Due to its irregular surface, the fabric is not too tight on the skin and the air can circulate well . This makes seersucker bed linen particularly suitable for summer!
Renforcé bed linen
Renforcé comes from French and means "reinforced". This refers, among other things, to the robustness of the fabric. This goes back to the type of weave on which the renforcé is based, using the so-called plain weave. When weaving cotton fabrics, each horizontal thread (weft) is alternately passed over and under the vertical thread (warp). The result is a smooth and medium-fine fabric.
The fabric feels comfortable on the skin and the cotton content allows for optimal moisture absorption and temperature regulation.
In addition, Renforcé is considered to be particularly hard-wearing and easy to care for. Washable
The smooth fabric is easy to print on and is therefore often popular as bed linen for children. We are happy to recommend Renforcé bed linen for the summer months.
Bedding for the winter
Beaver Linens
The animal of the same name probably had to serve as the name godfather for the bed linen. The beaver's thick fur protects it from cooling down and shares this warming property with the beaver bed linen.
Beaver bed linen consists of dense cotton fabric that has been roughened on one or both sides. This process is called walking. The fabric is mechanically kneaded, pressed and stretched. The material thus becomes fluffier and thicker. The voluminous fabric ensures a fluffy and warm surface.
Thanks to the use of cotton, the beaver fabric remains breathable and temperature-regulating. Beaver is also absorbent, easy to wash (usually up to 60°) and very easy to care for.
Children like the soft fabric because it feels pleasant on the skin.
Due to the strong warming property, beaver bed linen is ideal for cold winter months.
A finer and lighter version is referred to as fine beaver . As a rule, the fabric is only roughened on one side.
Terrycloth linens
The name comes from the French "frotter" and means translated: to rub.
To a large extent, terry cloth bed linen is made of cotton, which is supplemented by a microfiber component. Therefore the material is almost wrinkle-free.
Characteristic are the loops, which result in a larger volume of the fabric and can therefore absorb a relatively large amount of liquid.
Depending on which weaving technique is used, a distinction can be made between terry cloth and terry cloth. With terry toweling, loops are left on both sides of the fabric. The terry cloth is the slightly lighter version of the fabric, because here the loops are only woven on one side of the fabric.
The large volume of the fabric makes the bed linen very soft. It therefore feels very soft and pleasant on the skin. In addition, terry cloth is quick-drying, absorbent and breathable.
Terrycloth is also commonly used to make towels, bathrobes and fitted sheets.
Terrycloth and terrycloth is suitable for people who like it warm and cuddly soft. As bed linen, it is perfect for the cold winter months.
All-season bedding
Jersey linen
It is assumed that the substance originally came from the Channel Island of the same name. The island has been an important exporter of woven goods since the Middle Ages.
Yarns made of viscose or viscose blends, wool or wool blend yarns, cotton or silk are used for jersey bed linen.
The fabric typically has a slight ribbing as it is knitted rather than woven. This gives the material a particularly elastic and soft mesh structure.
Jersey feels very soft and supple on the skin. Jersey bed linen is also non-iron and easy to care for.
Jersey bed linen is suitable for year-round use due to the good climate regulation. The fabric is very breathable and absorbent thanks to the knitting, making it good for hot summer days. On the other hand, the material warms relatively well and is therefore also suitable for the cooler seasons.
Percale Linen
The name percale comes from the Persian, from "pargalah" and means "cloth". What is meant by this is a tightly woven cotton fabric that is produced in a plain weave.
Particularly high-quality, long-fibre cotton is used in the processing of percale bed linen. These can be processed particularly finely.
With this weaving technique, a vertical thread is woven over each horizontal thread, resulting in a particularly strong connection and consequently a hard-wearing and abrasion-resistant fabric.
The material density (measured in thread count) is 200 TC.
What is a Thread Count (TC)?A thread count tells you how many threads there are per inch. An inch is equal to 2.54 cm. Thus, the thread count indicates
Because the cotton fibers are woven very finely, percale bed linen is noticeably soft on the skin.
Due to its processing, percale bed linen is extremely durable. The material is flexible, strong and feels wonderfully smooth. This makes percale bed linen almost non-iron and easy to care for.
Percale bedding is suitable for year-round use due to its good moisture and temperature regulation. The cotton used is extremely breathable and absorbent, making it a favorite for hot summer days. In winter, the warming properties of cotton come into their own and the fabric nestles comfortably against the skin. Therefore, percale can also be used well in the cooler seasons.
A notice:
Surfing Gorilla bed linen is also made of percale (200TC). We only use high-quality organic cotton. This means that our children's bed linen nestles particularly softly and comfortably against children's skin. And that in the best GOTS quality for a carefree and pleasant sleep.
How do I know what material the bedding is made of?
In addition to this pure material distinction between natural and synthetic fibers, it is important to always look at the specific label when buying! Many of the fabrics often consist of mixed fabrics. This means that bed linen regularly contains a not inconsiderable proportion of synthetic fibres. A look at the label or the detailed product description when buying online creates clarity here.How often do I have to change bed linen?
It doesn't matter which bed linen material you choose: bed linen is one of the textiles that we leave on our skin the longest. This puts bed linen under constant stress – an average of eight hours a night and significantly longer for children. It doesn't matter whether it's summer or winter, we sweat at night and lose skin particles and hair. This is an invitation for mites and bacteria.
We therefore recommend that you change and wash your bed linen regularly. How often depends on individual well-being. As a rough rule of thumb: every two weeks in summer and every four weeks in winter when it is cooler.
