A Gentleman’s Guide To Buying Fitted Sheets.

Whatever you do, DO NOT buy microfiber! Those were the words of my aunt when I asked for her advice in replacing the fitted sheet on my bed a few weeks back. Care to guess what type of sheet I came home with?

I’ve always looked after myself for as long as I can remember, even when I was married. Our mom never had us assume gender specific roles when we were growing up, so we all took turns helping in all aspects of running the family home. Laundry, cooking, cleaning the house, doing groceries, etc.. myself, my brother and sisters took turns doing everything on our days off school. However while I was married I never tried to encroach on things my then wife felt she was responsible for, so I never really paid much attention to bedding. This would explain why when it came to buying the replacement fitted sheet, I needed advice.

My upbringing/culture and financial situation bears heavily on many decisions I make, so when I saw the almost 80% cheaper price tag on the microfiber sheet, all advice from my aunt went out to door in a split second. After the very first night I figured out why she was insistent that I get cotton and nothing else. Halfway though the night I was encased like a mummy in the fitted sheets, sweating as if I just ran a 10k and my skin was very itchy and overall very uncomfortable!

If it’s your first time buying bedding especially fitted sheets, here are some things to note/consider…

• Get cotton sheets (I went for Egyptian cotton and a higher thread count)
• Pay attention to thread count
• Stay away from Microfiber – though the price will be tempting
• Cotton Jersey types may work but they will not hold it’s shape and will stretch-out
• Size DOES matter – know the size of your mattress (measure lenght, width and thickness)
• Mattress sizes include: Twin, Twin Extra-Long, Full-Size, Queen, King and California King
• Many newer beds feature pillow-top or extra-deep (thickness) mattresses, which often run 14-16 inches deep (mattress depths include Standard: 7-9 inches , Deep: Up to 15 inches and Extra-Deep: 16-22 inches)
• Polyester + Cotton blends will resist shrinking, however it will feel stiff against your skin

The term “thread count” refers to the number of threads, both horizontal and vertical, woven into a single square inch of fabric. Typically, the higher the thread count the denser and smoother the sheet will feel. But a high thread count alone is not a perfect indicator of a sheet’s quality, as many factors – including the kind of cotton and type of weave – have an impact on a sheet’s softness and durability.

The very next day I was back at the bedding store learning about thread count and the difference between “sateen” and “percale” as I craved a good nights rest! Now if they can only invent a fool-proof way of putting on a fitted sheet, so I didn’t have to wrestle with the queen, pillow top mattress. And how does one fold a fitted sheet when you do laundry?