Bedding 101: A Glossary of Bedding Terms

• 100% cotton
  Cotton remains by far the most popular material for bed sheets, and 100% cotton is as soft, comfortable, and breathable as sheets get. Some people prefer cotton blends because the cotton-polyester combination makes sheets nearly wrinkle free. But with wrinkle resistant, 100% cotton sheets now available, we think there's no comparison.
• Egyptian cotton
  Sheets made from Egyptian cotton feature longer fibers and finer spinning, yielding a much more luxurious and silky smooth product.
• Flannel
  Flannel sheets offer a fluffy appearance, coziness, and comfort. Flannel sheets are warmer than other cottons and a good choice for winter sleeping.
• Linen
  Linen is a sheet material woven from flax. It is stronger and more lustrous than cotton, cool, durable, and absorbent. Linen is one of the most expensive sheet materials, but its durability and high quality still make it an economical choice for smart consumers.
• Percale
  Percale refers to sheets with a thread count above 180. Percale can be made from 100% cotton or a cotton-polyester blend, but any percale will be closely woven and fine combed, meaning percale sheets are quality sheets.
• Sateen
  Sateen is a satin-like cotton that is extra soft and lustrous because of its high thread count and thicker weave. Sateen is heavier than satin and will wrinkle more than other cotton sheets such as percale.
• Silk
  Silk is a natural fiber used by silkworms to construct their cocoons. Silk has been valued throughout history for its strength, softness, luster, and beauty. Silk sheets are expensive, durable, and incredibly comfortable.
• Supima
  Supima is a cotton manufactured in the southwestern U.S. that is comparable to Egyptian cotton. Supima has a very long fiber that provides a smoother feel than most types of cotton.

Comforter and Duvet Construction Terms

• Baffle
  A baffle is an extra fabric wall sewn inside the shell of a comforter. Baffles are used in heavier, high quality comforters. By trapping the air and feathers inside, a baffle gives a comforter more loft and added warmth.
• Box stitch
  A box stitch creates a crisscross or checkerboard pattern on a duvet or comforter. A box stitch comforter is a good choice for people who get cold during the night because the boxes keep down from moving to the bottom of the duvet.
• Channel stitch
  Channel stitch, aka karo stitch, is the term for rows stitched along the length of a comforter or duvet. A channel stitch prevents comforters from being too warm or heavy during the night because as you move, down shifts through the channels created by the channel stitch and off your body.
• Fill
  The heat retention of duvets and comforters is signified by a measure known as fill power. The higher the fill power, the warmer the comforter will be. Thinner duvets and comforters have a fill power of about 500. Fill weight is another duvet and comforter term you might hear. This refers to the amount of down inside, usually around 50 ounces.
• Loft
  Loft is the bedding industry term for how fluffy a comforter or duvet is. Unlike fill counts, there is no numeric measurement associated with loft. Comforters with greater loft will most often have a baffle and a high thread count.