The material you choose for your mattress cover, duvet cover, and pillowcases has a direct impact on how you sleep. Given that you spend around a third of the day in bed, it’s only logical to go for material that adds comfort to your bed.
Fortunately, when shopping for bedding sets, UK stores stock a variety of fabrics. Here, we’ll discuss the most popular bedding materials.
Common Bedding Set Fabrics UK Stores Sell
The different bedding fabrics differ in softness, breathability, and durability. In addition, each has unique care and maintenance demands. Let’s have a closer look at each one.
Cotton Bedding Sets
Cotton remains a popular choice in bedding, thanks to its softness. Furthermore, it’s breathable, preventing heat from accumulating between your body and the fabric. This is helpful in regions with warm climates. In cold weather, however, closely knit cotton fibre traps air, creating a layer of insulation. As such, you can use cotton in any weather.
Bedding with 100% cotton offers the best level of softness. But if you want a premium option, you can consider Pima or Egyptian cotton. Both consist of long-staple fibre that produces softer and stronger yarns. However, these two options tend to be more expensive.
Though cotton is an excellent choice for a comfy bed, it’s prone to wrinkling. As a result, it requires frequent ironing and proper folding. It’s also not uncommon for cotton bedding to shrink after washing. For that reason, it’s advisable to choose a slightly larger set so as not to affect the fitting.
Linen Bedding Sets
Linen is a natural fibre made from flax plant stems. Typically, the thickness and length of flax fibres in linen are greater than that of cotton. Moreover, linen fibre is woven tightly, making it three times stronger and more durable than cotton.
Although linen is naturally soft, it gets softer with continued use and without losing strength. It also has breathable and insulating properties, making it ideal for cold and warm weather alike. Better still, it’s less likely to cause allergic reactions, making it suitable if you have sensitive skin. Belgian flax and French flax produce premium linen options.
Like cotton, linen fabric wrinkles easily. However, linen bedding has a crinkled and casual look. Should you prefer to iron your set, do so when it’s still damp.
Silk Bedding Sets
Silk bedding has a natural lustre or sheen that gives it a sophisticated appearance. Better still, silk has a soft and smooth feel on the skin. Due to its breathable and temperature-regulating properties, you can use silk throughout the year.
Unlike cotton and linen, silk naturally tends to resist wrinkles, helping you maintain a pristine look effortlessly. Although silk appears delicate, it’s durable with proper care and maintenance. Speaking of maintenance, it might be more demanding than other fabrics.
For instance, because of its delicate fibres, it’s preferable to hand wash it. In addition, since it’s mostly dyed to achieve its vibrant colour, it’s safe to avoid harsh detergents. Finally, silk is prone to shrinking. As such, you should stick to cold water when washing it.
Polyester Bedding Sets
The popularity of polyester has significantly decreased over the years. Nonetheless, it’s still a common material in bedding. It’s made of synthetic fibre. But because synthetic fibre is hard and not breathable, it’s usually blended with natural fibre to make it more comfortable.
What’s appealing about polyester bedding sets is that they are more affordable compared to other options. In addition, they are less resistant to wrinkles, which means less ironing. Plus, they dry faster, making them suitable when you have to reuse bedding frequently. Lastly, unlike natural fibre, synthetic fibre is more resistant to dust mites, which cause respiratory discomfort.
Flannel Bedding Sets
Flannel bedding sets stand out from the others with their loosely woven fibres. These fibres can be from cotton, wool, or synthetic materials such as polyester. The fibres are knit together using a style called “napping,” which gives flannel its velvety texture.
For many people, flannel is the preferred choice of bedding during winter since it’s generally warmer than regular bedding. It has loose fibres that trap air and provide insulation. Yet, despite this luxurious warmth, flannel also has breathable features that prevent you from overheating. It is also a low-priced bedding set, making it a good alternative to some cotton or silk sets.
Choose the Best Bedding Material
When it comes to your bed, you shouldn’t compromise on comfort. If you’re wondering where to find quality bedding sets, UK stores that sell cushions, curtains, and fabrics are great places to start your search.
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