Threads That Count

By OCinSite At-Large | June 22, 2011 11:02 AM

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By Kelsi Maree Borland | Photos by Jody Tiongco | Newport Beach Magazine, June 2011

Quality linens breathe energy into a room and reflect the personality of those living inside it. As important as linens are to a home, making the perfect choices can prove difficult. To ease the purchasing process, we spoke to Newport Beach’s linen experts and found the secrets behind the best quality linens.

Creating Quality
When it comes to choosing the perfect linens, comfort and quality trump just about everything else. Alison Newman, a representative for Frette in South Coast Plaza, explains that the quality of the raw material, fibers and finishing, and the mercerization process are the essential elements of comfortable and quality bedding. To detect quality, Allison recommends trusting your sense of touch. “A customer can simply run their hand over the fabric and trust that if the fabric feels nice against the skin, they are experiencing a quality fabric,” she comments.

Paul Marx, co-owner of Between the Sheets in Fashion Island and a former textile technician, agrees that one of the elements of quality lies in the fabric, but explains that labels can be deceiving. “There are 26 grades of Egyptian cotton,” says Paul, “and if you aren’t using the highest grade, the quality isn’t there.” The grade of cotton is determined by the yarn quality and the weave, and the highest-grade cottons have long, fine fibers that are tightly spun together, creating a very strong and long lasting cotton fabric.

Frette

Of course, bedding isn’t the only home linen where quality is important. Bathroom linens also require that elegant, soft-to-the-touch feel; something Alison explains is achieved within the quality of the terry. “It needs to be the perfect recipe of loop length, density and absorbency, and the cotton needs to be soft and excellent quality,” she says.

Fabric Options
Although Egyptian cotton labels can be misleading, it remains the No. 1 choice for most quality-bedding manufacturers. “Frette always uses the highest quality Egyptian cotton,” Alison says, who also notes that all of Frette’s linens are made in Italy to ensure quality. Between the Sheets follows suit, using Egyptian cotton from Giza, Egypt for their exclusive bedding line that is produced at private weaving mills throughout Europe.

Egyptian cotton is the leading choice for bed linens because it is comprised of long, continuous fibers that can be spun together to create the yarn used during weaving, explains Ohara Davies-Gaetano, the head of design at Bliss Home and Design in Newport Beach. “Egyptian cotton from the heart of the Nile River Valley is by far the best source for long staple cotton,” she says. “The best sheets, in my opinion, are Talia or Legna by SDH, which are both available in our showroom.” 

For customers looking for quality natural linens, Juxtaposition Home in Newport Coast carries a wide selection of natural and environmentally friendly textiles. “Hands down, we only carry Belgian linen, which is woven in Belgium and made of at least 85 percent natural vegetable flax fibers of European origin,” says Michele Graham, the store’s buyer. Juxtaposition Home’s bedding line is made from 100 percent Belgian linen, which Michele explains “is the finest linen in the world, and made to last a lifetime.”
The Thread Count Debate
Any discussion of quality bed linens always seems to spark a debate over the importance of thread count. “Frette does not like to tout thread count as the arbitrator of quality,” Alison says. At Frette, the quality and manufacturing process of the cotton is considered the most essential element of quality. “High thread count seems to be an American trend,” she comments. “Manufacturers often twist two threads in a way that lets them double the sheet thread count, which is false advertising.”

Paul and Ohara both agree that the base fabric is vital to the quality of bedding, but they also contend that thread count is an important factor, too. “If the base fiber is not the best quality, than the thread count is pretty much not even a factor worth considering,” explains Ohara. With a quality fabric, however, thread count does become a factor because it “measures the longevity of a sheet. Any sheet under a 600 thread count runs the risk of pilling after one or two years of wear,” Ohara says.

Between the Sheets

Paul agrees, adding that 600 to 1000 thread count is the best quality. “If you go beyond 1000 thread count, you create a heavy and uncomfortable fabric,” he says. Sheets made with a high quality base material and more than 600 thread count will last up to 10 years.

Colors and Patterns
Quality and comfort may be at the forefront of the linen selection process, but at the end of the day, it is style and color that add energy and life to a home. Neutral color palettes are typically the top sellers, but this season, many lines are combining neutral palettes with colors and patterns. “Nothing is better than adding a pop of true hand-dyed indigo, or an antique Union Jack pillow to add character,” says Michele at Juxtaposition Home. Paul’s wife and co-owner of Between the Sheets, Sandra Marx, explains, “Honeysuckle is the color of the season,” because it adds a beautiful pop of color to any neutral palette.

Ohara at Bliss Home and Design recommends a more subtle contrast by intermixing silvery grays with a white palette, which she calls “a classic staple.” Frette’s spring line follows a similar philosophy; it was inspired by the Wunderkammers of 19th century travelers and includes imagery of seashells, sundials, gardens and geometric designs.

WHERE TO SHOP
Anthropologie, Fashion Island; 949-720-9946; anthropologie.com
Between the Sheets, Fashion Island; 949-640-9999; betweenthesheetsinc.com
Bliss Home and Design, 3321 East Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar; 949-566-9390; blissdesignfirm.com
Bloomingdale’s Home Store, Fashion Island; 949-729-6835; bloomingdales.com
Bloomingdales, South Coast Plaza; 714-824-4600; bloomingdales.com
Frette, South Coast Plaza; 714-556-7080; frette.com
Macy’s Home Store, South Coast Plaza; 714-708-3333; macys.com
Jonathan Adler, 579 Newport Center Dr.; 949-759-0017; jonathanadler.com
Juxtaposition, 7976 E. Coast Hwy.; 949-715-1181; juxtapositionhome.com
Pottery Barn, South Coast Plaza; 714-966-2482; potterybarn.com
Pottery Barn, Fashion Island; 949-640-7023; potterybarn.com