Organic Mattresses and Bedding

Sateen is generally a cotton fabric with a satin-like feel. It’s found in bed sheets and other textiles. Sateen is usually 100% woven cotton, although it is sometimes formed from rayon. Like percale, sateen does not refer to the material of the sheet. It refers to the method in which the sheet was woven.

A “sateen weave” means that there is one vertical thread woven for every four or more horizontal threads. Since more of the threads are exposed to the surface, the resulting fabric is much smoother than if it was woven with a standard type weave.

The best quality sateen is mercerized to give it a higher sheen. Mercerized cotton has been treated with sodium hydroxide to shrink it and increase its luster and affinity for dye.

The term Egyptian Cotton is usually applied to the extra long staple Cotton produced in Egypt and favoured for the luxury and upmarket brands world-wide. The quality of the Cotton depends on the length of the fibres, known as “staples”. The longer the staples, the better the cotton.

Combing Cotton is regarded as the best process of getting out the shorter staples and leaving the longer ones. This cotton is then referred to as Combed Cotton. Better quality Egyptian Cottons like 200, 400 and 800 thread count generally use this process. Cotton sheets are very popular in the summer months as they tend to stay cool.

Percale refers to a closely woven plain weave fabric which is the type of fabric used in the manufacture of most sheets and other bed linens. A thread count of 200 or higher is considered Percale.

The term “Percale” does not refer to a blend of cotton and polyester. Percale can be a 50% Polyester / 50% Cotton, 100% Cotton, or a blend of other fabrics in any ratio. The word “Percale” refers to the way the fabric is woven together and has nothing to do with the materials used. A Percale weave is noticeably tighter when compared to the standard type of weave used for bed-sheets, Percale is one of the best sheeting available.