Answers to some commonly asked questions

What is Percale : Percale is a closely woven plain-weave fabric often used for bed linens. It is a type of weave and doesnt refer to the material. For example percale can be a 50/50 blend of cotton and polyester, 100% cotton, or a blend of other fabrics in any ratio. This weave is tighter then standard with 200 or higher thread count. It is smooth and washes very well, can be printed or plain.

Thread Count: This is simply the measure of the quality of the fabric. It is a measure of the coarseness or fineness of fabric. It is measured by counting the number of threads contained in one square inch of fabric. It is used especially in regard to cotton linens such as bed sheets.

Egyptian cotton: The extra long staple cotton produced in Egypt is termed Egyptian cotton, however it is a native South American species called Pima cotton introduced in Egypt in the 19th Century by the then ruler of Egypt Mohammad Ali Pasha. It is popular among the luxury and upmarket brands worldwide. The cotton plant that produces Egyptian cotton yields unusually long, silky fibers and requires full sun and high humidity and rainfall to grow.

a Duvet or a Doona? : Doona is an Australian term and Duvet is a French term, both refer to a quilt filled with down or feathers.

Quilt Cover Set: Typically a quilt cover set contains 2 pillowcases and one quilt cover for each King, Queen and Double sizes and 1 pillow case for single bed sizes. 

Bed Sheet Set: Typically a bed sheet set contains one flat sheet, one fitted sheet and 2 pillowcases for each King, Queen and Double sizes and 1 pillow case for single bed sizes. 

Faux Silk: Faux is a french term meaning "false" or "fake". Faux materials are imitiations of the real thing. For example faux fur, faux suede etc hence the term faux silk which is basically artificial silk or "false silk" . It is usually a synthetic material, such as polyester fibers like viscose or rayon, made to resemble real silk. Mercerized cotton is also used as a silk look-alike. Also called art silk, faux silk is usually used as small accents or in a short, dense pile construction.

Suede or Suede finish: Suede is a type of leather with brushed finish. It can also refer to the brushed or napped finish on other material types. Suede fabrics are manufactured with a brushed or napped finish, resembling suede leather, such as sueded cotton, sueded silk etc.

Comforter: This is a type of blanket to be used as one, but can also be used as mattress pads. Generally these are filled with natural or synthetic insulative material and encased in a shell/covering and like quilts, comforters are used with a set of bed sheets. Fillings can be material such as polyester batting, down feathers, wool, or silk and casing can be cotton, silk, or polyester fabrics or blends, of varying thread counts. Comforter shells vary in design and color, often designed to coordinate with other bedding.

Linen and cotton: Cotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant and Linen is a material made from the fibers of the flax plant.

Sateen: Sateen is the name given to the weave which produces basically a cotton fabric which is woven in a way so that the end result is really soft and satin like finish, although it is cotton or sometimes made from rayon and not silk. It can be printed, plain dyed and bleached and is slightly less durable.

Satin: Satin is a type of cloth that has been made from silk or polyester or nylon using the satin weave. Where as sateen is made of cotton, which is the primary difference between the two.
Generally the fabric has two sides, a shiny side and a dull side.

Rayon: Rayon is a type of fabric which is produced from cellulose a  natural fiber and processed extensivley.  So it is neither fully synthetic nor natural, but a manufactured fiber.  Rayon is basically a cheaper alternative of silk. 

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