Egyptian cotton sheets have the reputation of being the most luxurious sheets on the market. Has that always seemed random to you?
You’ll have more of an idea about Egyptian cotton taking three minutes to read the following.
You spend upwards of ⅓ of your life in your bed, therefore it makes sense to invest in bedding to have the best sleep getting you ready for the next day.
What Is Egyptian Cotton
You’ll be glad to know, Egyptian cotton comes from the Nile River Valley in Egypt. Specifically, the plant, Gossypium Barbadense, which is also where Pima cotton comes from. What makes Egyptian cotton unique is the climate where it’s grown making it a longer fiber than another cotton.
The quality of Egyptian cotton does vary with the most expensive Egyptian cotton having extra long threads. There are other kinds of Egyptian cotton, but if you find a cheaper kind then it’s likely to be made from Egyptian cotton, but not the extra long threads.
These long fibers are spun into extra-fine threads, which are then woven into a high-quality fabric with a crazy soft and supple weave.
What Makes Egyptian So Good?
We know that Egyptian cotton is luxurious but what makes it so is the fiber. The fibers are often named the best in the world due to the length, strength, and softness. If you’ve heard of thread counts in regards to sheets, the longer fiber creates a higher thread count which is a rough guide to luxuriousness. It also is awesome at absorbing liquids, bonus.
Random Facts About Egyptian Cotton:
- Egyptian cotton isn’t Ancient like much of the country, commercial production began in 1822
- Bed sheet sizes differ. If you think you’re clever buying your sheets in Egypt, bring a tape measure and make sure they’ll fit
- The white outfits you see Egyptians wearing? Not cotton! Rather, linen from the flaxseed plant.
- The market for Egyptian cotton exploded worldwide in 1861 when the American Civil War halted cotton production in America
- Egyptian cotton is hand picked, putting less stress on the fibers
Why Does Thread Count Matter
While you may find some lesser quality sheets being misleading with their thread count, in general, the higher the thread count the softer the sheet. Egyptian cotton is both long and strong therefore they can be bound tighter together which creates a strong wear with no fibers moving out of place. That all adds up to a softer sheet.
Note: A thread count below 200 is something to steer clear of, but if you see something over 800 thread count, that is possibly a misleading source of quality.
Egyptian Cotton Bed Sheet Alternatives
Pima Cotton: This cotton grown in the USA also has a long fiber length and is very close to the quality of Egyptian cotton. If you have a budget, you can definitely justify spending less money for nearly the same quality.
Egyptian cotton blend: If you see Egyptian cotton sheets at a very low price, it’s likely to be mixed with something else.
100% cotton: If you see this marketing technique, you’re likely to be buying a lower quality cotton bedsheet such as American Upland.
There’s a general consensus that Egyptian cotton bedsheets are indeed the best available on the market. They’re the most expensive if you choose to purchase them, do make sure you are buying 100% legitimate Egyptian cotton bedsheets.
Sheets that are advertised as being made of 100% cotton are likely made of cheaper American Upland cotton and are lesser quality than either Pima or Egyptian cotton sheets.