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Glossary For Bedding | Egyptian Cotton Bed Linen Sheets

Anti-Allergy

Anti-allergy labels are given to products which provide a barrier to allergens that can cause irritations during the night such as asthma, itchy eyes, itchy skin, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and blocked nose.

Cambric

A fine plain weave cotton fabric used as a down-proof casing for duvets and pillows. HomeCottons use some of the finest and most luxurious duvet casings in the world.

Cassette(Box) Construction

Rectangular stitched pockets to keep the filling in the natural duvet evenly spread when in use.

Combination Duvet or Four Seasons Duvet

This term describes two duvets of different togs (Usually 4.5 and 9.0 Tog) that can be used separately or buttoned together depending on the season.

Double

The size of bedding to fit standard U.K 4ft 6 “ bed.

Down

Down is the light fluffy undercoating that geese, ducks and other waterfowl have next to their bodies. This natural material has the effect of keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Down holds large amounts of air. It is the air between the down and not the material itself which keeps you warm. Down comes in soft round clusters and is used in the finest duvets. There are different qualities of down.

Dustmite

Invisible insect like creature that lives on house dust and dead skin. They tend to live in the mattress or pillow. Their droppings cause allergies. Use of mattress and pillow protectors to keep them away from your bedding is well recommended. Washing your bedding at 60°C kills dustmites and their eggs.

Egyptian Cotton

Regarded as the finest cotton in the world. The extra long fibre grown in Egypt is valued for its softness and texture. Long staple cottons are more expensive than commonly available cottons. Egyptian cotton also is known for its high absorbency and so valued in towels.

Feather

Feathers are the principal covering of birds, have a flat construction and are two dimensional. A feather has the hard quill shaft running down the centre with a series of fibres joining them together into a flat structure. Used to fill quality duvets. Better used to provide structure and support for pillows and mattress toppers.

Filling

A synthetic or natural material used to fill duvets, pillows or mattress protectors and mattress toppers.

Fill Power

Down is the ultimate in filling material in duvets and pillows, because it is soft, light and can hold large amounts of air. It is the air between the down and the feathers and not the material itself, which keeps you warm. In addition, down and feather have the ability to absorb and transport moisture which means that they can adjust the temperature close to the body better than any other filling material. The quality of down is determined by its size, the bigger the down clusters, the higher the content of air. Here, factors such as climate, nutrition and the kind and age of the bird come into play. A cold environment and good nutrition give the best down and also the older the bird, the bigger the down clusters.

Hungarian Goose Down

Soft clusters of down found on the Hungarian goose. Hungarian goosedown clusters are large and trap more air. Duvets that use Hungarian down tend to be light and warm.

Kingsize

Bedding designed for a 5ft wide bed

Loft

The height of a duvet or pillow filling. Higher loft means more air trapped and a warmer duvet or more support from a pillow.

Lyocell

Is a natural fibre made from wood pulp. Used in the production of fabrics because it is soft and breathable. It is often mixed with cotton or polyester. HomeCottons finest duvet range has a casing made of a mixture Lyocell, cotton and silk which is called Lyosilk. It is amongst the finest duvet fabric in the world.

Mattress Protector

A cover for your mattress to provide a barrier to allergens and protection against spills.

Mattress Topper(Enhancer)

A mattress topper can help to extend the life of an older mattress or provide extra softness to a firmer mattress. They are usually up to 2 inches thick.

Memory Foam

The material used in many mattresses and pillows to provide enhanced support. Known as visco elastic polyurethane foam. The term memory foam is often used but the real product is not cheap and buyers must be careful.

Natural

A term used to describe fabrics or fillings for duvets, pillows or mattress protectors that are not man made. These include goose down, Lyocell, silk and Egyptian cotton.

Non-Allergenic

Substances that do not normally create an allergic reaction.

Percale

A smooth finely combed woven sheeting usually with a thread count of between 180 and 250 threads per square inch. Used for sheets, duvet covers and bedspreads of good quality.

Piped Edge

Is a finish of fabric stitched around a cord. This high quality finishing is found around the edge of a natural duvet or pillow.

Sateen

Often termed Cotton Sateen describes a kind of weave in a fabric which makes for a smoother finish. Sheets with a sateen weave are silky smooth and soft.

Siberian Goose Down

Considered to be the top of the ladder above Hungarian and Polish down. A Siberian down duvet will be lighter and warmer and will appear “puffier”.

Silk

Natural filling for pillows and duvets. Silk is a breathable and naturally hypoallergenic material. It is also resistant to dustmites.

Superking

Bedding to fit a 6ft wide bed.

Synthetic

Used to describe a fabric or filling for a mattress protector, pillow or duvet that has been man made such as polyester. 100% cotton is a natural fabric.

Thread Count

A measure of how many threads of yarn in 1 square inch of fabric. Good quality bed linens have a thread count of 180 or more.

Ticking

A term used for a strong, durable, closely woven fabric used for duvet and pillow casings.

Tog Rating

This rating represents the thermal performance of a duvet. A high tog indicates a warmer duvet, a low tog a cooler duvet. The Tog should not be confused with weight because a down duvet can be very light but also very warm.