Recognising quality
Selecting the finest quality bed linen can be confusing amid so many claims of thread counts and finishes. The Egyptian Cotton Store understands cotton and the secret to detecting what is the best. Of course thread count is important but when choosing the finest there are other considerations, such as the quality of the cotton itself, the feel of the fabric against your skin, and the design.

What makes the thread count
The thread count is the number of threads in a square inch of fabric. This is achieved by measuring the number of threads in the Warp (length) and the weft (width). The most popular cottons will be around 150, while good quality sheets will start at 180. Anything above 200 brings you into the luxury range.

The thread count is also influenced by the construction and quality of the yarn used. With finer threads, such as Egyptian Cotton, more threads can be woven into a square inch, which produces a finer fabric.

It is well to be wary of marketing claims of very high thread counts, sometimes up to 1000. These claims are made by twisting fine gossamer threads to achieve the high numbers for customers who may, understandably, buy on thread count alone.

Choosing Egyptian Cotton.
Like anything else, the finest quality can only truly be achieved when made from the finest quality materials. The quality of the cotton depends on the length of the fibres, known as staples. The longer the staple - the better the cotton. The cotton is then carded to remove dirt and short fibres. However a process called combing is far more meticulous and will remove up to 15% of the fibres. This combing process, used by The Egyptian Cotton Store, will leave only the longest staples, ready for spinning and weaving into the strongest and finest fabric. The result is a fabric which is softer and more sumptuous than any other.

The Egyptian Cotton Store uses only 100% long staple Egyptian cotton, which is indisputably the finest quality in the world. More than that, we only use cotton, grown on the Nile Delta. This is because today “Egyptian” cotton is produced in other countries, and although it complies with the standards, it does not have the same growing conditions and is often harvested mechanically. Egyptian cotton from the Nile Delta is hand picked which guarantees purity and puts no stress on the fibres.

All these factors have resulted in Egyptian cotton being by far the best cotton in the world. Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer and last longer than any other cotton in the world.