If you're as busy as I am, you'll agree that good quality sleep is essential to get you through the crazed hours of each day. What you sleep in, on and under makes all the difference to the quality of your sleep.

And so the question, 'What's the best linen to invest in for a great night's sleep?' must be asked. Thankfully, getting educated about bed linen is as easy as reading this article.

I'm sure you'll agree that our lifestyles are directly influenced by two major factors: knowledge (or the lack of it) and what we do with the 24 hours of the day, which are divided between work, play and sleep.

We spend many hours collecting knowledge on how to make a work day more productive and our play-time more fun, but have you noticed how very little time we spend doing the same for our sleep? Yet, without a good night's sleep, work and play become dismally unproductive.

When next you walk through the linen department of any store, stop and listen ? you'll often hear someone ask an assistant, "Is this percale?" or "What's the thread count on this Egyptian cotton?" While these may be valid questions, I often wonder if we really know what we're asking.

A good foundation

It's important to get a good foundation before you embark on the sober exercise of choosing the best linen possible for your bed. To help you along, here are a couple of key concepts:

  • Short staple cotton is cotton with a short fibre which requires that many staples be joined together to create a thread to weave with.

  • Long staple cotton, also known as Egyptian or Pima cotton, has significantly longer staples and far less joins in the weave thread. This enables a much stronger and more durable thread that gives Egyptian cotton its reputation of high quality.

    Though it's called Egyptian cotton, it originally hails from Peru.

  • Linen is from the stem fibres of the Flax plant and though it is stronger than cotton, has less elasticity.

  • Polyester, or synthetic fibre threads, can be completely manipulated during manufacturing, making it an inexpensive and high turnover alternative to natural fibre.

    • These four raw products are the most commonly used to create threads that are then weaved into the fabrics used in the production of bed linen.

    All tucked in

    The type of material used to create a fabric plays an important role in the quality and feel of your bed linen. The final product can be presented in a few different ways. Here's how thread count and weave play their part:

  • Thread count refers to the number of threads in both the vertical and horizontal direction in 10cm? (3.2cm x 3.2cm). Thread count has the greatest impact on the quality and density of fabric which also translates into breathability.

    Fabric used for bed linen typically have a thread count from 120 and upwards. Though you are able to get thread counts of 1000 and above, anything over a thread count of 600 becomes unsuitable for warmer climates as it restricts air-flow around your body.

  • Weave refers to the way that the thread is interlaced or entwined. The way that thread is woven influences the look, feel and quality of the end product. Two weaves that are commonly used for bed linen are called percale and sateen.

    A common misconception surrounding percale is that it represents the composition of the fabric (as in the type of cotton). Rather, percale refers to the weave, which makes the end product feel textured, even course. It is often used for a polycotton blend of raw material. The most common thread count for a percale weave is between 180 and 250.

    Sateen is a weave that creates a smoother, less textured feel and is perhaps even more luxurious looking. It has no specific thread count. It is the weave chosen by South African bed linen specialist, Falucca Linen, which trades in top quality Egyptian cotton.

    Al Naturale

    There is no doubt that natural fibres are by far more desirable than synthetics; they are softer on your skin and have the ability to breath, which regulates your body temperature while you are sleeping. Egyptian cotton, with its long fibre, has the reputation of being the world's finest. Fabrics made from Egyptian cotton are softer, finer and longer lasting than any other.

    When buying bed linen for yourself the golden rules to obey are:

  • Read the package information carefully, and make sure you understand what you are reading. If you don't, ask someone.

  • Feel the product to get an idea of what texture you are looking at ? remember, percale weave will feel rough and textured, while sateen weave will feel smooth and satin-like.

  • Consider what you are willing to spend on your bed linen and try to buy the very best you can afford, even if it takes you six months to put a set together, because good quality bed linen improves the quality of your life.

    • Got a query around bed linen or home DIY? Email Cherie by clicking here.