What’s “the hand” of a fabric? In the world of textiles, it means the “feel” of the cloth against your skin. Is it stiff? Stretchy? Smooth? Silky? Do any of these words describe what you should be looking for in a bed linen? People often describe silk sheets as the ultimate in decadence, but have you ever actually slept in silk? Many silks leave you in a cold sweat within 20 minutes! It’s all about performance – how your sheets interact with your body over the long haul of a (hopefully) good night’s sleep.
So how do we gauge performance? At ZayZay, it’s not about high-tech engineering in a laboratory; it’s about harnessing the power of nature (100% Giza Egyptian cotton) and weaving it together in the most optimal way! Good fabric responds to temperature and moisture, and the management of those two elements is what assures you of a better quality sleep. So how do we achieve this balance to maintain that elusive comfortable sleep? It is vital to have fabric that allows good air circulation. Our cotton fabric reduces body temperature fluctuations because it breathes, wicking moisture from your body and keeping the air around your body at an even temperature. Your skin stays dry. Your sleep is restful.
Most people heading out to a department store or going online to look for a duvet cover have never heard of MVTR. That’s “moisture vapour transmission rate,” which is a measurement of how fast moisture can pass through a fabric. Most people assume that the higher the thread count, the better the sheets. This is simply not true.
We learned all about this concept while researching optimal breathability and what we found surprised us. We too assumed that a higher thread count indicated a superior sheet. But that was before we conducted our own sleep studies.
What we found in researching the issue of MVTR is that a 400-thread count made from the best quality fabric like ZayZay’s luxury linen is the optimum choice for breathability in your bedding. That may not sound as sexy and exciting to you as it did to us, and that’s okay. All you need to know is that this weave ratio allows better air circulation around your body for a more restful sleep.
A higher thread count may be silkier to the touch but actually blocks proper air circulation because of its tighter weave. Conversely, a low thread count is rougher on the skin, and its wicking properties are inferior. You may end up feeling chilly, putting on more covers, getting sweaty, and following that endless mini wake-up cycle leading to poorer overall sleep. One final note to mention is that synthetic fibres are simply an option to be avoided altogether, regardless of thread count— they don’t breathe at all.
We’ve nerded out on breathability studies so that you don’t have to! The fact is that 100% Giza Egyptian cotton with 400-thread count keeps you cool and dry while delivering the most peaceful sleep available. You’re welcome! : )
