How to Choose a Fitted Sheet That Actually Fits

A fitted sheet fits when its pocket depth matches the height of your mattress, plus any topper or protector. Measure from the top of the mattress to the bottom of the side, add your protector, and choose a pocket an inch or two deeper so it seats without straining. Our fitted sheets have a 15 inch (38 cm) pocket, which fits mattresses up to roughly 14 inches.

Pocket depth is the number that matters

Length and width follow the bed size, but pocket depth is what people get wrong. Too shallow and the corners pop off in the night. Too deep and the sheet billows and slips. The fix is simple: measure the mattress side, include anything you put on top of it, and match the pocket to that.

How to measure your mattress

Take a tape from the top surface of the mattress straight down to where the side meets the base. That is your mattress height. Add the thickness of a mattress protector or topper if you use one. A modern mattress with a protector often lands between 11 and 14 inches, which is why we cut a 15 inch pocket.

Questions

What does deep pocket mean?

It refers to how far a fitted sheet stretches down the side of the mattress. A deep pocket suits taller modern mattresses. Ours is 15 inches, which covers most beds including one protector.

Will a 15 inch pocket fit a thin mattress?

Yes. It will seat on a thinner mattress with a little more tuck underneath. The problem to avoid is the other direction, a shallow sheet on a tall mattress.

Why do my fitted sheets keep coming off?

Almost always because the pocket is too shallow for the mattress, especially once a protector is added. Measure the full height and size the pocket to it.