Glossary
Bed linen has more jargon than it needs. This is a plain-English glossary of the terms that appear on our product pages and across the category - what each one means, and whether it should affect your decision.
Percale
A plain weave in which each weft thread passes over one warp thread and under the next. Produces a matte finish, a crisp hand and high breathability. Ours is 200-thread-count, 100% cotton.
Sateen
A weave in which each weft thread passes over four warp threads before going under one, bringing more thread to the surface. Produces a low sheen and a smoother, slightly warmer fabric. Ours is 300-thread-count, 100% cotton. Not the same as satin.
Satin
A fabric, usually silk or synthetic filament, not a cotton weave. Frequently confused with sateen.
Thread count
The number of threads per square inch of fabric. Useful up to a point and widely inflated beyond it, because plies within a thread can be counted individually. Weave and staple length matter more.
Staple length
The length of the individual cotton fibres before spinning. Longer staples make smoother, stronger yarn that pills less. A major driver of quality and rarely advertised.
Ply
The number of yarns twisted together to form one thread. Single-ply woven from long-staple cotton is generally preferable to multi-ply used to inflate a thread count.
Warp and weft
Warp threads run the length of the fabric on the loom; weft threads cross them. How the two interlace is what defines percale and sateen.
Flat sheet
The unfitted top sheet that lies between the sleeper and the duvet.
Fitted sheet
The bottom sheet, elasticated to grip the mattress. Defined by its pocket depth as well as its length and width.
Pocket depth
How deep a fitted sheet's sides are, and therefore the thickest mattress it will fit. Ours is 15 inches or 38 cm.
Pillowcase
A three-sided cover with an opening at one end, made to be slept on.
Pillow sham
A decorative pillow cover, finished on all four sides with the opening at the back, often with a flange border. Made for display rather than for sleeping on, though it can be slept on.
Flange
The flat border of fabric surrounding the pillow on a sham, extending beyond the stuffed area.
Duvet cover
A removable, washable cover for a duvet or comforter insert. The largest single surface in a bed linen set.
Comforter
A quilted, filled bed covering used without a cover. A duvet, by contrast, is designed to go inside one.
Coverlet
A lightweight, non-filled bed covering used decoratively over sheets or a duvet. Thinner than a comforter, often woven or quilted, and layered at the foot of the bed or used alone in warm weather.
Matelassé
A cotton fabric woven on a jacquard loom to look quilted or padded without any filling. Durable and textured; common in coverlets and shams.
Hand embroidery
Thread worked through fabric stitch by stitch by a person. Not printed, not appliqued, not machine-stitched. Produces small variations between pieces.
Satin stitch
A dense embroidery stitch of parallel threads laid side by side to fill a shape with a smooth surface.
Running stitch
The simplest embroidery stitch, a line of evenly spaced dashes. Used for outlines and stems.
GSM
Grams per square metre - a measure of fabric weight. More informative than thread count for comparing heft.
Mercerisation
A treatment that increases cotton's lustre and dye uptake.
Optical brightener
A chemical additive that makes fabric appear whiter under UV light while degrading natural fibre. We recommend avoiding it entirely.
Small batch
In our case a production fact rather than a marketing term: because the embroidery is worked by hand, each design is made in a small drop.