First, the production process of bedding:
First, cotton is produced, then spun into yarn, woven into the fabric, printed and dyed, and finally cut and sewn into the bedding.
Let's learn according to this production process.
Second, the cotton:
Cotton Leaderboard：
Island cotton > Peruvian cotton (PIMA COTTON) > Egyptian cotton (MAKO COTTON) > Xinjiang long-staple cotton > Indian Cotton.
Long-staple cotton：
Long-staple cotton is named for its long fiber.
Long-staple cotton is of good quality, its fiber is long，among them the Extra long-staple cotton: fiber length is above 35 mm， and the Medium and long-staple cotton: the fiber length is 33 to 35 mm.
Extra Long Cotton(ELS)：
Only 3% of global cotton production can be called ELS. After the dyeing of the extra-long cotton, the color is brighter and brighter; the texture is soft and soft, the hand feels smooth, the drape is extremely strong, the woven fabric is full of toughness, and the finished product has better drape effect.
It is worth noting that this kind of extra-long cotton is usually not cotton, the proportion of general clothes is 95% Pima cotton, 5% spandex.
So the extra-long cotton is not expected to be used to make bedding.
Egyptian long-staple cotton
Egyptian cotton is of good quality. It is made of high-quality long-staple cotton fiber with high strength, high color, but good mercerization and good dyeability. Egyptian cotton has Extralong staples, Long staples, and Middle long staples. At present, Egyptian cotton can be spun to 200 yarns, or even 280 yarns, almost the same as silk.
Therefore, it is generally better to use the bedding of Egyptian cotton.
Third, the yarn:
Fibers can only be made into fabrics after being woven, and the first step is spinning into yarn.
Yarn is a material that is woven into a fiber with a certain degree of strength and can be processed into any length and length. It is the basic unit of the fabric. Generally, the single yarn is called the yarn of the yarn. Combing and worsted are the processes used when raw cotton is spun into yarn.
Combing
Combed Cotton - During the spinning process, the combing process is added, removing impurities and short (about 1 cm) fibers from the cotton, leaving long and neat fibers. In order to produce smooth yarn, cotton is more tough, not easy to pilling, and the quality of cotton is more stable. Fabrics made from combed cotton yarns have a high level of quality in texture, wash ability, and durability.
Worsted
Worsted spinning is the use of high-quality cotton raw materials for spinning, spinning yarns with a high twist and less hairiness. Worsted products are lighter, thinner, denser in texture, better in wet fastness, and wear-resistant, so the price is higher.
Count
The count (also known as the number of yarn counts) is a unit indicating the degree of the thickness of the fiber or yarn. The length of the unit weight used for the fiber or yarn at the specified moisture regain.
The number of yarn counts is inversely proportional to its thickness. The larger the number, the thinner the yarn, the lighter, thinner and softer the fabric is woven. Obviously, the higher the count, the higher the quality of the raw material (cotton), and the higher the requirements for the mill and the weaving mill, so the cost of the cloth is higher.
In general, the 30S-60S for bedding, and the 60S-80S for clothing. The world's textile industry's highest count is 200 (3 shares), used in the production of high-end shirts, feels very good.
Fourth, the fabric:
After the fiber is spun into a yarn, it can be woven into a fabric.
Warp and weft density
Density refers to the number of warp and weft yarns per square inch (2.54 cm 2 ), called the warp and weft density.
Generally, “40×40/128×68” seen on the original fabric logo of bedding indicates 40 warp and weft yarns, and the warp and weft density is 128×68, which is also an important technology for bedding purchase.
Thread count (another representation of fabric density)
Thread count refers to the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in a one-inch square of fabric. It is affected by a number of factors, including ply and thickness of the threads used. The ply of the fabric refers to how many threads are wrapped together into a single thread. Finer thread often results in smoother, softer fabrics, part of the reason high thread count fabrics are considered more desirable than fabrics without one. Finer thread also results in a more fragile fabric, however, which may not always be ideal. Two-ply fabrics help solve this problem somewhat by strengthening the threads and creating a more durable, though heavier, fabric.
While it has become common to shop for such things as bed linens based exclusively on the thread count, it is important to take other considerations into account. How the cotton is treated can be a much more decisive factor in comfort and overall feel, as can the final finishing of the fabric.
The general wisdom is that a thread count of higher than 100 is desirable --these fabrics are known as percale -- with somewhere above 180 being ideal. While fabrics are available with counts up to 1000, anything in excess of 400 is considered by most to be simply extraneous. In the case of some fabrics, it is simply not a viable option.