Extra Deep Pocket Bed Sheets

If you have been shopping for or purchased a new mattress lately, you may have noticed something. Today’s mattresses have gotten thicker. There was a time when the height of the average mattress was eight to ten inches. In is not uncommon to find plush top and European top mattresses that are as tall as 24 inches thick. These, modern, extra thick mattresses have rendered much of your bed linen obsolete. So just what are extra deep pocket bed sheets anyway? For those folks who not familiar with the concept, here is the explanation.

Mattress manufacturers have been busy redesigning the traditional innerspring mattress. The innerspring mattress has been a staple of sleep systems for over 100 hundred years. The average mattress consisted of an innerspring assembly covered with cotton batting and a damask fabric. Since the introduction of latex foam rubber, mattress designs have been changing. Mattresses are getting so thick that many manufacturers are now offering low profile foundations that are around 4 inches thick compared to the usual 8 or 9 inches.

Many mattresses use a combination of latex foam and a traditional innerspring. The innerspring assembly acts as a center core that is surrounded by layers of latex foam. The use of latex and the very popular visco-elastic memory foam helps to distribute your weight more evenly over the innerspring. When combined with extra padding, pillow tops and European tops, the result is that the mattress itself has gotten much thicker.

Bed sheets that could once be used will no longer fit these new design mattresses. The sewn in pockets in a standard fitted bed sheet are not deep enough to fit properly over and under the mattress. Folks who have tried to use their old bed sheets on a new mattress have discovered this. The answer is to buy extra deep pocket bed sheets.

Extra deep pocket bed sheets are more expensive than standard bed sheets but are absolutely necessary for the modern mattresses of today. The extra cost is not an attempt by bed sheet makers to make more money. The simple fact is that it takes up to 30 percent more fabric to produce a properly fitting set of extra deep pocket bed sheets.

A properly fitting extra deep pocket bed sheet should fit snugly but not too tightly around the mattress. The pockets should fit under the corners of the mattress far enough so that the bed sheet will slip off. A bed sheet that does not fit tightly enough will bunch up under you while you sleep and can be downright uncomfortable. A bed sheet that fits too tightly is likely to tear at the seams.

Whenever you buy any type of bed linen, there are some simple rules of the road to remember when navigating the retail world. Price and quality are not necessarily related and it is up to the consumer to decide which is more important. The idea is to find the right combination of both price and quality. Let’s first talk about price.

The general rule when buying almost anything is that if the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Though it is natural to want the best price, a bargain is no bargain at all if it costs more in the long run. As we have discussed, extra deep pocket bed sheets cost more than the average set of bed sheets. Legitimate bargains can be found but you must know what to look for in a quality set of extra deep pocket bed sheets.

Bargain bed sheets are sometimes made with less fabric which can adversely affect the fit. Inferior stitching is another short cut some bargain manufacturers use to keep costs down. The elastic banding that should be sewn into the edge seam may be of poor quality. Elastic banding is critical to holding the bottom sheet in place. Poor quality elastic can stretch out prematurely and if it is not well sewn into the edge seam, will not hold the sheet in place. Color fabric that has not been properly dyed will fade and even bleed when the sheet is washed. Thin fabrics will feel flimsy and uncomfortable.

Fabric Choices

The most popular choice for bed linens among consumers is cotton. When it comes to quality bed linens, cotton has been king for many years and will continue to be for years to come. Cotton fabric is derived from cotton fibers. The fibers are harvested from the boll or bloom of the cotton plant. After being harvested, the raw cotton fibers are ginned. Ginning is the process of separating the fibers from the rest of the bloom, removing cotton seeds, debris and separating the fibers. After ginning, the cotton is baled and samples are taken for grading.

Cotton is grown the world over, from the American Southwest and South and South America to Middle East and Central Asia. Egyptian cotton and Pima cotton are considered by most folks to be the softest. Referred to as long staple or long fibered, these species of cotton usually make up around 20 percent of all the cotton grown worldwide. The rest is made up primarily of Upland cotton.

Cotton is often blended with fibers like polyester. Cotton polyester blend fabric is as comfortable as it is durable. Cotton polyester is considered an easy fabric to care for and can hold its shape even after repeated washing and drying.

Thread Count

The thread count of a fabric represents the number of threads per square inch of fabric. The higher the thread count, the more durable and softer the fabric is. Quality extra deep pocket bed sheets will have a thread count of at least 200. Bed sheets with thread counts of 400 can be pricey be are very luxurious and long wearing. High quality extra deep pockets bed sheets will have thread counts as high as 1,000.