Four cloths and five bed sizes. This page says which cloth suits which sleeper, what the numbers mean, and gives every finished measurement in the range.
Two of them are the same cotton woven differently; one is that cotton washed after sewing; one is flax. Each has a drawback, and the drawback is the quickest way to choose.
| Cloth | Weave and density | Feels | Suits | Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton percale | One over one, 200 thread count | Matte, cool, crisp | Hot sleepers, summer, anyone who likes a pressed-shirt feel | Creases the moment you lie on it |
| Cotton sateen | Four over one, 300 thread count | Smooth, slightly heavier, low sheen | Cold sleepers, winter, skin and hair | Snags on rings and rough heels; pills sooner |
| Washed cotton | Percale, enzyme-washed after sewing, 160 gsm | Soft, rumpled, no sheen | People who never iron and like an unmade look | Garment-dyed shades fade about a tone a year; less durable |
| Linen | Plain weave flax, stone-washed twice, 170 gsm | Dry, cool, textured | Very hot sleepers; anyone wanting it to last longest | Scratchy for 3 to 4 washes; creases always |
Thread count is the number of threads in a square inch of cloth. It is a fair measure up to about 400; above that it is usually reached by counting two-ply yarns twice, and a “1000 thread count” sheet is often a coarser cloth than a good 200. We weave percale at 200 and sateen at 300 because those are the counts at which each weave does its job. For washed cotton and linen we give grams per square metre instead, because the yarns are too uneven for thread count to mean anything.
Pick the mattress size in centimetres. Each row gives what the fitted sheet, the flat sheet and the duvet cover in that size actually measure after our pre-wash.
| You pick | Fitted sheet (mattress) | Flat sheet | Duvet cover (fits a duvet of) | Set pillowcases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90 × 200 | 90 × 200 cm | 150 × 240 cm | 140 × 200 cm | Two, 50 × 70 |
| 140 × 200 | 140 × 200 cm | 200 × 240 cm | 200 × 200 cm | Two, 50 × 70 |
| 160 × 200 | 160 × 200 cm | 220 × 240 cm | 240 × 220 cm | Two, 50 × 70 |
| 180 × 200 | 180 × 200 cm | 240 × 240 cm | 260 × 220 cm | Two, 50 × 70 |
| 200 × 200 | 200 × 200 cm | 260 × 240 cm | 260 × 240 cm | Two, 50 × 70 |
Duvet covers are cut 5 cm over the duvet size so the duvet fills them without straining the seams. If your duvet is an unusual size, measure it and email us; we will say which cover is closest and whether it will look baggy.
The wall is the vertical side of a fitted sheet. Measure your mattress from the top of the topper to the underside of the mattress and buy a wall at least 5 cm deeper. On a thinner mattress the spare depth tucks underneath and does not spoil the fit.
| Sheet | Wall | Fits a mattress of |
|---|---|---|
| Percale, sateen and washed cotton fitted sheets | 35 cm | 18 to 30 cm |
| Linen fitted sheet | 38 cm | 20 to 33 cm |
| Deep percale fitted sheet | 42 cm | 28 to 38 cm |
Every fitted sheet has elastic sewn round the whole hem rather than only in the corners, which is most of why they stay on.
| Size | Where it is standard | Case cut |
|---|---|---|
| 50 × 70 | Benelux, Scandinavia, most of the EU | 50 × 70 cm plus flap or envelope |
| 60 × 60 | France, Spain (square) | 60 × 60 cm plus flap or envelope |
| 80 × 80 | Germany, Austria, Switzerland (large square) | 80 × 80 cm plus flap or envelope |
Measure the pillow, not the old case. The oxford cases add a 5 cm flange on each side on top of these sizes.
Percale and sateen are washed once at the mill and shrink a further 2 to 3% in your first hot wash; the measurements above are after that. Washed cotton has already shrunk in its enzyme wash and moves very little. Linen loses about 2% more in its first hot wash. Nothing is cut to the bare number.
| Piece | Cloth | Density | Fit depth | Closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percale Fitted Sheet, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | 35 cm wall, elastic all round | None - fitted corners |
| Sateen Fitted Sheet, Ivory | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | 35 cm wall, elastic all round | None - fitted corners |
| Washed Cotton Fitted Sheet, Dusk Rose | Washed cotton | 160 gsm | 35 cm wall, elastic all round | None - fitted corners |
| Linen Fitted Sheet, Oat | Linen | 170 gsm | 38 cm wall, elastic all round | None - fitted corners |
| Deep Percale Fitted Sheet, Dusk | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | 42 cm wall, elastic all round | None - fitted corners |
| Percale Flat Sheet, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - flat sheet with 60 cm of tuck | None |
| Sateen Flat Sheet, Pearl | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | Not applicable - flat sheet with 60 cm of tuck | None |
| Washed Cotton Flat Sheet, Clay | Washed cotton | 160 gsm | Not applicable - flat sheet with 60 cm of tuck | None |
| Linen Flat Sheet, Natural | Linen | 170 gsm | Not applicable - flat sheet with 60 cm of tuck | None |
| Percale Duvet Cover, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Percale Duvet Cover, Plum | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Sateen Duvet Cover, Ivory | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Washed Cotton Duvet Cover, Blush | Washed cotton | 160 gsm | Not applicable - cover | Envelope flap, 30 cm, no buttons |
| Linen Duvet Cover, Charcoal | Linen | 170 gsm | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Percale Duvet Cover, Grey Stripe | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Sateen Duvet Cover, Sand | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Linen Duvet Cover, Moss | Linen | 170 gsm | Not applicable - cover | Corozo buttons under a hidden placket, four inside corner ties |
| Percale Pillowcases, Pair, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - pillowcase | Housewife style, 15 cm inside flap |
| Sateen Pillowcases, Pair, Ivory | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | Not applicable - pillowcase | Housewife style, 15 cm inside flap |
| Washed Cotton Pillowcases, Pair, Blush | Washed cotton | 160 gsm | Not applicable - pillowcase | Envelope back, 20 cm |
| Linen Pillowcases, Pair, Oat | Linen | 170 gsm | Not applicable - pillowcase | Envelope back, 20 cm |
| Percale Oxford Pillowcases, Pair | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - pillowcase | Envelope back, 20 cm, with a 5 cm flanged border |
| Percale Pillowcases, Pair, Grey Stripe | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - pillowcase | Housewife style, 15 cm inside flap |
| Percale Bedding Set, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | Not applicable - cover and cases | Buttoned cover, housewife cases |
| Sateen Bedding Set, Ivory | Cotton sateen | 300 thread count | Not applicable - cover and cases | Buttoned cover, housewife cases |
| Washed Cotton Bedding Set, Dusk Rose | Washed cotton | 160 gsm | Not applicable - cover and cases | Envelope cover, envelope cases |
| Linen Bedding Set, Natural | Linen | 170 gsm | Not applicable - cover and cases | Buttoned cover, envelope cases |
| Percale Sheet Set, White | Cotton percale | 200 thread count | 35 cm wall on the fitted sheet | Housewife cases; no closure on the sheets |
Email hello@sunsetandsheets.com with the mattress measurements, how warm you sleep and whether you iron. We answer with a cloth, a size and a wall depth, and we will say if we think you should go deeper.