Vatan’s sheets are among the higher thread-count linens in the
world. So why would we tell you not to judge a sheet by the numbers?
Because to understand what creates the softest hand, the finest
drape, the most lustrous finish, and the world's most luxurious
linens, you must consider more than just thread count, which is a
measure of the number of yarns woven into one square inch of fabric.
Thread count is important, but it is only one part of the story. The
quality of a sheet is determined by three other key components as
well, but it all starts with the quality of the fiber itself, and
the yarn made from it.
The Quality of the Yarn
The world's finest cotton is grown on the banks of the Nile River in
Egypt. There, as the river recedes, it leaves a particularly fertile
swath that nourishes the very best cotton. Egyptian cotton is
renowned because it yields the longest-staple cotton in the world
(the staple being the individual cotton fiber or "hair"). Few of
Indian cotton varieties are also comprise of long staple length.
While once we ensure the superiority of our cotton, we have the raw
fiber cleaned and spun into smooth, silken yarns by best spinning
mills in south India.
The quality of the yarn is largely a function of the length of the
staple, or cotton fiber. This is because long-staple cotton can be
spun into a smoother, stronger, much finer yarn, so that it is
possible to weave more threads per inch into the fabric, resulting
in a higher thread count.
Certainly, many inferior, short-staple cotton yarns can be jammed
into a square inch to create a high thread count, but the resulting
fabric can feel heavy and coarse, never comparable to the fine hand
of Vatan’s sheeting.
The Construction
At Vatan, we revere craftsmanship. We have always enlisted the
India’s finest spinners and artisans to craft our extraordinary
linens.
Thanks to generations of experience and expertise, at Vatan we
understand yarns the way a vintner understands grapes: what type and
fineness of yarn to choose for each weave, and how to fine-tune each
technical factor, from the number of picks sent through the shuttle
to the diameter of the yarn, to create the desired hand:
chamois-soft or crisp percale, silken sateen, lustrous jacquard. How
we create the world's finest jacquards are trade secrets, but our
customers are the beneficiaries.
We use a variety of yarn sizes (and thus, yarn fineness) to produce
the different desired attributes and qualities of our sheeting.
The Finishing
After the India’s finest cotton has been selected, spun and woven
into cloth of the very best quality, the process doesn't stop there.
Our attention to detail continues into the fabric finishing and
sewing, which can also dramatically affect the feel and the quality
of the final product.
Most all of our cotton sheets are mercerized
- a process that helps plump the fibers, giving the fabric greater
luster and strength
- yet, we don't Sanforize our sheets (a process designed to help
reduce shrinkage), preferring instead to cut our fabrics generously
to allow for shrinkage.
Our state-of-the-art finishing brings out the subtle sheen of a
sateen, the softest nap of cotton, and the richest, longest-lasting
colors and enhances both the feel of the fabric and the quality of
the weave. The fabric does not leave our mills unless it is as
unblemished, smooth and sleek as possible, and unless it has
achieved Vatan’s exacting standards and impeccable quality.
We offer several collections.
The final luxurious touch: instead of running decorative stitching
or lace straight across the top cuff of the sheet, we use specially
woven laces & trims on most of our finished top sheets.
The end result of all this care and attention, every step of the
way, is a difference you can feel, in sheets that are woven on
state-of-the-art shuttle less jacquard looms. But don't take our
word for it: feel a Vatan sheet for yourself, and know that you can
trust the integrity of the company who makes it as well as the
retailer who sells it. Trust your hand, because nothing feels better
than getting into bed at night nestled in the world's most luxurious
linens.
