What is Egyptian Cotton & what Bed Linen should I use?

Egyptian cotton, Egypt’s biggest advantage, has gained the reputation of being the best cotton in the world, due to its softness and it’s strength in quality. Egyptian cotton comes from a different plant to regular cotton which automatically means the two will feel very different. Furthermore, it is hand picked which puts less stress on the fibres, enabling them to be made longer in order to create fine yarns. I know we’re throwing loads of strange terms and phrases at you…keep reading. Yarn is simply several strands of material twisted together.

We’ll break it down even further:

No machines = less stress on fibres = fabric becomes stronger, more solid and resistant to stress

Although the feel of Egyptian cotton is a bit harder than other cottons when the bedding is new; the greatest quality of Egyptian cotton is that with every wash, the sheets become softer and softer…and softer….and softer. You won’t want to leave your bed. Who knew bed sheets could be like a fine whiskey? They only get better with age.

Cotton or Polycotton?

Cotton is a natural fabric, made from the soft substance around the seeds of a cotton plant. This natural fibre has a benefit as it does not cause allergies or skin irritations when used, helping all of those with extremely sensitive skin. Cotton keeps you cool, wears light all day long and does not stick or make you sweaty like other fabrics can such as polycotton.

Polycotton, as evident within the name, contains both cotton and polyester fibres and contains at least 50% cotton. If you do not care for your cotton fabrics carefully, they are more prone to shrinkage and wrinkles, whereas polycotton is not. Another difference between cotton and polycotton is it’s durability. Cotton is prone to tearing whereas polycotton is resistant to tearing and is therefore more durable than cotton, due to its elasticity.

Overall, polycotton is not as soft or breathable as cotton is, which is the most important factor when choosing the right sheets for your guest as their comfortability is key. 100% cotton is the most comfortable sheets and with the help of Airlinen’s linen hire, you never have to worry about shrinking or creasing your sheets again.

What is the best linen to use for Airbnb and Shortlet Apartments and where can I find it?

You need to ensure your Airbnb or shortlet apartment is providing your guests with the best bed sheets and towels which will result in happy and returning customers.

Ikea, cheap and cheerful: - Ikea provides cheap bed sheets with a decent quality however it is less luxurious therefore if your Airbnb or Shortlet apartment is less luxurious, visit your Swedish home goods store. Coloured stains are preferable to ensure stains do not show up.

The White Company, definition of luxury:

[if !supportLists]- [endif]If you are looking for luxury then The White Company is the place for you. Firstly and most obviously…everything is white. This is ideal as customers are looking to have a white crisp finish and this will also work out better for you due to three reasons:

[if !supportLists]1) [endif]White sheets are much much easier to clean than coloured sheets and the easiest to maintain.

[if !supportLists]2) [endif]It is the easiest colour to match everything else with and to replace when dirty. Other colours can cause trouble in regards to finding an exact match and if you happen to have miss-matching sets, white saves you the trouble of buying an entirely new set.

[if !supportLists]3) [endif]White will never go out of fashion and will always match with everything!

Despite the benefits, if you are taking the luxurious approach; then it will be extremely expensive for you as overtime your sheets get damaged or dirty, it will cost a lot of money to replace them.

Supermarket quality, there are two types:

[if !supportLists]- [endif]If you are looking for cheap sheets to save you money then visit your local supermarket with a home section such as Asda or Sainsburys…even Next. If you want somewhere with a little more class and a name to it, then visit House of Fraiser, John Lewis or Fenwick. All of these stores are good for last minute purchases.

Hire, the best option:

- Buying sheets in bulk or individually, every time you have new guests can take up both your time, energy and expenses. While running your Airbnb or Apartment, a little weight should be taken off of your shoulders and your bed sheets and towels should be provided for you. Washed, clean and pressed and ready for your guests to jump on.

Airlinen provides high quality linen hire for Airbnbs and Shortlet apartments which are 100% cotton. Airlinen also administers Airbnb cleaning services, who not only clean the apartment for you, but can also get the bed ready for you. All you need to do is smile and wave.