Bedding

Bedding, also called bedclothes or bed linen, is the material placed on top of a mattress to keep us clean, warm, and comfortable while we sleep. It helps protect the mattress and can make a bed look beautiful. Most bedding comes in sets that people wash regularly to stay fresh and cozy.

In American English, the word "bedding" usually means just the sheets and blankets, not the mattress itself. But in Australian and New Zealand English English, people often call bedding "manchester." This name comes from Manchester, a place famous for making cotton cloth a long time ago.

A typical set of bedding includes a bed sheet that goes over the mattress, a top sheet, and something warm like a blanket, a quilt, or a duvet. Sometimes a duvet cover is used instead of a top sheet, and there are usually pillows with pillowcases too. Kids often like to add stuffed animals to their beds for extra warmth and fun, but these are not part of the bedding itself.

Materials

The most common materials for sheets include cotton or mixes of cotton and polyester in plain, satin, or flannel weaves. Linen and silk are also used sometimes. For duvets and comforters, goose or duck down and other feathers are often used as filling, but they can sometimes irritate people with allergies. Alternatives to natural down are available, made from either natural or synthetic materials.

Quilts and down alternative comforters often use cotton, wool, or polyester filling, which is cheaper and easier to clean than natural down. Synthetic fibers work best when they are thermofused, meaning the fibers cross over each other. Blankets are usually made from thick-woven or knitted materials like wool, cotton, acrylic, or microfiber synthetics, either alone or blended together.

History

Long ago, people used simple bedding made from plants. One of the oldest examples was found at a site called Ohalo II in Israel, dating back 23,000 years. These early beddings were made from stems and leaves placed on the floor.

Later, around 3400 BC, pharaohs in Egypt began sleeping on raised beds with special bed coverings. In the Roman Empire, beds were filled with wool, feathers, or hay and often decorated with shiny materials. During the Renaissance, beds became very fancy and expensive. By the 18th century, people in Europe started using metal bed frames and cotton mattresses. The 19th century brought the invention of the box spring. In the 20th century, new types of mattresses like the inner spring mattress, water bed, and futons became popular.

Elements

Terminology

Bedding has many special words that describe its features. A drop is the height of a bed skirt. When bedding is flanged, it has a pretty fabric band along its edges, often seen on pillows. Hotel bedding looks simple and is made with strong, smooth sheets, just like what you might find in a hotel.

Two types of fancy cotton are often used in luxury bedding: Mako cotton and Pima cotton. Both come from long fibers that make very fine, strong threads. Palliasse is an old kind of bedding filled with straw or horsehair, used like a mattress. Pleated bedding has fabric folded neatly in rows. Tailored bedding fits the bed perfectly.

Thread count tells us how many threads are woven into each square inch of fabric, which can show how soft and strong the sheet is. A throw blanket, or simply a throw, is a small, cozy blanket often placed at the foot of the bed for extra warmth and style.

Sizes

Main article: Bed size

Bedding comes in different sizes to fit the size of the bed and mattress it is used on. Bed sizes can vary from country to country, with each having its own standards and names.