Here is the 1-2-3 of Egyptian Cotton:

1. Ask where the product is made. (After all, you want your Egyptian cotton sheets to actually come from Egypt, don’t you?) 
    
2. If you’re after quality linen made in Egypt, check the product bears the ‘Cotton Logo’ from Egypt, but more importantly, it has the ‘Seal of Authenticity from the Egyptian Government’. (Beware: often the ‘Cotton Logo’ is illegally copied, so check for the ‘Seal of Authenticity from the Egyptian Government’) 
    
3. Does the product meet the highest international Standards and pass the Oeko-Tex Standard 100? (check out the Oeko-Tex website for more information) (This means the product won’t contain any nasty components such as formaldehyde or chlorinated phenols)

The Truth about Egyptian Cotton

Egyptian cotton is considered the ‘crème del la crème’ of cloth used for bed linen.

It is a high-grade cotton, which is grown in the rich soils along the Nile River. The cotton ‘ball’ at the head of the cotton plant is made up of lots of strands. These strands are known as the ‘staple’ and they grow extra long, in fact up to twice as long as other cotton grown elsewhere in the world. Because of these long staples, true Egyptian cotton does not pill and is very strong, so when the linen is used and repeatedly washed, it actually becomes softer and more luxurious.

As Egyptian cotton is a 100% natural fibre, your linen will ‘breathe’. You will stay cool under the sheets and moisture will not build up which makes you sticky and uncomfortable.

You need to be aware: that some countries import low grade Egyptian cotton to mix with other cottons. Or they might reprocess already used Egyptian cotton and then promote their products misleadingly as ‘Genuine Egyptian Cotton’.

Nowadays, it’s not only 200TC or 300TC, but 1000TC and 1200TC that are readily advertised. Beware of over inflated thread counts. In some cases, the cloth is ‘over packed’ with threads, creating a cloth that is dense, thick, does not drape and is stiff. These types of cloths often degenerate with use, as the individual fibres struggle for space which worsens with each wash, creating a bulky, uncomfortable fabric, which is not soft and often ‘balls/pills’ with repeated washing. 

The best indicator of real Egyptian Cotton is: where it is manufactured, the price and the construction.

The bed linen range on offer from The White Shop is imported entirely from Egypt, the home of true Egyptian Cotton. With proper care, your bed linen will last for many years and provide you with comfort and a lasting investment.