Glossary of Bedding Terms

Baffle BoxInternal three-dimensional fabric wall boxes allow maximum thickness and comfort hile maintaining even distribution within the boxes. Minimizes migration of fill for maximum comfort and support.

Bed SkirtDecorative bed accessory often used with a comforter. A bed skirt (also called a dust ruffle) covers the box spring and bed frame and hangs touching the floor or nearly touching the floor

BindingAlso called edging or piping, this is the decorative trim on the fold-down portion of a flat sheet or pillowcase

BlendA combination of two or more different types of fibers woven together to make cloth. A blended fabric can be made with different fiber yarns or with blended fiber yarns

BrushingMechanical fabric finishing process that raises the nap of the fabric, giving it a softer feel. Flannel is a brushed fabric.

CambricA plain weave cloth that has been finished with a calender machine to give the cloth a more lustrous look. Plain weave down proof fabrics are calendered and thus, are usually referred to as cambrics

CardingA yarn preparation where raw cotton is separated, opened, cleaned, and made into sliver (a continuous ropelike strand of loosely assembled fibers). All cotton yarns are carded, not all cotton yarns are combed. See also: Combing

ChamberTerm used in pillow, comforter, and feather bed construction. Indicates walls of fabric sewn inside the basic shell or tick to contain down or feather separate from other filled portions, enabling various support characteristics

ClosedConstruction Term used to describe comforter construction where the filling is not allowed to move between chambers. Examples of closed construction are: True Baffle Box, Sewn-through box, and Sewn-through Diamond Box. See also: Open Construction.

CombingA yarn preparation process for removing all short fibers (those less than 1-1/8") and impurities from cotton that has been carded. Combed yarn is superior to carded yarn in that it is more compact and has fewer projecting fibers. The finest cotton fabrics are made from combed yarns

Comfort HoldFeatures the three sided comfort lock border and a 4th border along the top of the comforter. This 4th border is filled with more down than anywhere else for extra warmth around your neck and shoulders

Comfort LockComfort Lock design is a border along the sides and bottom of the comforter. This three sided border permanently locks the down in place on top of the bed, in what we call the "sleep zone" Comforter An "over-covering" on a bed made with a fabric shell that is filled with an insulating material of some kind. Comforters can be functional (e.g. down comforters) or a fashion article (e.g. a synthetic filled comforter with a printed design on the shell) Also called a "duvet"

Comforter CoverSee: Duvet Cover

CottonA vegetable seed fiber grown in many areas of the world. Used world wide in the production of cotton yarns and cotton fabrics Cotton Fiber The fiber produced in the boll of the cotton plant and harvested to produce cotton yarns and cotton fabrics. The length of the fiber is the major determining factor in the relative quality of the cotton

Cotton StapleSee: Cotton Fiber

Damask Firmglossy jacquard-patterned fabric. Damask is similar to brocade but flatter and reversible. In general, any piece dyed (single color) cloth with a woven pattern (this is the definition used in marketing bedding products in the USA)

Dobby Weavingmethod of a loom with a Dobby head that creates small, geometric figures in a regular pattern; also the cloth from this weaving process

DownIs the lightest most effective insulator. Soft, fluffy puffs of down grow under the breast feathers of geese and ducks keeping them warm and cozy in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer

Down ComforterA fabric (usually cotton) shell filled with the down of either geese or ducks. An "over covering" used for lightness and warmth

Dust Ruffle See Bed Skirt

DuvetIn the USA, synonimous with duvet cover
French term for "comforter". See: Comforter

Duvet Cover/ Comforter CoverSimilar to a large pillowcase for your comforter; acts to protect a comforter and add a decorative element

Egyptian CottonAn extra-long staple cotton fiber grown in the Nile

Eurofeathers®A fill containing a mixture of 95% feathers and 5% down

EurodownA fill contianing a mixture of 85% feathers and 15% down

FeathersAre the durable springy neighbor of down on geese and ducks. Feathers have a quill that give them a supportive spring while still providing a soft caress only nature could invent

Feather BedFeathers contained within a fabric shell and lain on top of a mattress as a mattress topper

Feather Bed CoverSimilar to a pillow protector, this is a large covering for a feather bed to protect it from dirt and body oils

Fill PowerThe measurement in cubic inches that one ounce of down will fill when placed in a glass tube and allowed to loft for up to 72 hours

Fitted SheetSheet used to snuggly cover one's mattress. Also called the "bottom sheet". Fitted sheets usually have gusset corners with some type of elastic sewn around the bottom edge to provide fit and holding attributes around the mattress

Flat SheetAlso called the "top sheet", a flat sheet is placed on top of the fitted sheet and is typically tucked around the mattress at the sides and the bottom

Greige Fabricin its raw or unfinished state (pronounced "gray Most cotton greige cloth is a cream or tan color

HandRefers to the feel or perception of touch qualities of fabric, i.e., softness, fineness, firmness, elasticity, etc

HemstitchA special method of embroidery commonly used on sheets and pillowcases

JacquardA type of weaving and the cloth produced by such weaving. Jacquard weaving is not done with harnesses to lift the warp yarns, but rather a "jacquard head" on the loom individually controls each warp yarn. Jacquard weaving allows intricate designs to be woven

MuslinA balanced plain-weave fabric; made of cotton or cotton/polyester blends not less than 128 threads/square inch

Open ConstructionTerm used to describe comforter construction where the filling is allowed to move between chambers. Examples of open construction are: 4-Corner Ring, Checkerbox, Box Stitch, Box Step, Diamond Tack, Karo Tack, and 4-Corner Baffle Box. See also: Closed Construction

PercaleA closely woven plain-weave fabric; generally 180 thread count or better

PillingThe tendency of fibers to work loose from a fabric surface and form balled or matted particles of fiber that remain attached to the surface of the fabric

Pillow ProtectorA basic covering for a pillow to protect the pillow from dirt and oils. Used under a pillowcase, usually has a zipper

Pillow ShamA decorative covering for a pillow, typically with a trim, either tailored or ruffled

PillowcaseA functional pillow covering to protect your pillow from body oils and soiling; generally matches one's sheets

Pima CottonExtra-long staple cotton developed in the US desert southwest and named for the Pima Indians

Plain WeaveMost basic of weaves; one thread over one thread

Piled YarnsYarns twisted together after spinning to create a new yarn that has more than one yarn twisted in. Plied yarns do not increase the durability or strength of the cloth and will exhibit a different hand than a fabric woven with single yarns. For purposes of counting yarns (thread count) plied yarns should be counted as one yarn

PolyesterA synthetic (man-made) fiber used in textiles; durable, wrinkle and shrinkage resistance, non-breathable. Polyester fibers are often blended with cotton or other fibers to produce blended cloth

Pre-ShrinkingMost pre-shrinking of cotton cloth is done on a compressive shrinkage range which is a mechanical process that allows cotton cloth to shrink naturally in its length. There is minimal residual shrinkage after this process

PrintPattern Created using various methods to transfer color, this is the 'picture' or pattern applied or transferred to the cloth. Resin Finish When resin is applied to fabric for stiffening or to give wrinkle resistance or permanent -press characteristics. Resin finishes also reduce residual shrinkage, but weakens the cloth in the process

SanforizingA patented pre-shrinking process from the Sanforizing Company. See: Pre-Shrinking

Sateen WeaveA 4 x 1 weave (one of the three basic weaves) that has more yarn surface on the face of the cloth than other basic weaves giving a softer hand and more lustrous look. Also, cloth made with combed yarns that are usually mercerized and have a very smooth, lustrous surface effect

Supima® CottonA brand name applied to articles made from 100% Pima cotton grown by members of the Supima® Association of America. (100% American grown Pima cotton)

Thread CountThe actual number of threads in one square inch of cloth

Twill WeaveA basic fabric weave identified by diagonal lines in the woven cloth

Warp Yarns(also called warp ends) The yarns going the length of the woven fabric; set up for weaving on large spools called beams