Guide for Bed Linen

>> Create the perfect bed

Place one of our valances on the bed base then take a mattress protector and place it over the mattress, add our cluster filled topper with easy to apply anchor straps. Next place either a fitted sheet or flat sheet on top, add a natural filled duvet cover with one of our Egyptian cotton covers, dress with our natural filled pillows covered in either our housewife or mock oxford styled pillowcases, top with a variety of cushions and add a throw or runner to complete the perfect bed.

>> Thread count explained

Thread Count is the number of threads per square inch in the woven fabric of your Egyptian Cotton or Cotton Rich Bedding most commonly used for bed sheets and duvet covers. Are Highest Thread Counts really the best when choosing a new Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set? These are questions most companies simply don't want you to know or ask. Thread Count, and its determination, is actually one of the biggest and most confusing issues today for consumers. While Consumer Reports has done an excellent job of monitoring Bedding products and trends, certain specifics have remained unanswered. Are you aware that many either Falsify Thread Counts or intentionally mislead consumers as to the actual Thread Count? Did you know that there is in fact a vast difference in how manufacturers are determining Thread Count for Egyptian Cotton and Cotton Rich Sheets, Duvets Covers and Bedding? Manufacturers from many countries such as Egypt, China, Portugal, India and others are using 2-ply or multiple-ply threads up to 4-ply, claiming the Thread Count of their Egyptian Cotton Sheets and Duvets to be doubled to quadruple what we consider to be the true value. And, while this may seem trivial on the surface, the impact is substantial in the quality of product you're receiving. Rather than using one single-ply, Long Yarn Egyptian Cotton or Pure Cotton fibre of excellence, the cheapest fibre is instead twisted together to create a longer "thread."

>> What is Percale

A closely woven, plain weave, spun fabric made from both carded and combed yarns. Percale sheeting is the finest sheeting available. The high thread count gives the fabric a soft, silk-like feel.

>> What's the difference between Cotton and Linen?

Natural fibres fall into two main groups: protein fibres, which come from animals, and vegetable fibres which come from plants. The main ingredient in all vegetable fibres is cellulose, a carbohydrate found in all plant life. Both cotton and linen are vegetable fibres. Linen is made from the flax plant, cotton is made from the cotton plant.

>> How much will my linen shrink?

When you wash a 100% cotton product for the first time it typically will shrink 8-10% with very minimal shrinkage taking place in future washes. 100% Cotton Percale products shrink slightly less, around 5-6%, this is because they are usually have a much higher thread count.

>> Should you wash your linen before using?

We recommend washing all linens before using. Linens typically come straight from the manufacturing process and for hygiene purposes we washing before use.


>>Benefits of Polyester? Polyester is where long chain polymer fibres are chemically composed of at least 85% by weight of an ester, a dihydric alcohol and a terephthalic acid. When Polyester is woven into the yarn it has a far greater amount of strength and elasticity than a cotton yarn. The polyester yarn also improves the dimensional stability by not shrinking and retaining its original shape. It is more economical friendly, as polyester products dry much quicker and crease less after washing.

>> What are the differences between Bag, Housewife & Oxford Pillowcases

Housewife
A - opening of the pillowcase
B - envelope flap is tucked inside the pillowcase
C - top of the pillowcase showing a cut away section
D - pillow
E - envelope flap with the pillow tucked into it


Oxford / Square Oxford

Oxford pillowcases have a border round the edge, similar to a flap, but with no purpose except decorative and it is usually used underneath normal pillowcases.

A - opening of the pillowcase
B - oxford border
C - top of the pillowcase showing a cut away section
D - pillow Bag Bag style pillowcases are the most popular pillowcase style in the hospitality sector.

Most hotels use this style as it allows housekeepers to easily change the bedding when time is an issue.
A - opening of the pillowcase
B - hemmed edge
C - top of the pillowcase showing a cut away section
D - pillow Point
E - ends of the pillowcase tuck in on its self

>> Calendared Explained

A cotton fabric that has undergone a special finishing process incorporating heat and pressure to appear more lustrous.

>> What is Jacquard?

In fabrics, jacquard is a design created by weaving differently coloured threads together. Joseph Jacquard invented this decorative weaving technique in 1804. A special loom is used to weave a pattern directly into the fabric. A Jacquard loom makes it possible to control each warp thread so that each and every warp end can be raised or lowered at will to form an intricate design. Originally controlled by a punched card system sometimes called the first computer, today the loom is fed by computer generated information that eliminates the cards, making design changes faster and more efficient. Jacquard is characterized as a pattern woven into a fabric; either a surface effect, or a pattern produced with coloured yarns.

>> Wash Care Symbol Guide

Each item within our bed linen range comes with specific wash care instructions, follow these instructions and your linens will look like new for longer. Click here to view our wash care symbol guide if you are unsure what any mean.

>> How to wash and look after your Pillow, Duvet and Topper

In order to get the best performance from your filled product please follow the 2 simple step by step instructions below:

Step 1
Remove the item from the outer carton and polythene packaging and lay it flat on the bed, which will allow air to immediately circulate around and begin the expansion process. For pillows, leave for approximately 5 minutes. For duvets and toppers leave up to 24 hours. During this time the product will begin to expand and develop to its normal loft.

Step 2
Taking the product in each hand and starting at the centre of each side, gently pad. This will allow inner fibres to spread evenly whilst allowing more air to circulate in and around them thus increasing loft throughout the body. Repeat this process until the product appears even. It is very important to ‘tease’ the product and NOT to shake as this will cause compacting of the fibres/filling and produce lumpiness.

>> How to wash

Our pillows, duvets and toppers can be washed in a domestic washing machine with the Duvet wash programme, or failing that a Synthetic programme. If your machine does not have one of these settings we advise washing at 30°C and tumble dried on a low heat. After laundering please follow

step 2 to return the pillow to normal.


Many thanks

www.brentlinenhire.co.uk

Guide for Bath Linen

How to Pick the Perfect Towel......GSM Explained

Bath towels are typically the hardest working members of your hotel or household. As well as keeping us dry and clean, towels add to the look and feel of a bathroom and can even be expected to wipe up muddy floors or dry your pet after its weekly wash. When shopping for towels it is important to avoid choosing a towel from touch alone. Here are tips for finding high-quality towels and knowing how the GSM of a towel can play a vital part in the selection process.

To ensure the towel feels cozy and luxurious, check the care label and ensure it states the towel is 100% cotton. Cotton fibers naturally attract water and can hold almost 25 times its weight in liquid. For extra comfort, 100% combed cotton ensures that the shorter threads have been removed, keeping the towel strong and prevent pilling. However, most towels are made of cotton, but the look and feel of towels largely depends on the type of cotton used. Towels designed and priced for everyday use are typically made of standard cotton, while the more expensive Egyptian cotton towels have a much longer threads, allowing each towel to have more moisture absorbing loops per inch.

The number and the length of loops is also an important factor in choosing the right towel. The denser the loops, the more absorbent the towel will be so check the stitch for thick, tightly packed loops. If however you can see the base of the towel, then this is an indicator of a poor quality towel. The key to the longevity of a towel is for the hems to be double stitched all the way around the edges of the towel. This extra reinforcement reduces fraying and will give your bath towels a longer life.

The best way to judge the quality of a towel is to hold it. A high quality towel feels much heavier than it looks and in turn will be much more absorbent. The weight of a towel is measured by the GSM (Grams per Square Metre). Low GSM (300-400) towels are light and thin whilst high GSM (450-600) towels are thicker and heavier. A towel that weighs less than 400 GSM is likely to be thin and typically suitable for a gym bag or trips to the beach. If you are purchasing a hand towel or guest towel then it is advisable for the GSM to be at least 400. For Bath Towels, a higher GSM of 500 will provide a soft and absorbent towel. Typically, the higher the GSM, the better performance you will have from the towel.



Should you wash towels before using?

We would certainly recommend washing a new towel before using. Firstly for hygiene purposes and also a towel becomes much more absorbent after the first wash.



How to care for your towels

Always follow the washing instructions placed on the label of the towel.

If there is a stray pulled loop on the towel, cut off with a pair of scissors. This will not cause any damage to the towel.

Brent Linen suggest using detergent specifically for coloured towels and to avoid brightening detergents as this will affect the towel colour.

Brent Linen Towels can be washed at 50ºC.

A harsh texture to towels and bathrobes and an off-white colour are signs of bleach damage. It is best to avoid bleaching agents when washing towels.

Bathroom detergents and some beauty products such as cleansers contain bleaching agents and may cause permanent discolouration to your towel.

Washing too hot can cause the bars on the towels to shrink.

Fabric conditioner will reduce the absorbency of the towel, as it coats the yarn of the towel making it less efficient.

Do not dry clean towels.



What is Terry?

Terry is a cloth with either loops all over on both sides of the fabric or patterned loops on both sides. It is formed through a weaving process with an extra warp yarn to make the loops. Characteristics of terry cloth are as follows; long wearing, easy to launder with little or no ironing required. Terry can be bleached, dyed, or printed (similar to screen printing). Better quality terry has a close, firm underweave, with very close loops (the genreal rule of thumb is the closer the loops, the better the quality of terry). Terry is very absorbent, and the longer the loop, the greater the absorbency. When the pile is only on one side, it is called "Turkish toweling".



What makes terry cloth towels so absorbent?

Most terry cloth is made with cotton because the absorbent fibre gets stronger when wet and it can be washed in very hot water using strong bleach and detergent without harm. Terry cloth is usually made with looped pile because the loops act like very small sponges. Looped pile is also better able to withstand the strain of rubbing, pulling twisting and tugging by the user. Loosely twisted loops are softer and more absorbent than tightly twisted loops, which produce a rougher fabric. Long pile is more absorbent than short pile. Terry cloth is most absorbent when it has loops on both sides. Cotton can absorb up to 27 times its own weight in water.

Here at Brent Linen we have a number of terry products within our range including plain terry facecloths, terry guest towels, open toe terry slippers and Malibu bathrobes with an absorbent terry inner. 6. What is Velour? Velour towels are terry towels where the loops have been cropped to give a smoother texture and to make the design clearer.



How to care for your bathrobes

Washing

Wash the robe, depending on the amount of soiling, between 40°C and 60°C using a standard detergent.
Do not use any bleach products in the washing cycle.
Never wash robes with any other type of product to avoid pilling and linting.
After washing use a high spin cycle to remove as much excess water as possible. This will help to reduce drying time.

Drying

-The manufacturer`s care label states to tumble dry using a low heat.
-However a medium heat works very well. The heat ensures the robes dry quickly and also aids in allowing the fabric to fluff back up and retain its original softness.
-It is very important not to overload the dryer so that the robes have enough space to tumble properly. If the dryer is overloaded then the
fabric can become harsh to the touch due to the constant abrasive action and the fluffy appearance will be lost.
-Never tumble dry these robes with any other product to avoid pilling and linting.

General Tips

Always launder robes before use.
Always keep robes away from fire.
Do not Iron. This will affect the pile and can scorch / discolour.
Do not Dry Clean.

Services offered by Brent Linen Hire in Enfield Wash, Enfield, ENFIELD, EN3

Please call on 07966435273 or visit Brent Linen Hire at https://www.brentlinenhire.co.uk for Hotels Bed Sheets and Linen Hire, chef uniform hire, restaurant and wedding tablecloths rental, wedding table clothes hire Service  Suppliers  Wholesale  in London  UK at Cheap Price to Reduce your Costs. Some of our popular products are given below: