What is a fitted bed sheet & how to choose the right one for you?
A guide to fitted sheet depth and how to choose the right one
Have you ever slept in a bed where the bottom sheet pings off, and you wake up on the bare mattress? Tossing and turning or sharing a bed with a partner along with the incorrect fitted sheet measurements can result in waking up tangled in! Bed sheets provide you with protection and comfort from your mattress, but fitted sheets offer extra support through the night that you can rely on.
There are various depths of fitted sheet available and this guide will help you discover the right one to choose for your bed.
What is a fitted sheet?
A fitted sheet is a layer of fabric used to cover your mattress to provide comfort, protection and even add a touch of style to your bed. They cover the top and sides of your mattress and then overlap onto the bottom where they are often elasticated around the edges to help secure them into place.
A standard fitted sheet measures between 25-30cm in depth and is suitable for most standard depth mattresses. We would recommend using a standard fitted sheet on top of a thin mattress protector, for anything thicker than this, opt for a deep fitted sheet instead.
What is a deep fitted sheet?
Deep fitted bed sheets usually measure at around 40cm deep. A deep fitted sheet offers all the comfort and protection of a standard fitted sheet but with extra depth to accommodate for a deep mattress or toppers.
If your mattress is more than 30cm deep, or if you sleep on top of a thick, fluffy mattress topper or a pillowtop mattress, we would we would recommend choosing a deep fitted sheet. The extra depth in the sheet will allow enough room for it to fit around the bottom edges of your mattress, keeping it in place as you sleep.
So, how do you keep a fitted sheet on a bed and make sure it stays in place? We’ve outlined our 3 steps to help you find the correct size fitted sheet for a double bed or single bed. Whatever your bed size or depth, we’ve got all the help you need to sleep well tonight.
Step 1: Measure your mattress
It sounds simple, but the best place to start is to properly measure your mattress, and also check out the full dimensions on the website. We recommend starting at one of the corners of the mattresses, and using a measuring tape, measure vertically from the bottom seam to the top.
If using a mattress topper (or your mattress features an in-built topper), it’s important to measure the top seam of the topper to the bottom of the mattress. We’d recommend using a 40cm bed sheet depth to allow plenty of room to cover. Your fitted sheet should always be deeper than your mattress. Take a look at our mattress size guide to help you get started.
Step 2: How to choose the right bed linen fabric for your deep fitted bed sheet
Once you've got your fitted sheet depth, it's time to choose your bed linen! With so many bedding fabrics on the market, if you’re unsure what to look for it can seem a bit of a mind field. But there’s plenty of options available, with various colours, styles and designs for you to choose from, and there’s plenty of ways to add your stamp of personality.
Egyptian Cotton
You’ve probably heard of this luxury cotton, but what is all the fuss about? The fibre is strong, long and fine, which helps to create a soft and fine fabric which has a wonderful drape. What you normally find in a luxury hotel, Egyptian cotton is a best-seller across the globe and is available in a variety of thread-counts.
Eco-friendly options
As we all work towards a more sustainable planet, why should we forget about our bedrooms? Retailers are working harder to ensure that the products they bring to market have a beneficial impact on the environment. Browse our Eco-friendly section, where you’ll find beautifully soft Organic Cotton, unique to us in the UK Hemp bedding and more.
Supima Cotton
Used also in towels and dressing gowns, this cotton is sourced from America and known as the ‘Cashmere of Cottons’. The rich, smooth sateen weave is extraordinary and achieved from its extra-long-staple cotton fibre length. We use this in our classical style white Supima cotton bed linen ranges which is a popular choice for our wholesale customers.
Silk bed linen
Praised for its beauty benefits, sleeping on silk bedding not only feels soft, but it hydrates your skin and reduces wrinkles and hair damage. Wonderful for summer as it’s temperature regulating properties wicks away heat from your body and cools you down - a perfect option for a fitted sheet on your bed.
Step 3: Choose the right size and depth
Once you know what size your mattress is, and what fabric suits you, it’s time to start shopping! If you sleep with an inbuilt topper on your mattress or have an additional layer, we’d always recommend choosing a 40cm depth fitted sheet or also known as a ‘deep’ fitted sheet. This has plenty of room to encase and also to stop the corners of the sheet pinging up whilst you’re asleep.
If you don’t use an additional topper, our 30cm standard depth will fit just right, plus with its elasticated edges all the way around, you’ll find making your bed eases. Struggling to fold your fitted sheet? We’ve got this helpful video for our secret tips.
There’s no need to worry about disturbing your sleep from run-away fitted sheet corners with our helpful 3 step plan. Read more about the benefits of the bed linen fabrics here.
Shop our luxury bed linen today, and create your perfect bedroom.