Your cart
There are no more items in your cartGood sleep is a form of art... and just like any art, it has its own vocabulary. Understanding the terms that describe your bed, its materials, the technology it uses or the quality of your bedding, is already a step in the direction of more peaceful nights.
Because high-quality sleep starts with having clear and reliable information, this glossary has been designed to provide you with a guide that is both accurate and accessible. It will help you decipher the technical properties of your bed while highlighting the refined details that can transform each night into a veritable experience of comfort.
A
ATTACHED STRIP
Addition of strips of colours and/or different textures onto an item (duvet cover, pillowcase, etc.) to create an elegant and refined combination of solids. Its execution necessitates perfect mastery of mitred corners and attention to detail so that the strips are perfectly straight.
B
BIAIS
A strip of fabric cut diagonally (on the bias) giving a clean and flexible finish to the edges.
BOTTLENECK CLOSURE
Also called an envelope or chimney, this is an extension of the fabric at the foot of the duvet cover that can be used to secure the duvet cover under the mattress.
BUTTON CLOSURE
Closure system used for duvet covers and pillowcases with sewn buttons that keep the bedlinen closed.
C
CARDED COTTON
Cotton fibres that have not been combed: they retain their short fibres and result in a cloth that is more matte and slightly rough.
COMBED COTTON
Process to untangle, air, comb and lay parallel raw cotton fibres. It is superior to carding as this process uses longer fibres to create a higher quality thread.
COTTON SATIN
Quality of 100% long-fibre combed cotton with a specific weave and a high thread count that give a satin-like appearance to the fabric that reflects colours more intensely and feels extremely soft and silky to the touch.
COTTON VOILE
Very light, fine and semi-transparent fabric. It is airy and fluid, and is appreciated for its softness and delicate appearance for pillowcases or decorative covers.
D
DENSITY
The density of a fabric is measured by its number of threads per centimetre. This measurement is made by direct observation and counting the threads in a square centimetre.
F
FABRIC WITH A NICE HAND
A “nice hand”, is a fabric that is pleasant to touch, and that has a noticeable top-end feel and quality. Four key features must be met: Feel: soft, silky, dry, “peach skin”, etc. Suppleness/fluidity: how it drapes, whether it is fluid or on the contrary more “nervous”. Density and body: fine, but consistent, or light and airy. Perceived quality: impression of a high-quality material, well-finished and comfortable.
FINISHING
A set of treatments that make it possible to give a fabric new properties (anti-stain, crease-resistant, shine, colour-fast, strength, water-repellent, fire-retardant, etc.). This stage forms part of the finishing process.
FLANNELETTE
100% cotton fabric, brushed on one or both sides and used to produce protectors for your bed. The more the fabric is brushed, the softer and more absorbent it becomes and the better the protection it provides against perspiration rings.
FRILL
Finish used on pillowcases, sheets and bolsters that consists of stitching around the product.
G
GRAMMAGE
This indicates the weight/m² of a fabric or other material, such as sponge.
I
INDANTHRENE
Patented at the start of the 20th century, this is a registered trademark covering all synthetic dyes that use indanthrene blue. The specific characteristics of indanthrene blue are: high resistance to light, bad weather and heat up to 150°C.
L
LADDER
A decorative finish created by a series of regular openings in the fabric creating a ladder effect. This delicate technique gives the cloth an elegant and refined touch.
O
OPENWORK
Decorative opening on a fabric, it is first punched and then embroidered. Also called “ladder”. A set of treatments that make it possible to give a fabric new properties (anti-stain, crease-resistant, shine, colour-fast, strength, water-repellent, fire-retardant, etc.). This stage forms part of the finishing process.
P
PERCALE COTTON
A quality of 100% combed long-fibre cotton with a tight weave and a variable thread that is soft to the touch and extremely easy to care for. Percale cotton bed linen provides optimum breathability and an incomparable feeling of freshness.
PIPING
Finish that consists of a fabric edging that is inserted into a seam. This decoration provides contrast and embellishes the product.
PLAIN
Type of weave that is simple and regular, whereby one thread passes under and over the other in alternation.
POCKET OF A FITTED SHEET
The pocket is the part of the sheet that goes over the corners and the thickness of the mattress. Its depth is therefore the size of the corners of the sheet. For a mattress that is 30cm thick, choose a 30cm pocket.
Q
QUILTING
Technique that consists of sewing the fabric using regular stitches, often to spread out and stabilise the filling (as in duvets or quilts). It provides structure and uniform comfort.
S
SATIN STITCH
Satin stitch is an embroidery stich that creates a relief on the fabric. Applied using a special machine that makes very narrow zigzag stitching, this decoration can usually be done in varying widths.
STITCH
Generic term referring to a sewing or embroidery stitch: this is how the threads are assembled in the fabric or decoration. Different stitches change the appearance and robustness.
W
WASHED LINEN
100% linen fabric that is pre-washed after dying to give a more relaxed “stone-washed” appearance. During the production stage, the fabric and/or product are washed in a large industrial machine with stones (usually pumice stones) which beat the fibres loosening the weave, and making these fibres soft and supple. Our washed linen is sourced from linen grown in France and woven in Italy.
WEAVE
The weave of a fabric is expressed by the NUMBER OF THREADS or THREAD COUNT. It tells us how the warp and weft threads interlace to create a fabric. There are several types of weave: There are three basic weaves: plain, twill and satin. Versions and combinations of these weaves, and special weaves can be used to create a large number of different fabrics.