Submitted by eyelinerandicecream t3_117ssm9 in BuyItForLife
So I only like to sleep on linen bedsheets. About 2.5 years ago I bought two sets of linen bedsheets from Lands End. They both now have holes in the fitted sheets. I’m so annoyed. I spent about $400 for my two sets … which works out to about $3.85 per week.
What linen sheets do you recommend that lasts well over 2 years? I am willing to save money to buy them if they are very expensive but last extremely long.
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Oh, data to support a claim...we love you!
Thanks! I’ll have to figure out how to reduce abrasion when I buy my next set of sheets.
More mild detergents (grey water recycling detergents, specifically Oasis, are great for this) and hang drying, when an option, help a lot.
Also, I’ve learned that using fabric softeners does much more harm to any material than good. White vinegar is recommended as it’s a softening agent, and if anyones worried about the vinegar smell, it disappears, and is so much better for washers and dryers, keeping them much cleaner because fabric softeners made for laundry leave a film on both your laundry and your appliances that keeps building up over time.
I switched to white vinegar years and years ago and never looked back.
Same with me, along with baking soda, too. I use them both for so many things, and can’t imagine spending so much money on all the “newest, latest and greatest things”, seen in commercials everyday.
Look into reducing your abrasive personality while you’re at it
Thank you for this!
I found that using flat sheets (and tucking them under mattress) instead of fitted sheets make them last longer. Heavier gsm is also best for durability. Linoto has some heavier denser linen sheets that will last far longer than Lands End / Pottery Barn. Other options are Etsy shops (LinaPlusHome has some amazing Italian woven linen sheets)
I have checked out Linoto. (I found it by searching for sheets on this subreddit but still decided to post since there wasn’t a dedicated post to just linen sheets). Someone posted that theirs have lasted seven years so far. At the current price it comes out to about $1.10 per week; that’s a much better deal then my current ones even though they are twice the price.
I’ll check out the Etsy brand as well.
Thank you for the recs.
Edit: Also now that I still have two flat sheets I can start using one as a bottom sheet. Guess I can get some more life out of the current ones I have.
I purchased the Linoto set and was hugely disappointed. They ripped less than a year after owning. The company did not fix the issue and told me it was because i did not line dry them after every wash. I would absolutely not recommend using them as the quality is no longer there.
Oh wow! Thank you for the heads up. Yeah, I’m not always able to line dry. I do always tumble dry on the lowest setting if I can’t but I would be very disappointed in spending that money and them not doing anything about it because I can’t always line dry. 😬
Vintage ones if you bed is no larger than a full/double size. They knew how to make quality long-lasting sheets back in the day.
More likely, the inferior products they also made back in the day have long since been thrown away. The good ones remain.
I'm old enough to remember buying sheets myself back in those days. There weren't the hundreds of brands like there today. There maybe a dozen or so name brands. They were all made in the U.S at the big cotton mills that exited then. They didn't turn out inferior quality. Things made then were made to last. Of course things such as sheets and towels would wear out eventually but it took the many years, being always washed in the hottest water, often with bleach.
Fabrics in those days were nothing like the throwaway stuff of today
They soon learned if they made things to last, people wouldn’t be back to buy more any time soon. It’s gross how the throw away quality of everything is by design. Gotta keep profit margins up.
Following this line of logic, I think small shops are the only ones with aligned incentives. A single person or small team is never going to run out of people to sell to, provided they can ship far enough. Of course just being a small shop isn't a guarantee of quality. Probably the opposite— there's a lot more variability between good and bad between small shops, or even between different batches from the same shop. But at least the possibility is there. So I guess that points to… something like etsy? Or local, if it exists in your area.
Other way around, this is what consumers demand. People have become less cost tolerant. They will buy crap if it's a buck cheaper. Companies that make long lasting stuff go out of business because no one buys their more expensive products. The rhetoric of planned obsolescence is blaming the wrong people.
Interesting take. I bought the most expensive fridge for quality. 3 years later it stops cooling. I called to have it repaired and was basically laughed at and told 3-5 years is about right for a fridge. Meanwhile my 30 year old olive colored one in the basement still purrs like a kitten.
Which fridge?
Also, when it comes to refrigerators there have been such advancements in efficiency that even 3-5 years you'll still save money on a new one. Which is my focus in BIFL, buy it good once or cheap over and over.
I have a queen size bed unfortunately.
There is a Finnish brand called Finlayson they have a range called Jesus bed linen made out of linnen, which have a 50yr warranty on them. Check that out
I have a linen set from west elm that’s about 8 years old and still excellent. Rotating 2 sets from parachute now that are about 2 years old and pristine. Wash on cooler water when you’re not dealing with a stain or post sickness, dry on a low setting or line dry if possible. Also worth reaching out to lands end. They may replace for you even outside of warranty for manufacturing defect. Edit: typo
All excellent advice, and calling customer service for Lands End, (or anyone), for that matter, doesn’t cost a dime and can prove to be very worthwhile time spent. If not, at least you’ve tried!
Do you have the links to which exact ones you have from west elm and parachute? Or the names of the to search? Thanks!!
It was just their 100% linen sheets. Mine are white.
I’ve been happy with both Brooklinen and Parachute linen sheets. They have a good warranty and customer service if you think they’re wearing out faster than they should.
Check out Buffy’s “hemp linen” sheets. Hemp fibers woven to mimic the feel of linen. Hemp doesn’t crimp like linen, doesn’t experience nearly the same fiber loss as linen or cotton, and is far more abrasion resistant. Overall, I’ve been very happy with them. Slept on them for at least a couple years nightly.
Oh, I’ve never heard of hemp linen. I will check them out. I hope they are as wicking as linen (or better). I am like a furnace at night when I sleep.
Thank you for the rec.
Same here. In my experience they’ve been about the same. Slightly less neutral in temp to the touch during the winter… but I also have a purple mattress, and the top gel layer of that gets very cold.
Is your washing machine okay? Seems like a short amount of time to wear through any sheets.
Good point. This can make a huge difference
Probably not the advice you are looking for, but I know a lot of people use a cotton bottom sheet with a linen top sheet just for this reason.
If you want to decrease your price per week you could also shop sales. Discount stores like Nordstrom rack, HomeGoods, Marshalls, tj Maxx, etc sell discounted linen sheets. I just got a king size linen sheet set for $70 and if the bottom sheet lasts 2 years that is less than $1 a week. After that I can likely just replace the fitted sheet if I decide I want to stick with linen.
Otherwise I've read that the average time for a high quality (thicker) linen bottom sheet is around 5 years if you take really good care of it (hang dry) and rotate it. I've heard good things about magic linen. Good luck! This just seems to be the nature of linen based on what I've read.
Would it help to buy toenail clippers?
This is a genuinely good point!
Not having said this could be OP’s problem, it’s a common problem, along with any kind of roughness on anyones feet.
📍I’ve got to add to this by saying that I’ve got restless leg (and feet) syndrome, which has caused my sheets excessive wear and tare the last several years. Nails being nicely trimmed, it’s still very likely to happen. When I finally realized that’s what caused my sheet problem it was such an “AHA moment” for me!
So, I had the same experience with linen sheets. I bought a buttery soft set from coyuchi. Pricey but so comfortable. Had holes within two years.
From my research, anything that is very soft has been “stone-washed’. Which is essentially aging the sheets to make them softer. If you want sheets that will last they need to be untreated. They will also feel like a burlap sack for a while.
I bought a set from morrow soft goods. They are considerably thicker than the coyuchi ones. Have had them about year with no holes. They were not nearly as soft but have worn in well. I like them.
OP, I mentioned the following below in a reply to someone mentioning good toe nail clippers, because I’ve personally had a related problem below ⬇️
📍I’ve got to add to this by saying that I’ve got restless leg (and feet) syndrome, which has caused my sheets excessive wear and tare the last several years. Nails being nicely trimmed, it’s still very likely to happen. When I finally realized that’s what caused my sheet problem it was such an “AHA moment” for me!
Also, OP, someone mentioned using flat sheets vs fitted in the comments. I’ve not done any research myself, but I have a friend who’s been self employed in the cleaning business over 30 years now, who’s told me hotels etc, use flat sheets only (as does she), because the ware and tare is so much less than using fitted sheets.
When thinking about what she’d told me years ago, i can only recall having noticed that housekeeping uses flat sheets only when making beds, typically using two flat sheets on the mattress itself in such a way that they stay put, and last longer
I’ve had really good luck with west elm bedding. We have a single set for our bed, which means we wash jt 52 times a year and sleep on it 365 days a year and it lasts us about 3 years before the holes start coming
Not sure there are any sheets that last a lifetime. Best I’ve gotten is out of super high thread count and having a lot of sets but still not buy it for life status. Even synthetic will break down eventually, can’t stand the feel personally tho.
Yeah, agreed that sheets are not a once in a lifetime purchase. Just looking for some quality linen sheets that I don’t have to worry about rebuying every other year.
I can’t stand the feel of synthetic sheets against my skin either. I only buy linen sheets because it feels the best against my skin and if I’m gonna spend a third of my life in bed then I’m gonna buy what feels the best to me.
When you do narrow it down to a few comparable sets, always read the reviews if buying on line, or in stores for that matter. I’ve also learned that some with the highest number of reviews and sales, are often not accurate when reviews can vary to opposite extremes. Have also learned to filter for the most recent reviews, since it’s most likely there’s been an improvement, (or decline), in many products from good brands as well as lesser known brands.
I’ve spent so much time reading reviews on sheets and other essential items, always wanting to get the best quality at the most reasonable price for quality items.
I also always write reviews for items I love and why, as well as those I do not, and why, oftentimes posting photos or short videos, too. (I also recommend watching).
Good luck OP, I understand the struggle!
Yeah I’m the same way, I’ve found high thread cotton sheets to wear quite nicely, they can seem touch stiff by still luxurious and as they wear they get a really nice feel to them. I shop around at Tuesday morning and marshals and can usually find 1000 count sheets king sized for around 100$ and you get the added bonus of getting to feel them. As a other poster indicated not all are of equal value, and online sales reviewers may not like the same attributes as you do (or be fake reviews)
The holistic answer to your question is there is no answer. There are no metrics of comparison with linen. There are no types of linen. Thread count doesn't mean shit. Brand name doesn't mean shit save for possible warranty claims. So here are your options:
Check these linen sheets with 50 year warranty: https://finlaysonshop.com/collections/jesus
I purchased a set of West Elm european flax linen sheets 2 years ago and theyre holding up just fine even with a small dog that likes to dig into them several times before laying down
I really love my Piglet in Bed linen sheets! Have 3 sets of duvet cover, fitted sheets, and pillows. Never noticed an issue with durability.
I only own two sets of sheets (both linen) and only one set has a flat sheet. I haven't noticed any obvious wear to either over the last ~4 years. I alternate/launder every one to two weeks, and I don't hang dry. And my sheets are just now beginning to soften. That being said, before trying to find a new brand, I'd want to know the root cause of what you're seeing, because what you're describing sounds incredibly unusual. Where are the holes happening? Even if you've been washing your sheets at high heat and high spin, that kind of wear sounds nuts. Where are the holes happening? Are they coming from stitches coming loose at the edges? Near your toes (i.e. perhaps toenails cutting into them?) Where your dog/cat sleeps? Are you soaking stains in bleach? You'll want to know why the holes are happening before spending more money, in my opinion. Also, if they are small holes, I'd just darn and/or patch them in the meantime until you figure out what you want to get next.
Modern linen sheets wear out fast. What you can do is use the top sheet for a bottom sheet like people used to do before there were fitted sheets.
Then when the bottom sheet wore out in the middle, they would cut the sheet in half length-wise and sew the good outside edges together in the middle and trim the worn part on the sides and re-hem them.
https://ladykemmanewlinenblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/26/draft-turning-sheets-sides-to-middle/
Textiles are relatively cheap these days, so people don't even know about tricks like this.
What I do is use linen top sheets only to get the benefit of linen while still enjoying smooth percale bottom sheets and pillowcases. Ditto for flannel in the winter. I really do not like flannel or linen pillowcases at all.
None of mine have lasted more than 5 years, and that includes linoto and rough linen. I went back to cotton.
Roughlinen.com
Make sure you are getting good quality fabric. Durable linen sheets will be thick, tightly woven, & use longer linen fibers.
I've never had sheets wear out or break like that, even the cheapest set I ever bought lasted 4 years. So I wonder how you are washing them? If you have a top loading washer your sheets may be getting wrapped around those awful center agitators and ripping. You may need to try a different gentler setting or just wash them by hand.
Never ever put linen or cotton sheets in a dryer either, hang them to dry if you want them to last. Dryers use heat and heat destroys all types of fabric, but is especially brutal to natural fibers.
We have been rotating 3 linen bed sets these past 2 years: 2 from Mango Home and 1 from IKEA.
The Mango ones are still going strong am very comfortable. The IKEA set is shot quality but that's just a filler until I find an EU based company with good quality linen set and have saved up enough to upgrade to something real good.
Highly recommend checking out Parachute Home! Also, I'd make sure to wash on warm and line dry to make the fabric last longer! :)
Finnish brand Finlayson. These are soft as! Also 50year warranty ;)
https://suomikauppa.fi/en/products/finlayson-jesus-pellavapussilakanasetti-150x21050x75
Brooklinen all the way
I thought lands end had lifetime warranties? What did their customer service say?
linoto! $$$$ but amazing, a black owned small business
I don’t recommend Parachute. While I love their style, we had linen sheets that tore after about a year 1/2. I was so sad and disappointed.
I love linen, but it kind of sticks. As a bottom sheet, it would have a tendency to not allow sliding as much as those made from a combination of cotton and poly. I think that a combo sheet on the bottom and a linen top sheet could be perfect. I'm one that uses a flat sheet on the bottom (king size for our queen mattress), because my husband was always pulling fitted sheets out. I also buy vintage sheets off of eBay, and find vintage cotton/poly percale to be the toughest and smoothest, vs. 100% cotton ones. We've had our current bottom sheet for at least 5 years. It's a combo sheet with a Montgomery Ward tag on it, of all things. I think sheets have really taken a dive.
I've used my set from Restoration Hardware since 2016.
I use sheets that I've found a estate sales. Old but new in unopened packages. Women used to buy sheet sets and tuck them away for when they needed them. I'm talking about sheets that were made in the 1950s, 19560s, of 100% natural cotton. These sheets last forever and standup very well to hot water washing.
Thank you for your rec but I am looking for linen sheets not cotton.
Edit: the internet is wild. I ask for recommendations for linen sheets and receive a response about cotton sheets. I politely say thank you and try to steer the conversation back to the item I am interested in, linen sheets, and I get downvoted. Just wild.
I don't know why you got downvoted but it happens for inexplicable reasons sometimes. Makes no sense.
And THAT’S such a shame. It happens so often to so many people, (me included),and makes no sense.
We know that common sense is not something everyone has, and unfortunately many people enjoy attempting to get under others skin, or they simply do not bother to read your post in its entirety, which is pointless to me
I bought very durable bamboo sheets that are suuuper soft. Make sure it’s 100% bamboo rayon or tencel.
Redland cotton on my bucket list but I’ve had a number of sheets still going strong over years. I alternate sets from lands end and target.
I've never heard of linen sheets. What's the draw? My flannel sheets create a lot dust, so I'm looking for an alternative.
Buy cotton percale. I like Redland Cotton. I hear LL Bean also makes a good one.
Came here to say this. I used to use linen but once I found percale I was a convert. It lasts longer and is so much smoother on my skin. I haven’t tried LL Bean’s because I love Thomas Lee’s. I figure why keep looking if you’ve found one you love 🤷♀️
I got some sets of Egyptian cotton sheets like 10-15 years ago and they are at about half life. 1000 thread count are too tight and take several years to get as comfortable as 6-800 thread count but today they could be used as a sail in strong wind they are in such good shape. 800 thread count still beautiful with color fading and are my favorite. 600 serviceable but like the 800 better
Junior_Ad2955 t1_j9dnva8 wrote
Linen sheets for the most part will wear out faster than cotton