What To Expect From Your New Bed Linens
Like wine and quality leather, fine bed linens fall into the category of things that only improve with age. Our all-natural linens are an heirloom product, expertly crafted artisanal textiles that start out beautiful and only grow softer, smoother, and more comfortable with each use & wash, built to stand the test of time.
Wrinkling
The only way to achieve low- or no-wrinkle sheeting is to either heavily chemically treat the fabric (often with formaldehyde) or cut the fibres with a high percentage of polyester, neither of which will ever be the case with our linens. With that in mind, there will be a wrinkle factor, which we regard as a sign of quality, all-natural bedding! Luckily wrinkling will reduce significantly with time, and can be easily minimized with proper care.
TIP: for a wrinkle quick-fix, mist your linens with water or linen spray until damp and smooth out with the palm of your hand.
Softening
The beauty of artisanal bed linens is that they only improve with time, taking on more body, smoothness, and softness with each use & wash. While your new sheeting will feel great out of the package, they simply can't compare to the feel of your well-loved pieces that have had plenty of time to relax and break in. Your new sheets will get there - we promise! - it just takes a bit of time and patience while you allow the fabric to "break in."
TIP: distilled white vinegar is a natural clarifier & fabric softener. Add 1/2 cup to your rinse cycle for natural softening.
Sizing
With over 40 years of experience under our belts, we are keenly aware of the rates at which our natural fabrics shrink (and trust us, they will shrink!). We use this knowledge to calculate the correct amount of extra fabric to build into our bedding. Of course extra fabric will = an oversized fit, but this will correct itself over the first few months of use and washing; the sheeting simply needs time to reach its full shrinkage potential. Trust the process!
TIP: the fitted sheet is usually the most noticeably oversized out of the package. Tightly tuck extra fabric under the mattress all around for a more snug fit.
How to Care for Linens
Proper care is key to ensuring your bed linens feel amazing and stand the test of time. Au Lit Fine Linens owner & bedding expert, Joanna Goodman, discusses the ease of laundering your linens and how to keep them looking beautiful for years to come.
Watch VideoFAQs
How can I expect my bedding to shrink if I'm not using the dryer?
Even in the absence of high heat, natural fibres will shrink. Through production and use, the fabric experiences a natural degree of stretching and will revert back to its natural state when wet. Heat exacerbates shrinkage and can lead to excessive shrinkage, though natural fabrics will shrink even if not exposed to high heat.
Why is my new linen bedding shedding so much lint?
Linen fabric, just like any natural-fibre fabric, will shed during the first few washes; this process is simply the shedding of excess natural fibres. This is completely normal and in fact to your benefit, as shedding is a integral part of the softening process! Washing your linen sheets in cold water can be helpful to keep shedding at bay, though the real key is patience; any shedding will naturally dissipate with washing & your linen will only soften as a result.
Why do my new sheets feel different from the same ones I bought a few years ago?
New sheeting will never feel quite as soft and supple as its well-loved counterparts, even if the exact same material, weave, and thread count. This is because natural fabrics "break in" over time with use and washing (think how a new pair of jeans takes time to break in for a flawless fit). Your new sheeting will absolutely come to feel the same as your older sets as time goes on and those fibres relax .