The History of Cotton Sheets

The next time you slip into a set of freshly washed sheets, you should stop and think about the history of those sheets. Historians are uncertain as to when humans first began using sheets, though many believe that the use dates back at least 1,000 years. Prior to that, people typically slept on small mats or beds stuffed with horsehair or hay. The bed featured two pieces of fabric stitched together and stuffed with another material. The fabric was typically rough and humans began using sheets because this new fabric covering made the bed slightly more comfortable. 

The Egyptians were the first to use woven fabrics. The culture broke flax plants into smaller pieces and created woven linen from those pieces. The Egyptians used large looms and wove the fabric into large sheets. Two sheets stitched together were large enough for covering a bed mat. Europeans traveled to Egypt and noted the design. Those settlers and explorers returned home with the same design and individuals began manufacturing sheets. Since the process of making the sheets was so intensive and took so much time, only the rich and wealthy used the fabric.

Settlers to the New World of America continued making linen designs, including towels, pillowcases and sheets. Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin led to cotton sheets. Prior to the cotton gin, it was difficult to grow cotton and send cotton to other areas. Following his invention, Americans began producing cotton in large numbers and weaving that cotton into sheets. The process started around 1930 and within 30 years, most companies used cotton for bed sheets. Along the East Coast, manufacturing plants began popping up with each plant producing different products, including sheets. The manufacturing process lowered the costs, which gave more people access to the sheets.

The Industrial Age changed the process yet again. The plants produced sheets so quickly and cheaply that it became more cost effective to buy cotton sheets instead of weaving and creating sheets by hand. Each generation made changes to the process, which led to the sheets now used today. Some designs now incorporate nylon or Lycra, which make the sheets slightly stretchy. The invention of elastic led to elastic added to the sheets and led to the development of fitted sheets. Thanks to new technology, the sheets now last longer and come in more colors than once thought possible.

Sleep Well,

Rose

Bed Linens Etc.