What Is a Fitted Sheet? Your Guide to Choosing a Perfect Fit

Most of us crave that feeling of slipping into a perfectly made bed at the end of a long day, and a key part of that experience is a fitted sheet. You might be asking, what is a fitted sheet?

Essentially, a fitted sheet is designed to snugly cover and protect your mattress. Unlike a flat sheet, it has elasticized edges that tuck under the mattress to stay in place. But there's more to fitted sheets than just practicality; there are special types, such as deep pocket fitted sheets, that accommodate thicker mattresses. Additionally, the thread count—often mentioned when discussing bed linens. Understanding the different sizes is also key, as knowing what size is a full fitted sheet, for instance, can prevent you from dealing with a poorly fitting sheet that can ruin your sleep experience.

The Essentials of Choosing Fitted Sheets

The fitted sheet might not be the star of your bedding, but it sure is an unsung hero. These stretch over and grip the corners of your mattress, ensuring the sheet stays flat and in place all night. When choosing a fitted sheet that’s right for you, here’s a few things to consider:

• Material Matters: A sheet's fabric influences comfort, breathability, and warmth. SIJO’s options include cooling eucalyptus, organic cotton, and French linen—all crafted for a soothing night’s sleep.
• Purposeful Purchasing: SIJO’s mission aligns with the conscious customer, delivering quality that speaks to your values. When you choose a fitted sheet, you’re investing in both your well-being and the planet's.
• Know Your Mattress Size:A full mattress usually measures 54 inches by 75 inches, but dimensions can fluctuate, so grabbing a measuring tape is wise. If you have a mattress topper or a particularly tall mattress, ensure you’re also accounting for its increased depth.

Finding Your Fit: Sizing for Full and Other Mattress Dimensions

Ensuring your fitted sheet seamlessly suits your mattress can seem tricky, but with the right know-how, it’s a breeze. Here's how to make sure you're choosing the right size fitted sheet for your bed:

1. Measure Your Mattress: Before shopping, know the length, width, and depth of your mattress.
2. Check the Size Chart: Use a simple guide to match your mattress size to the appropriate fitted sheet.

Here's a quick reference to common mattress and sheet sizes:

• Twin: Usually 38” x 75”
• Twin XL: Slightly longer than a twin at 38” x 80”
• Full: Also known as double, measuring 54” x 75”
• Queen: Measuring 60” x 80”
• King: Measuring 76” x 80”
• California King: Longest standard size at 72” x 84”

Understanding Deep Pocket Fitted Sheets

For those with a high-profile or cushioned mattress, standard fitted sheets sometimes come up short—literally. That's where deep pocket fitted sheets come into play. A deep pocket fitted sheet is designed to fit the thicker mattresses on the market, particularly those with top layers like pads or toppers.

Here are a few details to know about deep pocket fitted sheets:

• Dimension match: They usually start at about 13 inches in depth, but can go up to 17 inches or more to accommodate extra-thick mattresses.
• Secure fit: The deeper pockets ensure that the corners won’t slip off in the middle of the night, which can be a problem with shallower sheets on a bulky mattress.
• Specialized elastics: Often these sheets feature all-around elastic, or additional anchor straps, to grip the mattress snugly.

If your mattress is deep and you've struggled with fitted sheets that just won't stay put, measuring your mattress for depth and matching that with the specifications of deep pocket sheets can be a game-changer for your bedding setup.

Thread Count: Unraveling Quality in Fitted Sheets

When you're looking for the perfect fitted sheet, you might be wondering, "what is a good thread count for fitted sheets?"  Here's what you need to know:

Thread count refers to the number of threads woven together in a square inch of fabric. However, don't be misled by exceptionally high thread counts, as they are not always a sign of superior quality. Sometimes, an honest 100 to 500 thread count can offer the ideal balance between durability and comfort. There are other important components to fitted sheets than just thread count:

• Durability of the material
• Safety in manufacturing
• Softness of the fabrics
• Health benefits they provide

In your pursuit of the perfect fitted sheet, it's not just about the numbers. The type of weave and the quality of the fiber matter just as much, if not more.

We hope these insights have helped you master the art of selecting the perfect fitted sheet, armed with the knowledge of sizes, deep pockets, and thread counts. 

At SIJO, every piece of bedding is crafted with sleep wellness and sustainability at its heart. Explore our Cooling Eucalyptus Sheet Sets, our new Organic Percale Cotton Sheets, or any other thoughtful treat from our collection, and experience the difference for yourself.

Here's to better sleep, a healthier planet, and waking up feeling refreshed every morning.