Egyptian cotton can be spun into percale, which makes the softest, most luxurious type of bed sheets. Percale is extremely lightweight and perfect for those looking for cooling sheets since it doesn’t retain heat. It has a natural matte finish that results in a clean, crisp look.

The 19^th century saw the invention of the cotton gin. This machine quickly and easily separates cotton fibres from their seeds which revolutionised cotton production. Thus, the cotton sheet was born. This was the start of a new industry. It became much easier to produce cotton than flax and that in turn made it a cheaper product. Ultimately cotton became the popular choice for bedding, though the name bed linen stuck.