Is Luxury Bedding Worth the Splurge?

March 21 2021

March 21 2021

Updated: February 2022

With all the choices on what to purchase everywhere, we ask the question: Is luxury custom bedding worth the splurge? Think of the disposable linens from the big box store. All is good until about 3-6 months later when that bedding doesn't look and feel as nice as it once did. Maybe seams are beginning to fray, or the cotton is just getting stiff. And so begins the cycle of tossing or donating old bedding, and shopping and purchasing more. To break that cycle, the big question becomes - is higher quality bedding that will last nearly a life time worth the splurge? Luxury bedding are those where essential elements like design, fabric selection, and sewing are considered for their quality, fair labor, sustainability, and aesthetic. A luxury product does not complete with a big box product in quantity, it is a smaller scale proposition focused on quality instead. Here is the list of 7 key differences between these two types of linen purchases:

1. Longevity

Products that have a focus on slow sewing and quality fabrics will hold up better over time than those mass produced. This is an example of sustainable linens. When time and care has been placed onto the production, that will caring over to the longevity of the product. If reducing landfill is important to you, then buy better and less often. Custom bedding will give you that option.

2. Dye Quality

Fabric pigment can vary a lot. The quality of the fabric fibers and dyes and time spent in the dye process colors can fade in the wash or degrade in the sun or heat. Brights and whites will change their hue.

3. Softness versus Stiff

The fiber content in fabrics all react differently to the harshness of the wash and dry cycle. Generally less expensive fibers like short-stem cottons or any synthetic blends like cotton/polyester break down much more quickly than premium fibers like linen. If you use a hot dryer, you'll notice this happen quickly. Fabrics will start to feel stiff rather than soft, like linen. The cycle of having to replace that bedding will start again.

4. Color Spectrum

Have you ever noticed when looking at the bedding area of a large department store or big box store that the color selections in bedding are wide but predictable. Nice whites and neutrals are the most popular, followed by black and gray. There are also patterns - florals mostly. And that is generally all. Bedding that is replaceable and made that way, generally uses a limited palette of mainstay colors for their products. If you are looking for something a little different, or perhaps an interesting pattern or stripe, luxury is the better alternative.

5. Fabric Quality

Probably the biggest point of difference between between disposable and luxury is materials and sewing. Premium fabrics like linen will hands down out live cotton, making it a better long term choice. Sewing also is part of equation. When seams fray or bedding changes its shape or shrinks in the dryer, you know that materials and/or sewing are the reason.

6. Sewing Details

Not all bedding brands sew with equal quality. Look for sewing stitch length (shorter is more durable), corners that a mitered, pillows that are lined, and zippers that are snuggly sewn. For duvet covers, look for extras like internal ties.

Here are a few the biggest reasons to step on over to the world of luxury custom bedding. For those who experience these things on a repeat cycle of shop - use - disposal - replace, it is exhausting and not sustainable over the long term. Only you know when to make the leap. To learn about how to order custom bedding from Modernplum, click here.