I’m in the Bed Threads Customer Service Team and These Are 10 Common Linen Questions

If you're spending your hard-earned money on something it's reasonable enough that you might have some questions before you make a purchase. Or maybe you've bought some lovely new Threads and need some clarification about how to best look after them or what you should be expecting from them. Enter our dedicated customer service team – which includes me! – a friendly team that's here to help you out with any questions you might have.

Hi! My name's Tanya and I'm one of the customer service representatives here at Bed Threads – no chatbots here! In my role, I'm responsible for ensuring a high-quality support experience for the Bed Threads community and answering any questions you might have. I love connecting with our community and often get a stack of enquiries, with some common themes throughout.

Here, I've broken down the questions that I get asked several times a day to help you on your Threads journey and let you know exactly what to expect!

1. What exactly is "GSM"?

I frequently get asked what GSM is and why Bed Threads bedding doesn't have a thread count. Strictly speaking, there's no comparison to be made between GSM and thread count. One measures the weight of a fabric, while the other is the number of single threads woven to make that fabric. Linen sheets are given a rating based on their GSM, or grams per square metre. This metric measures the weight of any given fabric and gives you an idea of how heavy that fabric will be. Our signature linen (found on our bedding, tableware, and sleepwear) is crafted from a cool 170 GSM for the perfect balance of softness and durability, while our heavyweight Linen Cushion Covers and Throws come in a thick-textured 300 GSM fabrication that’s both hard-wearing and incredibly cosy.

2. Why are my Threads shedding?

The first step is not to panic! It’s totally normal and part of the life-cycle of linen fibre. It means that your linen is just getting softer and softer, and therefore cosier and cosier to sleep in. This will typically stop after a few wash cycles but if you want to speed up the process, simply put the sheets through a few extra cold washes when you first get them, which will help ensure the fabric ditches the excess fibres as fast as possible and settles down into that dreamy soft-to-the-touch material.

3. How should I dry my Threads?

Both air drying and tumble drying on a low setting are perfectly acceptable when it comes to drying your linen – great news for those who don't have much hanging space. But, if you have the time and want to get the most longevity out of your linen, air drying is the safest way to go as it’s less damaging to the linen fibres. Air drying helps preserve fibres, colours, shape, and elasticity, so I'd encourage you to use this technique where possible. (Plus, it’s easier on both the environment and your home energy bills.)

4. Does linen stretch?

Linen may stretch with use and retracts back again after every wash. This is completely normal and even linen clothing behaves the exact same! All our linen also arrives pre-washed so you can be guaranteed your Threads won’t shrink or lose their shape.

5. Will my Threads fade over time?

Like with any natural fibre, exposure to the elements or extreme temperatures may lead to gradual fading over time. To best preserve the vibrancy of your Threads, keep them out of direct sunlight and don’t launder on hot settings.

6. Can I put my Threads in the dryer?

As I mentioned above, if you have no other option or it's the middle of winter you absolutely can actually put your Threads in the dryer! Just remember to keep the setting as low as possible.

7. Is it okay to put my Threads in direct sunlight?

As our products are made from natural fibres, with the raw material being linen, we use natural dyes and the sun can act as a natural bleach. I'd recommend not to keep your Threads in spots with constant direct sunlight during use or during drying to avoid fading.

8. Do the colours look the same in real life?

Generally speaking, the colours will be the same! But because our linen is often photographed using studio lighting, sometimes the colours can appear differently from time to time. Also, as our products are hand-dyed and made from all-natural fibres, slight colour variations are part of their unique beauty. Check out our Instagram or TikTok to see our linen in a whole range of homes and lighting situations.

9. What's the best way to wash linen?

I recommend that you either hand or machine wash your linen – always separately – and always with lukewarm or cold water. Linen is ultra-absorbent, so I'd advise that you launder any stains while they are still new to avoid permanent damage. For this very reason, use plenty of water when both washing and rinsing your linen to prevent stain absorption.

A gentle detergent will work well, especially when used in combination with an oxygen-type bleach instead of a chlorine-based alternative for pure white linen to minimise the risk of discolouration.

Dry cleaning your linen can actually cause damage to the product, as the chemicals used in the process of dry cleaning may occasionally react to and weaken the linen fibres, not to mention repeatedly tug on your purse strings.

10. Will my Threads soften over time?

One of the great things about linen is that each time you wash it, it becomes softer and more absorbent. No fabric softener is necessary! You don't need to do anything extreme to see your linen sheets soften over time. Simply washing linen sheets with a liquid detergent on a cold, gentle cycle and then air drying is enough. If you do want to speed up the process, you can use baking soda or dryer balls.