January White Sales

An Annual Tradition for Saving On Sheets, Blankets and Other Linens

Now is the time to refurbish your linen closets during January white sales. The tradition of having white sales this month began in 1878 when Philadelphia's John Wanamaker discounted all the white linens in his department store. Why were only the white bed linens on sale? It was not until the late 1950s that color and print sheets were introduced into the bedding market.

Today, the January white sales include not only sheeting, towels and blankets in an abundance of colors and prints, but also bedding accessories, pillows, bathroom accessories and more. However, with all the color available, white sheets are still the most popular choice among consumers, says Cynthia White, vice president of design for Macy's Home. Therefore, regardless of the name - White Sale - the one color you may not find on sale is white.

Who is Counting?

For years, we have heard about thread counts and the higher the count, the better the sheet, or so we thought. But the one feature most people want from their sheets is softness. The second most popular feature is breathable fibers. Both qualities can be found in 100 percent cotton sheets.

Virginia Peale, director of marketing for fine French linen firm Yves Delorme, explains that the quality of the fiber will determine the softness of a sheet. "Best are sheets made with extra-long staple cotton (meaning that the fibers are longer than 37 millimeters) such as the most desirable Egyptian cottons, supima and pima." said Peale to the AP.

Changing Times

The rules on mixing colors have changed over the years. Today you can safely use different colors of top and bottom sheets together as long as they enhance or blend in with the colors in your bedroom. The newest trends include geometric designs although the quieter soothing natural colors are still popular.

Plush or Thin?

Towels have become so thick that it is nearly impossible to fit them in a linen closet and they take up all the room in the washer. A newer natural fiber, Modal, is gaining in popularity because it highly absorbent, thinner and more lightweight.