in sciodsetco
Fresh
off the
line Kirkland
Signature
sheets will
have you
sleeping
easy
BuyingSmart
Consumer reporter
Pat Volchok gives a
behind-the-scenes look
at Costco products and
services. Send your
questions to:
buyingsmart@
costco.com.
THE WAKE-UP CALL sounded loudly in my
head after just one dreamy night testing the
newly upgraded Kirkland Signature™ bed
sheets. What made this revamped Costco
exclusive so exceptional? Was it the opulent
100 percent Supima® cotton, the soft sateen
hand or the single-ply 600 thread count?
Whatever the reasons, I had to know more.
So, faster than you can say “Rip Van
Winkle,” I asked for a full Kirkland Signature
sheet undressing from veteran Costco buyer
Michelle Husby.
“Sheets are a very hard category for
members to understand because many still
believe thread count is the end-all,” says
Michelle. “In actuality there are numerous
other factors, such as cotton species, type of
weave, ply and finish, that when combined
correctly make an exceptional sheet.”
Focus on fiber
It’s not surprising that pure cotton, with
its soft, luxurious feel, breathability, easy care,
yarn strength and durability, is the most popular sheet textile.
Premium sheet cottons include Egyptian
(also produced in other countries), Pima
(grown primarily in the U.S. Southwest,
Australia and Peru) and Supima (a trademarked abbreviation for “superior American
Pima”). Michelle reports, “We switched to
Supima because this guarantees our Costco
sheets are made with 100 percent, extra-long-staple [13/8 inch or longer], U.S.-only Pima
cotton. The result is a softer, more refined
yarn and fabric.”
Fine threads
What I appreciate about Costco’s manufacturer is the attention to superior construction. The silky soft sateen fabrication is made
by weaving four threads on the surface to
every one under (a basic weave is one stitch
over, one under). Sheets are sewn with stitches
that are tidy, tight and small at 11 to 12 stitches
per inch (SPI); the industry standard is only
6 to 8 SPI. Hems are double-folded, then
stitched, leaving no raw edges. A piped 4-inch
hem is added on pillowcases and the top edges
of flat sheets. And high-quality elastic is sewn
all the way around the fitted sheet rather than
just in corners.
As for thread count (TC)—it is simply
the sum of horizontal and vertical threads
found in a square inch of fabric. Cotton sheets
start at around 150, with good-quality cotton
