The History Of Bed sheets

Posted on April 25th, 2020 11:20 AM
The History Of Bed sheets

In our day to day, it is very normal to use sheets to dress the bed, they create a perfect environment, with that clean smell, peculiar to each house, which reminds us that we can rest easy until the next day. But what do we know about the history of bedding?





Today we invite you to know in a few lines its origin and evolution. The inventor of the sheet was Rashid Sab-Anah in 1000, in Cairo City, the largest city in the Arab world. At the beginning it was not very successful due to the use of very thick yarn canvases, which take too long to dry after cleaning this type of textile.

It wrinkled a lot, causing complaints from women who had to wait hours for it to dry, and then begin the slow process of stretching and ironing with a kind of iron pan filled with burning coal.


The linen is considered to be the first type of material used in bed sheets. The linen is made from flax plant, which is cultivated for centuries and are woven and spun by the Egyptians. Although the process of making the linen can be very tedious, the results are still worth it.


The Europeans were the ones who brought the linen to the New World. After that, it began to flourish in the northeast and the middle colonies, which lasted for more than 200 years. Cultivating the linen can take a lot of time. This is why most American women in the 17th to the 19th century work tirelessly in making bed sheets, pillow covers, towels, and table napkins that are made from linen



In the Victorian era, the upper class became interested in putting sheets on their respective beds. With the arrival of the industrial revolution, sheets became cheaper and the middle class was able to acquire them, thus generating a greater demand for bedding.


Until the middle of the 20th century, sheets did not appear with their adjustable and adaptable designs as we know them today. Before evolving, they were excessively thick, with very high prices, which did not allow quick drying or easy ironing. Over the years, the design and materials of the sheets have evolved and they have traveled from one place to another until they were widely accepted.


Currently we find many materials adapted to our tastes or needs. Bedding can be made in different sizes, 100% cotton, linen, silk, etc ... With delicate patterns that bring harmony and softness to rest. At the beginning the use of bed textiles was restricted only to white, but nowadays we can find fitted sheets and countertops in colors and patterns.


We hope you liked our summary of the history of sheets , if you want to continue learning more curiosities about home textiles , do not hesitate to continue reading our blog.