A Guide on the Ins and Outs of Bedding

Index 7 Myths of Bedding.............................................. 2 Thread-Count: Why everything you've heard is a lie!................ 4 Percale vs Sateen................................................ 7 Egyptian, Pima or Supima Cotton................................ 10 How to Care for Sheets.......................................... 14 1

7 Common Bedding Myths Bedding companies have used false marketing gimmicks for years. Here's the scoop on thread-count, Egyptian cotton 'quality' and 7 common bedding myths. Egyptian Cotton Did you know most "Egyptian Cotton" is not actually grown in Egypt?! According to the Wall Street Journal "The Cotton Egypt Association, which licenses the trademark and certifies suppliers, estimates that 90% of products labeled Egyptian cotton are fakes." When you see the label Egyptian Cotton, know that it is probably grown in China or India, not Egypt. Supima cotton, on the other hand, is only grown in California and Arizona and is monitored for quality by the USDA. Wrinkles We minimize chemical wrinkle treatments for better breathability, durability and a softer hand. Anti-wrinkle treatments use harsh chemical resins that reduce the quality of the fabric and are potentially bad for your health. Our Signature White sheets are formaldehyde-free; our Carolina Gray has a very low 30 parts per million of formaldehyde, significantly less than the standard 260 parts per million in anti-wrinkle treatments. We chose a great night's sleep over wrinkle-free chemicals. Thread-Count We've written on this subject in The Huffington Post HERE and on our website HERE. A 1000 thread-count set of sheets does NOT mean 2

premium quality! In fact, it is actually a 250 thread-count that is made of 4-ply yarn. What is a 4-ply yarn? Think about when you braid strands of hair together, making one strand out of 3 or 4; that is a 4-ply yarn. 4 X 250 = 1000. 4-ply yarns can use cheap, low quality cotton to drive down costs and are susceptible to pilling. Weight The weight of the fabric has nothing to do with quality in regards to bed sheets. Sheets should have a light, breathy quality to them; allowing your mattress to support you and your comforter/duvet to insulate you. Supima cotton is 45% stronger than regular cotton which allows for a lighter, more breathable fabric that is also more durable and softer than heavy, multi-ply fabric. Sateen or Percale Sateen sheets can be very nice, are less prone to wrinkles and offer an initial, smooth hand-feel. However, compared to a Percale sheet their tighter weave restricts air circulation which leads to a hot sleep. They are less durable and more susceptible to pilling while also being more expensive. More expensive, less durable and a hot sleep; not a good trade off. The exception is if you have extremely sensitive skin they may be your best option. When Washing We have been told to wash our sheets in hot water. This is largely personal preference. Sheets will last longer if washed on a cold setting, as it is easier on the fabric. We recommend trying a cold wash and seeing if you can tell a difference. Check out our Care Guide for more information HERE. Does it Matter We spend 2900 hours in bed every year. Your bed is the sanctuary you go to rejuvenate after a long day. Sleep and other fun things happen in bed :). Investing in quality bedding is a quick and easy way to improve quality of life for you AND your partner. 3

Thread-Count: Why Everything You ve Heard is a Lie! Is thread-count important, does it matter? When looking for the perfect set of bed sheets we ve all been sold the thread-count myth: The higher the thread-count, the better the sheets.the truth is far from the sales pitch you ve come to believe. The reality is actually quite different. In some cases, higher thread-count sheets equate to LOWER quality! Here s the lie. An honest 250 thread-count sheet set has 125 vertical threads and 125 horizontal threads. A 750 thread-count sheet set ALSO has 125 vertical threads and 125 horizontal threads! But in this situation, the manufacturers simply creates a thread that has 3 plys (think of a thread made of 3 threads twisted together) and then TRIPLE-counts the thread. 4

This 3 ply thread is made with cheaper, weak cotton that requires the extra plys. The lower quality cotton is much less durable, so sheet makers mask this fact by twisting more fibers together! Selling you a so-called 750-thread count set of sheets. At Authenticity 50, we start with the highest quality extra-long staple Supima cotton. This extra-long staple cotton allows us to spin a much finer fiber without increasing the number of plys (it also costs us nearly 3x the price of normal cotton). A single-ply fiber will not feel scratchy as there are far fewer ends exposed. The higher quality cotton fiber allows us to weave a fabulous sheet that actually gets SOFTER the more you wash and use it. The bottom-line : Higher thread-count sheets are, at the very least, a total marketing gimmick by sheet manufacturers to sell their products. The sad fact is that these sheets are often an indicator of inferior cotton and lower quality fabric. 5

At Authenticity 50, we set out to create products that you will love to use EVERY day. The finest bed sheets available at a fair price. 100% Made in America. With over 97% 5-star reviews you should check us out HERE. Check out what Consumer Reports had to say on this subject HERE. We've also written on the subject for The Huffington Post HERE. Learn why Supima is superior to Egyptian Cotton HERE. Learn why Percale sleeps better than Sateen HERE. 6

Percale vs Sateen Which sheets are right for me? Percale and Sateen are weaves that contribute to how a set of sheets sleeps and feels. A Percale weave has a crisp, cool feel with a matte finish. Typically it breathes and has a lighter, airier feeling. Sateen has a smooth, slick hand feel and a sheen on the finish. It typically is heavier weight and less breathable, for a hotter sleep. When choosing what type of sheets to purchase, keep in mind not only their look and feel, but also their durability and construction. We ll make this a quick & easy read, listing the pros and cons of each weave below, so you can make an informed purchase decision. 7

PERCALE Pros: - A crisp, cool hand-feel. - It s the same weave as luxury hotel linens or your Grandma s comfy sheets! Cons: - More prone to wrinkles. - Doesn t have a sheen, or shiny appearance. - Great durability while maintaining softness. - Breathability; it provides a cool sleep on warm nights and warm sleep on cool nights. - Will stand up to years of use. - Easy to care for. 8

SATEEN Pros: - Slick, smooth hand feel. - An initial, nice sheen to the fabric. (This sheen loses its luster with washing/use.) - Can have a shiny appearance. - Slightly more wrinkle-resistant. Cons: - Less durable. - More susceptible to pilling. - Does not breathe well. - Shiny appearance & sheen fades with use. The Percale weave is the better choice for 95% of people. The primary exception is if you have very sensitive skin. We at Authenticity 50 chose to go with a Percale weave because the combination of a fabulous, crisp, soft hand-feel combined with superior durability resonated with our core values. That said, to get the best out of either weave you want to be using the highest quality cotton available - for us that meant Extra-Long Staple Supima cotton - superior to and more expensive than Egyptian cotton - that is also grown in America. The breathability of our Supima cotton contributes to improved comfort and a better night's sleep by regulating temperature in your bed. Many companies market Sateen sheet sets as a luxury sheet. However, think about your Grandma s super soft linens or your favorite high-end hotel s white sheets; they are absolutely a Percale weave, with good reason! Percale offers you the best night s sleep, and does so with style and substance. 9

Egyptian, Pima or Supima Cotton. What is the best cotton for a good night's sleep? Supima and Pima cottons are related to Egyptian cotton. Supima and Pima cotton are grown in California and Arizona while Egyptian cotton is mostly grown in China & India. Supima cotton is the only cotton that is actually monitored and verified for quality. Here's a quick overview of the Pros & Cons. You can find the in-depth story below. Supima Cotton Pros: Verified by the Supima Association Extra-Long Staple for strong & soft fibers Cons: Expensive!! Pricier than Egyptian cotton. Nearly 3x the Price of USA-grown upland cotton Grown ONLY in America Consistent quality One of the longest staple cottons available 10

Egyptian Cotton Pros: Long-staple cotton if it is real Egyptian cotton Above average consistency Good quality if you're getting the real thing Cons: 90% of Egyptian Cotton is Fake Grown in China or India more than Egypt Expensive for cotton of questionable origin The 'mystique' of Egyptian cotton is greater than the reality Pima Cotton Pros : Long-staple cotton that is above average quality Above average consistency Generally good quality and often grown in USA Cons : May be grown abroad Not monitored by 3rd party organizations Not as consistent as Supima cotton May be blended with cheaper cotton The History: Egyptian, Pima and Supima cotton share common ancestry, as the extra-long staple variety they both possess originated in Egypt. In the early 1900 s, a premium version of that cotton was grown in Arizona, and became known as Pima (to honor the Pima Indians who tended the cotton fields there.) This type of American cotton later became known as Supima, or Superior Pima. In 1951, the American Supima Association was formed, to oversee the use of Supima cotton in American products. To this day, the ASA ensures that only manufacturers who incorporate Extra-Long Staple Supima cotton in their products can use the Supima name and trademark. "90% of products labeled Egyptian cotton are fakes..." The Cotton Egypt Association 11

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal "The Cotton Egypt Association, which licenses the trademark and certifies suppliers, estimates that 90% of products labeled Egyptian cotton are fakes but such public rebukes for mislabeling are rare." Extra-Long staple Egyptian cotton, is a very high quality cotton, and comparable to Supima. However, the issue is that Egypt keeps most of its Extra-Long staple cotton within its borders and primarily exports lower quality, long-staple cotton. There is no verification system to prove that you are getting true, Extra-Long staple Egyptian cotton as there is with Supima. Unless you buy your product in Egypt, it s likely you are purchasing a product that contains their lower quality Long staple cotton. The great thing about using Supima cotton is that you are getting the highest quality, Extra-Long staple cotton available! The provenance of Supima cotton is verified at every level of the manufacturing process; all manufacturers and retailers (including Authenticity 50) who use Supima in their products, must get licensed with the American Supima association. A huge focus of Authenticity 50 is transparency and verification. We love that the Supima Association does this for us so we can focus on getting you the highest quality product at the best possible price. Here are some interesting facts and figures: Less than 1% of the cotton grown globally and less than 3% of the cotton grown in the USA can be called Supima. Supima cotton s 35% longer staple length contributes to 45% stronger fibers (in comparison to lower-quality, long-staple cotton.) Supima costs more than 2x the price of regular cotton. (It is a premium product, and thus more expensive to produce.) 12

Under tension, Supima cotton bed sheets were able to withstand up to 10 pounds per inch more than its close competitor, Egyptian cotton, and up to 50 pounds per inch more than bed sheets made from regular or blended cottons. 13

How to care for your Authenticity 50 sheets. We recommend you wash your sheets before your first use. This will assist in the break-in process and soften them up slightly. Remember, these sheets will soften with time, use and washes. When washing your A50 sheets, set your machine on 'cool' and tumble drying on low. To minimize wrinkles it is best to take the sheets out of the dryer while they are still warm and put on the bed immediately. Note: the spin cycle of washing machines tends to compress the fabric into tight bunches so if you release these bunches before transferring to the dryer you will reduce your wrinkles. Use only non-chlorine bleach when needed. Fabric softener and dryer sheets are a personal decision, we recommend trying with and without and deciding what is the most comfortable for you. Expect wrinkles! We minimize chemical wrinkle treatments for better breathability, durability and a softer hand. We decided that we would rather sleep on wrinkled sheets that improve our sleep than chemical laden sheets. 14