Gah! Four posts into this whole blogging thing and I've already got to be apologizing for neglecting my blogging duties. So let's get it out of the way now, I'm so sorry for being a bad blogger. I will admit to occasionally letting my time management skills slip and I am surely guilty of that this month. Will it make it any better if I tell you it is because of all the fabulous new stuff we have in? Because it really is fabulous. The store looks better than ever and I am thrilled with all the new things we have.
Since I last checked in early in May we've been getting our spring trade show orders with as many as 4 deliveries coming in each day. It doesn't seem like many as I write it, but as a small boutique (1380 square feet) with 1 or 2 people on the floor each day, it is in fact quite a lot to deal with. So where to start, where to start . . .
Three new styles of robes which include: nonotho Russian linen in 3 colours, ivory, natural and flax. Silk and cashmere in teal and taupe, this is one of the softest fabrics I've ever felt and the cut of the robe is extremely flattering. My favourite are the fabulous Thai silk robes, we've got 4 colour combinations each in two different patterns. The prints are very contemporary, bubbles, butterflies, jasmine and wallpaper and the colours are vibrant but still very sophisticated. It has always been a struggle to find really great robes, so I am very pleased with the current line up. The silks in particular were really a great find. To top it off, they not only look and feel wonderful, but all of the new robes are light weight so they will travel really well on your summer holiday. Also in the lounge wear department (not that Oleander is big enough to have departments) we are really pleased to have cotton pyjamas by L.A.'s BedHead. I've got their classic pj in chocolate and pink polka dots, mint with chocolate floral and teal blue also with the chocolate exotic floral. I think that BedHead pj's have been seen on both "Friends" and in Oprah's magazine. I'm really coveting the polka dots ones.
As for the bedding we are doing a wonderful linen collection called Umbria in lilac and cream, the duvet cover is a lilac linen jacquard with hemstitch details, the sheets in solid ivory linen. The linen is made in Italy and then it's cut and sewn in Vancouver. This fabric comes in three textures; jacquard, crepe and solid each available in twelve colours. Very easy to mix and match to get the perfect bed. I was initially a little hesitant to show linen on the floor, as there seems to be a great deal of misconceptions about how difficult it is to care for, and that it is really only good for summer, but I'm glad that I brought it in as it is stunning to look at and gives me a chance to offer an alternative to cotton. As for the issues about care, we are taking time to let people know that it is machine washable and can be tumble dried or air only. As for the wrinkle factor, it is important to keep in mind that linen should look slightly rumpled, it should be a casual looking fabric, soft and relaxed looking. If you need it to look pristine you do have to iron it but it feels just as nice rumpled as smooth. The other thing to keep in mind is that linen does age better than cotton, so as it wears it gets softer, smoother and will develop a bit more luster. Like wine, cheese and people with a little more care when young it gets better with age.
We are also now showing Lin de Vosge, a 80% linen 20% cotton blend fabric made in France and cut and sewn in Montreal. The styling of this collection is a little more contemporary than the Umbria, while keeping a very classic and clean look. It is available in four construction styles and five colours. The cotton in this blend helps to alleviate the appearance of wrinkles in this collection and helps to keep the cost down a bit. Lin de Vosge does have all the benefits of linen being cool to the touch in warmer weather and warm to the touch in cooler temperatures. It is also a little better than pure cotton at dealing with moisture wicking away perspiration to help moderate sleeping temperatures.
I'm afraid that I've run out of time before I've run out of new arrivals to introduce. So I'll leave you with a promise to be a better blogger and get back to you with the rest of the new goodies in the next couple of days.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Not All Created Equal
The thread count issue continues. So we've established that we are looking for good quality cotton and that Egyptian cotton fits the bill. We also know that we have to be on the lookout for that sneaky "with" and "part" so only 100% Egyptian will do. We're still not done though.
Now we have to take into account how the fabric is woven. First and perhaps the easiest way to get good value for your dollar is to look for fabrics woven in Europe and cut and finished in Canada (or the US.) Some of the best sheets you'll ever see are woven in Italy. Many of the finest cotton bedding is produced there by small mills weaving small batches of fabrics in gorgeous colours, in both traditional and contemporary patterns in crisp percales and the silkiest of sateens. What's even better is that there are Canadian manufacturers, like St. Geneve, importing this fabric, cutting and sewing it by hand in North American sizes. That means that you get the best of the best in fabrics and finishing, while keeping the cost down a bit and supporting Canadian industry.
Buying bedding completely manufactured in Europe (Anichini, Frette) will also give you great sheets, but not necessarily good value. Brands like these often have two or three lines at varying price points, the best of which is not really affordable for anyone other than Oprah and the affordable versions are not much nicer than a decent department store brand. With a lot of the big name brands, what you end up paying for is a very successful marketing campaign, we all know the name, but it doesn't make the sheets feel better.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Asian import. As of a few years ago, China had become the largest importer of Egyptian cotton. They are making a lot of sheets at rock bottom prices with all the bells and whistles -- high thread count, Egyptian Cotton (most likely not 100%), silky feel and great packaging. It can be pretty tempting when you're looking at a 600 thread count sheet set from China for $80 beside a 235 thread sheet set of German fabric sewn in Canada for $ 344. But in the end the Chinese sheet will most likely have been mass produced with little to no quality control. The thread count will have been artificially inflated with double insertions. The fabric will have been dyed after it was woven rather than being dyed as threads then woven. It will have been cut and sewn by machine leaving loose threads and crooked seams. It may also have been subjected to finishing tricks including optical brightening and surface polishing in order to make it look and feel like a fine fabric. So the $80 good deal ends up needing to be replaced after a few months because it fell apart in the wash, has ripped and split where your feet rub on the fitted the sheet or has faded and discoloured unevenly and just plain looks bad. The 235 thread set on the other hand has washed beautifully and is getting softer each time you use it, all the seams are perfect and intact and the colour is as vibrant as the day you took it home.
So far we've covered the basics, that thread count isn't the way to pick a good quality sheet, that the kind of cotton matters and that the place of manufacture matters even more. Next time I'll give you the specifics on how to pick the type of sheet that is the best for you and some pointers on what to look for when you're shopping. We have had a quite a few new products in so there will be a quick post in the next couple of days with details on all of the recent arrivals.
Enjoy your weekend!
Now we have to take into account how the fabric is woven. First and perhaps the easiest way to get good value for your dollar is to look for fabrics woven in Europe and cut and finished in Canada (or the US.) Some of the best sheets you'll ever see are woven in Italy. Many of the finest cotton bedding is produced there by small mills weaving small batches of fabrics in gorgeous colours, in both traditional and contemporary patterns in crisp percales and the silkiest of sateens. What's even better is that there are Canadian manufacturers, like St. Geneve, importing this fabric, cutting and sewing it by hand in North American sizes. That means that you get the best of the best in fabrics and finishing, while keeping the cost down a bit and supporting Canadian industry.
Buying bedding completely manufactured in Europe (Anichini, Frette) will also give you great sheets, but not necessarily good value. Brands like these often have two or three lines at varying price points, the best of which is not really affordable for anyone other than Oprah and the affordable versions are not much nicer than a decent department store brand. With a lot of the big name brands, what you end up paying for is a very successful marketing campaign, we all know the name, but it doesn't make the sheets feel better.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Asian import. As of a few years ago, China had become the largest importer of Egyptian cotton. They are making a lot of sheets at rock bottom prices with all the bells and whistles -- high thread count, Egyptian Cotton (most likely not 100%), silky feel and great packaging. It can be pretty tempting when you're looking at a 600 thread count sheet set from China for $80 beside a 235 thread sheet set of German fabric sewn in Canada for $ 344. But in the end the Chinese sheet will most likely have been mass produced with little to no quality control. The thread count will have been artificially inflated with double insertions. The fabric will have been dyed after it was woven rather than being dyed as threads then woven. It will have been cut and sewn by machine leaving loose threads and crooked seams. It may also have been subjected to finishing tricks including optical brightening and surface polishing in order to make it look and feel like a fine fabric. So the $80 good deal ends up needing to be replaced after a few months because it fell apart in the wash, has ripped and split where your feet rub on the fitted the sheet or has faded and discoloured unevenly and just plain looks bad. The 235 thread set on the other hand has washed beautifully and is getting softer each time you use it, all the seams are perfect and intact and the colour is as vibrant as the day you took it home.
So far we've covered the basics, that thread count isn't the way to pick a good quality sheet, that the kind of cotton matters and that the place of manufacture matters even more. Next time I'll give you the specifics on how to pick the type of sheet that is the best for you and some pointers on what to look for when you're shopping. We have had a quite a few new products in so there will be a quick post in the next couple of days with details on all of the recent arrivals.
Enjoy your weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)