I have three sets of Ralph Lauren sheets. I've never had a problem with them. I recommend them.

I've never had any brand of sheets rip.

People have a choice between softer/weaker vs rougher/stronger. My sheets are 400tc but I buy no less than 300tc; the duvet cover is 180tc and the dog can lay on it, I can wash it without fear of pulling it from the dryer and it being damaged from the process, and it wrinkles less.

Over the past 3 years I have only bought sheets from Sleep Number since they fit their mattresses perfectly. My husband has worn through 3 fitted bottom sheets at the foot area. His heels are not rough. It is not his toenails. The fabric will wear so thin you can practically see through it and then it splits down the middle of the area lengthwise. These are not cheap sheets!

This does not happen on my side of the bed. SMH Sleep Number replaced one set. As quickly as we are going through these expensive sheets, I am going to switch to inexpensive bottom sheets and see how they hold up.

I do think the fitted sheets splitting up the center is "a thing"..thinning out then rip. It's happened to a style and co sheet set I bought at a big department store for my daughters queen bed with memory foam pillow top. Sounds like a good replacement recommendation to me... the percale sheets at Target. I will try them.

I buy a couple of sets at a time, mid range count, Cotton Percale. I rotate them so that one set isn’t washed and used weekly and have never had a problem. Cotton also dries quickly so I dry them on a “casual” setting so they don’t get so hot in the dryer.

We had this problem for the last few years and it was so perplexing! I buy very high quality sheets, and both percale and good linen were splitting on hubby's side of the bed, about where his calves would be while sleeping. I was having mismatched sets of sheets and buying a new linen fitted sheet every year, and it just didn't make sense to me, especially since theoretically that area could end up on my side after laundry. I wondered whether it was because he was moving his legs around while sleeping, or body oils weakening the fabric, etc. until one night I saw him get into bed...he's a big guy and he was getting into a very soft-on-top bed (Tempurpedic with a memory foam topper) by putting one knee on that area, and then turning over and flopping into bed. In other words, ALL his body weight was concentrated on one knee...right in the area our sheets had been splitting...which put a lot of pressure and stretch on a tightly fitted bottom sheet. I have no idea why he started getting into bed that way LOL but he stopped and so far so good...the last linen bottom sheet is over a year old and no sign of undue wear. I have no idea whether this could have anything to do with anyone else's sheets splitting but it was a mystery here for sure.

I love it when threads come back from the dead for a second run.

As I posted upthread almost a year ago: If it's only happening on one side of a bed which 2 humans share.....then science would lead us to believe it's something that one particular person is doing. :)

I know why my sheets wear out on only one side. It's abrasion from RLS in my spouse. My side never rips.

In my 48 years of marriage, I have never had a sheet to tear, or totally wear out, for that matter. I have gotten rid of some in the past because I just did not like them, back in the day when I went through the navy, Hunter green and burgundy phase but there was nothing wrong with them. I refuse to have dark colored sheets or heavy prints - only have white, ivory, or cream colored sheets now. I have three sets for our king bed that get rotated and they are between 15-20years old. I like a percale with no more than 40% polyester in them or all cotton and find that 250-400 thread count wear the best. I have a set of white JCP sheets that are 60/40 blend on a guest bed that wear like crazy and are about 15 years old. I think the thread count on them are only 300.

Also, make sure you wash and dry all new sheets before using them to remove all loose fiber. Your dryer vent will show what is being removed. My DD would put new sheets on her bed without washing them and would have problems with fuzz balls. Body oils and just the friction of sleeping on the sheets turn this minuscule lint onto fuzz balls.

Anglo do you mean new machines with agitators? The front loaders, I wonder how flipping the clothes around really gets anything clean. ?

I have a top load GE Profile that works well but when it’s time to replace I was going to buy Speed Queens. One if the first things mom and pop appliance guy told me was it will fade by blacks faster cause it really cleans. I wear a lot of black/navy/charcoal.

wow I just woke up with the same problem of a rip in my fitted shee, and this is the second time in a month!! I don't think it's the brand at all

The center of a fitted sheet is going to be a stress point. Quality sheets should not tear in such a short time. Call the manufacturer. That being said you are laundering sheets (original op) in cold water on gentle cycle which could be a factor. The biggest soil on clothing and sheets is body oils..everyone has body oils...it can not be removed in cold water. Even the best detergent can't break and remove oils using cold. So much of the oils remain, building up and these oils can break down fibers. Good quality sheets from cotton or linen can handle hot water.

Another thought are any of you with the fitted sheet tearing using chlorine bleach? A lot of people use it the wrong way. Chlorine should be added the last 5 to 6 minutes of the wash cycle as all its benefits take place within 5 minutes.... any farther exposure and the bleach is working on breaking down the fibers.

The fabrics I had rip were not bleached at all, chlorine or non-chlorine. I do think high thread count can be a factor -- it the fibers are not long and strong, they would seem destined to give. After the ripped RL sheets, we bought some inexpensive emergency sheets while we regrouped. They have not ripped (probably in the 200-400 tc range), but they also have not been used a lot. I bought linen sheets and my reluctant DH loves them. They are all he wants to use now.

I came across this thread Because my husband keeps tearing through his side of our fitted sheets. I have tried different thread counts and price ranges. Lots of people are commenting on the Target sheets but those are the ones he just ripped through. Ive only had them for 2 months. I also had him get a pedicure recently but his side still tore. I just can’t seem to find sheets that feel good that will last!!

I have been having the same problem. My last 3 sets of sheets on my husbands side have been shredding! I had only washed each set about 2 or 3 times before they started shredding and each set had a 300 or 400 thread count. Two sets were sateen and one was percale. Either my husband is rubbing his feet really hard while sleeping, or the dog is causing it. My side however stays just fine. It is so frustrating to spend good money on sheets only to have them last a couple of months. This just started happening in the last year to year and a half. Strange!!

I highly recommend these hardy sheets. As a disclaimer: I don’t normally like sheets most here like. I want a substantial Egyptian cotton and I don’t care if it‘s cotton sateen. I‘m not keen on wimpy soft, I want a sort of crisp softish hardy. Oh, and no ironing of sheets here.

I used to buy Veratex Egyptian 1200tc on Overstock. I’m not sure what’s going on with them, it seems they just have leftover stock of their lower quality tc on “O”. I discovered that a brand called Superior is exactly the same. Even the colors are exactly the same. The only thing not the same is the price, it’s higher. I still think they are more that worth it.

https://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/Superior-Egyptian-Cotton-1200-Thread-Count-Solid-Deep-Pocket-Sheet-Set/20602696/product.html?guid=adb2b909-6fab-455e-8147-dc163d111a28&kwds=Superior%201200%20tc%20sheets&option=3985076&osp=true&refccid=FOH23U4B7323PECDNRSSRGXA7M&rfmt=&searchidx=1

The ones below are very heavy. (But I live in Florida)

https://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/Superior-Egyptian-Cotton-1500-Thread-Count-Solid-Deep-Pocket-Sheet-Set/3355823/product.html?guid=9748d7eb-063d-4ec9-8341-43e83fba22f1&kwds=Superior%20Egyptian%20cotton%20tc%20sheets&option=4043686&osp=true&refccid=GAGSYF3SP6KK35CNIZPVBDLDD4&rfmt=&searchidx=4

If you are unsure but need pillow cases, here’s the link....

https://www.overstock.com/Bedding-Bath/Superior-Egyptian-Cotton-1200-Thread-Count-Solid-Pillowcase-Set-Set-of-2/3097477/product.html?kwds=Superior%20Egyptian%20cotton%201200tc%20pillow%20cases&option=19381029&refccid=MG3IJZ2DCYU3SSSKWFQB4WRAYE&rfmt=&searchidx=1

Thanks for the info and the links. I will check into it.

I never had this happen...until I got an ultra plush pillow top mattress. And now I find myself replacing the bottom sheet regularly. I though that maybe a higher thread count might be to blame, too, as my heavy duty flannel sheets hold up pretty well, but I feel them getting thinner. The rip lines up right with my hip/bottom, but I haven't changed my sleeping pattern, just the mattress firmness. Perhaps that might be the cause for you, too?

Bottom sheets rip frequently (6 months to 1.5 years), since we changed to a memory foam mattress. This happens on both my side and partners at different intervals, either at shoulder height for DH or hip height for myself. (200lbs/150lbs respectively). The material must stretch or have tension on it, as you “sink” into the mattress. In our case the material doesn’t have obvious thinning. On our previous spring mattress with a foam topper, sheets would last 7-8 years and definetly feel thin, before ripping.

I have been upset and confused with the same issue of tearing bottom sheets. I have been married for 49 years and until 2 years ago I still had sheets that I received as shower gifts. 2 years ago I threw out everything and restocked my linen closet for 4 beds, none of them are memory foam. With the new sheets all 400 to 600 thread count my husband and my son have had the tearing and I was really upset with them given the price of sheets. I purchased them from JC Penney at their top of the line and spent a small fortune to do so. The sheets are all made outside of the country and I can only guess that it may have something to do with the way cotton is process these days. I do wash my sheets in hot water and dry them in the dryer as I always have. Nothing has convinced me that, that causes any problem. I don't get this.

Maybe if they're so tough on sheets, go with a poly cotton blend. The higher the thread count the finer the threads...maybe you need something heavier, less expensive and more durable. It's tough to tear polyester.

I am on this feed specifically because our fitted sheet on two sets of sheets have torn in the same exact place under where my shoulder blades would be. I noticed after the last one the mattress pad was tearing in the same location from the top, so nothing to do with the mattress. I am a tosser and sleep in all sleep positions. I appreciate all the above comments because I have realized I am the one who likely wore down the fabric and eventually thorough my sheet and it will continue to happen no matter what type of sheets I buy. : )

I find it's easier to spend a little money -lower to mid range - but no more than 400TC on sheets and replace them as needed than to buy an ultra expensive luxe brand and hope nothing bad happens to them.

The 'performance sheets' I have from Target are only 400TC and cost under $60 per king sized set, sateen weave - those have been super durable and very soft from the moment you take them out of the package. I also appreciate that they sew little labels (top or bottom, side/side) on the inside part so you're not endlessly struggling to put the fitted sheet on correctly.

I'm so happy to read this feed. I purchased 2 sets of expensive sheets from Macy's. One ripped down the middle the other has holes on my DH's side. I received Pottery Barn Linen sheets as a gift and less than a year later, they now have a hole in them. I now realize that the tears on the side are from my husband who must have RLS. Will be checking in with his doctor on that. I agree with the comments that sheets are not what they used to be. I have about a dozen sets from my MIL in the 60s and they are in great shape. I was going to give them away but am now rethinking that . (problem is they are rather garish colors. But well, if they just get holes in them, i might as well use older sheets.) Also, our bed is rather old, no fancy toppers and not a really thick mattress either. We've been married 40 years and the sheets have only been a problem in the last 5 years. Thanks again to have who have contributed.

Exact same thing happens to my sheets. I’m convinced memory foam is the culprit. When the mattress sinks in a small area (like when raising up on a elbow) it just puts too much stress on the fabric. For me (a memory foam lover) my fitted sheets have a 3 year shelf life max. My mother (who only buys spring mattresses) still has sheets from the ‘70s that are holding strong!

We have spring mattresses and our shelf life for sheets is about 3 years as well. I have sheets that are from the 80s that are fine but no longer fit our larger bed. It is the sheet manufacturers. My take on it is the sheet manufacturers want to make more money thus the torn sheets. Awful.

I know this is an old thread but pretty interesting to me to hear everyone's thoughts! I have been wearing through fitted sheets like crazy lately. I had 2 sets of 500tc thick cotton sheets from 10 years ago that finally wore through but the new ones i have purchased are much much thinner!! So I do think there has been a change in manufacturing - of course... new isn't always better. But I also got to thinking about my hardwood floors. This has ONLY happened at this place that I live in now. So I think 1) I am bringing hard particles into the bed off my feet and that is rubbing on the sheets 2) I think my feet are more calloused now due to the hardwood floor. Which sucks because I am constantly putting on foot lotion and doing pedicures 3) I do toss and turn A LOT... so this thread has been helpful! I think I will also stop buying the super expensive sheets and go back to Target :) Thanks all!

I agree. This thread is old but i have been looking around a lot about sheets and this thread is only ONE of MANY that have the same complaints. Don't be too hard on yourself. I too went through the process of trying to figure out what we were doing. I finally landed on the fact that my husband's legs twitch quite a bit. After having a sleep study done, it was found that his twitching was not as bad as i had thought. If you are worried about your feet bringing hard particles, wear socks around the house and take them off prior to bed. Or wash your feet? I don't mean either of these in a harsh, mean or critical spirit. Just a little hint if it works!! Best wishes on the great sheet hunt!! I think a lot of us are there!!

Incredible that NO ONE responding knows what direction the rip goes! How can it be NO ONE knows the direction of the weakest part of sheeting material ! Almost every sheet manufacturer (Worldwide) railroads the fabric ... to save them textile, not for the consumer's benefit. CROSS GRAIN IS THE WEAKEST. A Railroaded fabric on a bed has the Cross Grain going the Length of the Bed, on both the fitted sheet as well as the flat. Therefore, the sheet rips up and down the bed. Dobby Weaves are less likely to do this.

I don't think ANYONE has mentioned NOT knowing which direction the rips go. I even searched the thread using four different words.

I have never had sheets rip (in any direction). Currently using Rough Linen. DD2 came to visit ahd took home my extra king set after sleeping on them in one of the queen guest rooms. She tends to get hot at night and was pleasantly surprised she did not while here. Past sheets with very long life were Ralph Lauren. Have lived with wood floors the past 38yrs. My heels are usually rough.

My sheets have ripped both top to bottom as well as sideways. It doesn't seem to matter which way they are manufactured.

BUYER BEWARE.

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BY THE WAY Those sizes quoted by manufacturers are what you are buying, NOT WHAT THE SIZE WILL BE AFTER WASHING ! ! !

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BY THE WAY, the Quality of the Fiber is more important than the thread count. 100% cotton means ? ? % Cotton / ? % Poly Means ?

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Do you even know why the terminology of Thread Count was first used ?

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Do you have any idea of WHY A MANUFACTURER will tell you the QUALITY of Cotton ?

Why bother to tell you what other fibers are being used in the product ?

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An ATTACHED HEM: This is a piece of fabric cut to the 'cut-width' of a flat (top) sheet. The dimension of the size is generally twice the quoted top hem size plus 1' to 1.33" additional for interior hemming. It is sewn onto the hem at the selvedge, folded over and resewn onto the top of sheet just below or sometime above and on top of the first interior sewn attachment. Then the side hems and bottom hem are sewn to complete the finished top sheet and prepare it to be folded and put into packaging. This attached hem increases the quoted length of the sheet by 3" to 4". This also allows the manufacturer to place a different textile on the top of the sheet..

..

WOVEN TO BE RAILROADED and / or

PRINTED TO BE RAILROADED.

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These two fabric processes are used for bedding products in particular. The advantage to the manufacturer is less cotton / textile waste as the width of the fabric is now applied to the length of the mattress, not the width. This places the crossgrain (the weakest portion of a plain weave) going the length of the bed.. The width of the fabric may also require the top hem to be attached * in order to ensure the bottom of the sheet will be able to be ‘tucked into’ the bottom of a bed regardless of the height of mattress (in relationship to the woven sheeting width.

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Sheeting Printed to be railroaded can be pattern 'placement specific '(as might be found for "HIGH END" Designer-Trade brands (where a palm tree is centered on the middle of a duvet cover), regardless of bed size ... OR non-specifc required placement of textile repeat.

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The non specific pattern repeat is the one to drive the consumer crazy, if you should wish to convert a sheet into a drapery panel, the pattern repeat placement will not be duplicated from sheet to sheet. this is because the manufacturer is not concerned where, in the length or width of the sheet, the pattern falls.

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Thanks for this post: I have used Ralph Lauren 100% cotton sheets for decades. This is the first time any of the fitted sheets have gone threadbare. I was shocked. When I realized it was in the location of my husbands feet and read this thread, it all made sense. He has RLS and as of recently a toenail that has come in hard and thick after being torn off. No sheet is going to survive the incessant friction. Maybe I should ‘iron’ on a denim patch in this area of all of my sheets. The chances of him noticing are slim to none. I’m open to other ideas.

This happens to me as well. I have bought inexpensive and expensive sheets, linen and regular cotton. Doesn't matter. They last a year or so and always rip under my husbands torso. Always in the same place. I imagine it is the way he tosses and turns in his sleep and they just get worn out and his body literally drags the sheet and tears it as he turns over. They are not tucked in too tightly. it is not nails, or pens, or pets. it is under his chest area. They kind of wrinkle up, (perhaps he sweats a bit) and I go to make the bed in the morning and I discover a huge tear as I un-wrinkle the sheet to pull it flat, right under his body Is there anything that can be done? Is there a super thick and heavy duty sheet out there, Thinking I may have him start sleeping on a canvas pad like I'd put on my kid's beds when they were toddlers.

Thanks, HU-690253626. I have always purchased 100 per cent cotton sheets-used to only get Ralph Lauren. Until recently I have never had a sheet rip. The information about the manufacturers using the width (weaker part) for the length would explain why I have now had two bottom sheets rip vertically. Not that I can do anything about it, but it's nice to know why it might be happening.

Can we make this thread go away permanently?

It's funny how this thread just keeps turning up..."like a bad penny"...HAHAHA!

Can we make this thread go away permanently?

I don't know. Do we have to reach a certain "thread count" first? 😂

My husband was sent home from hospital with a hospital flat sheet. Having the same problem as everyone else on this thread, I noted the hospital sheet was not thin and certainly not going to rip. And those sheets are washed frequently in practically boiling water. Same with authentic hotel sheets - not department store sheets labeled hotel. So some manufacturer out there makes tough sheets!

Anyway, I fold the hospital sheet lengthwise and place it on my husband's side of the bed, on top of the bottom sheet. No more rips. If he was ripping the sheet in the foot area, I'd fold a sheet lengthwise and place it across the foot of the bed, tucking it under on the sides of the bed. Similarly to the narrow shoe shield seen at finer hotels, placed on top of the made-up bed, crosswise at the bottom of the bed. My last suggestion (other than trading in for a new hubby) is double sheeting your bed for added strength. I haven't tried this yet but if problems spring up again, I will.

I totally agree that manufacturers have changed sheets. Either they're using inferior cotton or inferior processing/looms. The only reason for such changes is profit.

Couple of interesting and informative articles about the industry:

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/should-you-spring-for-egyptian-cotton-sheets/

"You may have read or heard that sheets made from Egyptian cotton are the best. At one point, that statement might have been true."

https://flandb.com/blogs/by-flandb/what-is-giza-cotton

"not all of this "Giza cotton" is truly from Egypt. Big box manufacturers have found a loophole that allows them to label a product ‘Made from Giza Cotton' when that cotton hasn't necessarily been grown in Egypt. The Giza seeds can be taken and grown outside of the Nile River area in less fertile soil without the strict oversight provided to true Giza cotton crops. Technically speaking, this ‘fake' Giza cotton is from the Giza seeds, but it's nowhere near the quality that is used by the European manufacturers. You may see towels or bedding labeled "Giza" in the big box stores, but beware that the quality is not the same."

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-end-of-egyptian-cotton

In 2009, Applied DNA took a survey of apparel and home textiles that claim to be 100% extra-long staple. 89% had been mislabeled: 48% were primarily made with basic Upland cotton, and 41% were a blend. In January, 2016, at a yarn expo in India, 'all the spinners and manufacturers, say, ‘Eighty-nine per cent? Ugh, more like ninety-nine per cent.’ Applied DNA published its market survey online, in April.

Four months later, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Walmart abruptly pulled hundreds of thousands of Egyptian-cotton sheets and pillowcases off the shelves. Target ran an investigation, which found that, between 2014 and 2016, Welspun, a textile weaver in India, had been substituting cheaper varieties for Egyptian....

Since it's up anyway, I have been experiencing my fitted/bottom sheets ripping and getting worn thin on my side of the bed by my feet. I always wear socks and I don't think I move my feet around a whole lot at night. My husband hasn't noticed any strange excessive movement from me during the night. On his side, it doesn't wear out and it's odd because he doesn't wear socks and I actually do hear/feel him moving his feet around... :O

Something in here smells like Spam!

I have never in my life experinced ripping sheets until last week. our set of wamsutta hotel sheets from bb&b ripped in two spots. one on my husbands side and one on mine. We’d had these sheets less than a year and had used them no more than 5 times. so I put on another sheet, that we’d had for 3 years and had always been dreamy sheets, and they ripped not even a week in! how do two different brands, and two different ages and lengths of use, both rip in the matter of a week?!

Here’s a solution for this old thread about threads.

They come in green, royal blue and brown. Easy to launder using a garden hose. Hang over a sailboat mast to dry. The grommets at each corner will help you get a smooth fit. Bottom sheet won't come loose from bottom of bed with some line and a few half hitches.

https://www.tarpsnow.com/heavy-duty-white-poly-tarps.html

Perfect solution, petalique!

That’s interesting, I noticed another commenter mention having this issue with expensive sheets but not cheap ones.

I have to testify of the same— I have a very simple cotton sheet set from Ross that doesn’t even fit our mattress well. My husband has to push the mattress corners in with his knee just to get the fitted sheet on. Despite being “cheap,” low thread count (150 I think) and stretched extremely tight over the mattress, these sheets have not had one rip! And we’ve used them for over 3 years.

Meanwhile, an expensive 300-thread-count sheet set from kohls that me and my husband were IN LOVE with—it was breathable cotton, thick, and fit our mattress perfectly with excess fabric!—has ripped right down the middle after no more than a year of use. My husband is much heavier than I, so I was surprised to find the tear is between us and not on his side.

I did read that higher thread count is often achieved by using thinner, poor quality cotton to make the threads fit, meaning higher thread counts might actually wear faster than low thread count. And of course, expensive sheet sets are always touting very high thread counts.

Maybe this is the reason “cheap” sheet sets tend to last longer?

late to this thread: i recently discovered vintage sheets on ebay. do a search for cannon muslin sheets about 120 thread count. lady Pepperrell sheets as well.

muslin not percale. they seem to be lasting well and have that crunch we think of with grandma's sheets.

Does any single adult sleep on a twin bed and buy $400 Frette sheets for it? Hmmmm. 🤔

If I was an adult sleeping in a twin bed, I would want nice sheets to make up for lack of room. :D

Lol, Allison 😎If I was an adult sleeping in a twin bed I would be out shopping for a bigger bed!

Kswl - There are a variety of reasons why an adult would sleep in a twin bed. Some may be out of necessity, while other reasons may be choice. I fail to comprehend being ridiculed for such a minor situation. But, perhaps I'm just slow on the uptake! (shrug)

I never heard of sheets tearing or getting holes until the last five or six years. Quality sheet sets purchased at Neiman Marcus or Norstrom back in the day would last for years and were only replaced when fading or tired of print style and wanted to change things up. As a massage therapist I prefer twin flat sheets for table instead of massage sets, because I could get a better quality vs. basic muslin. In 2008 I purchased multiple twin flat sheets from Wamsutta, 300 count !00% cotton Egyptian Sateen. They lasted until about 4 years ago! There were no tears, stains, holes, They were just wearing thin, but 16 years so! I wanted to replace them with the same, so I purchased Wamsutta, 300 count !00% cotton Egyptian Sateen from Linins and Things or Bed, Bath and Beyond, not sure which. They are definitely not the previous loved sheets what-so-ever, even though by all measurements on the label they were purported to be the same. They first started getting tiny holes in them near the top and bottom of the sheets, they absorbed body oils and stained that will not come out, the binding on the edges have come unraveled, and big rips at towards the bottom of the sheets. I have suspected like at least one other poster has said, that this is a quality issue with the length of cotton and weave and off-shoring with the textile industry. Has anyone tried sheets made in the USA with cotton grown in the US recently? I know they are more expensive. But this is like throwing your money away when you have to replace often. I promise this is a relatively new issue. Sheets should hold up regardless of how someone sleeps and general washing should not cause such damage.