The Linen Doctor

Many of our customers report feeling confused about products that are “green” or organic. We like to make sure that if a manufacturer says that their product is organic that it really is. There are many variables that determine whether or not a product is organic, so we depend on certification from internationally recognized organizations when we buy organic products. Here are three that we rely on.

GOTS Certified Organics.

The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is a standard used around the world that guarantees the organic products you bring into your home are healthy and safe for you and the environment – and provide a fair and just working environment for those who manufacture them.

The aim of GOTS is to be a credible resource for consumers looking for textiles that produced in an environmentally and socially responsible method. Not only are these fabrics free of harmful chemicals, the results of the production pose no threat to the environment or the communities in which they are produced. This universal standard assures that no harmful or toxic chemicals are used from harvest to manufacture, including the dyeing, washing, and finishing processes. The standard even examines the disposal of waste and wastewater treatment. Strict guidelines have to met in working conditions as well; companies must provide a safe a hygienic environment, with livable wages, appropriate working hours, and absolutely no child labor. www.global-standard.org.

Oeko-Tex Standard

The Oeko-Tex Standard 100, developed by a group of European textile institutes, is a global testing and accreditation program for the screening of harmful substances in consumer textiles. Products with the Okeo-Tex label are tested and guaranteed to be free of all harmful substances, including toxins and irritants.

What’s the difference between the Oeko-Tex certification and the GOTS certification? Both certify textiles to be free of all harmful chemicals, but GOTS takes it a step further and certifies that no harmful chemicals were used from harvest through manufacture, waste is disposed of responsibly, and fair labor practices are enforced. www/oeko-tex.com.

SKAL

Control Union World Group, formerly called SKAL, surveys the organic production by means of inspection and certification. Inspections consist of visits to farms, processing and importing units, but also examination of soil, crop or tissue samples and administrative assessments. Their certification process includes the entire process of growing the cotton, spinning the fibers, and storing the yarns at the production site. Certification is issued periodically, once the manufacturing site has been checked and process is established. These controls and checks are ongoing. www.controlunion.com.

Products that are called “natural” don’t have to go though a verification process to use the term. Typically, organic sheets are more expensive than comparable products that are not organic, almost twice as much in some cases. 

As a consumer, what do you think, is buying organic bedding worth the extra cost?

We’ve revamped our web site to enhance our customers’ online experience. We’ve always been committed to providing an outstanding customer service as customers shop for the finest linens from around the world. Now we have enhanced our customers’ online shopping experience to make it even easier for them to find what they want.

We now have four times as many products on our web site, www.scheuerlinens.com, and offer free shipping on orders over $100. Our web site enhancements include improved product order screens, a user-friendly search function, and suggested items for cross-merchandising on many product pages, as well as improved product information on fabrics and fabric care for on each product.  Free swatches are always available for any of our bedding products.

Since our inception in 1935, we have been committed to carrying the finest and most luxurious linens from around the world. In 1953, we opened our first stand-alone store in San Francisco and moved to our current location near Union Square 16 years ago.

 Customers can still call the store on our toll free number,
800-762-3950, for information or to receive expert advice from our experienced staff in creating unique, fashionable ensembles for any décor or style.

A monogram is usually made by combining the initials of an individual or a company and is used as a recognizable symbol or logo. Historically, a monogram was used as a royal signature. Romans and Greeks used them on coins to identify their rulers. Then, in the Middle Ages, artisans began to use them to sign their work. Victorian-period high-class persons adapted the monogram for personal use as a symbol of their place in society. The most common use of monograms in our linen store, Scheuer Linens, is on towels, bedding, and napkins.

In the Victorian era, rules for monograms were quite simple and few. Female monograms had the first initial on the left, middle initial on the right, and the last initial embroidered larger in the middle. A married monogram would use her first name initial on the right, maiden initial on the right, and new last initial larger in the center. However, many modern couples use monograms with the bride’s first name on the left, the grooms first initial on the right, and joint last name initial larger in the center. Rules are now flexible and people can really do what they want.

Monogramming can also be used to add a touch of color to a set of towels or bed linens and typically match another color element in the room.

The monogram of the entire alphabet, shown at the top, is from the Dictionnaire du Chiffre-monogramme, published in 1881, is difficult to read and is typical of fancy monograms from the past.  Other samples of older monogram styles are shown above with the initials S W, M S, and A V M. Monograms today tend to be much simpler, using either a simple block letter or a traditional script. The three most popular styles chosen by our customers are shown below.

Are paper bags really better for the environment than plastic bags? Apparently, they’re both bad. Both can be made from recycled materials and are recyclable. It takes more water and energy tomake paper bags than plastic bags. Paper-bag production kills 14 million trees a year and creates more air and water pollutants than plastic-bag manufacture. The best thing you can do is use reusable cloth bags or totes instead.

And what about those plastic bags that keep our dry cleaning nice and fresh? The dry cleaner we use, Holiday Cleaners in San Francisco, now uses plastic bags that can be recycled. The New York Times now uses bags that clearly say, “This bag is recyclable.”

The infamous blue and white striped plastic shopping bags we use here at Scheuer Linens are 100% recyclable. Consumers shouldn’t stress too much, as long as they’re recycling or reusing store bags, whether by filling paper with newspapers for recycling or carrying their lunch in plastic, according to Chris Newman, an environmental scientist with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The most important factor in selecting a sheet is simple: how does it feel to you? Everyone’s taste in sheeting is different, so think about what really matters to your and how you sleep.

Often people don’t realize that the weight of a sheet can make all the difference. Do you prefer a light, almost-not-there feeling or do you prefer to be draped in softness? Or do you like to switch from season to season.

The finer the fiber, the better the sheet. It’s that simple. The world’s finest cotton is grown on the banks of the Nile River in Egypt. Egyptian cotton is renowned because it yields one of the longest-staple cottons in the world, the staple being the individual cotton fiber. The longer the fiber, the better it can be spun into smoother, stronger finer yarn.

Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric. The staple size, weave, yarn type, ply of the yard, and thread count together make up the feel of a fabric.

After a sheet is woven, it goes through the complicated process of fabric “finishing.” This is an important step that determines the final texture, color, and softness. Italian mills that produce SFERRA linens consider fine finishing an art form, and guard the exact process as a secret.

The four types of fabric typically used in bedding are percale, sateen, jacquard, and linen. Each type of fabric has a unique feel and weight. Percale, for example, is a tight uniform weave that results in a smooth, crisp feel and matte look. We feature Grande Hotel (top left) with a 200 thread count as a terrific value and promote Sferra’s Giza 45® (top right) as the very finest percale sheet made.

Sateen is a weave that features long expanses of exposed yarns, creating sheen and exceptional softness. Milos and Millesimo (bottom left) have the highest number of threads per square inch – 1020 – of any sheet made and has a heavier feel than our 590 thread count Diamonte and Giotto (bottom right).

For more information or a free brochure called “Lose Count”, please e-mail us at info@scheuerlinens.com or call us toll free at 800-762-3950.

In celebration of Barbie’s 50th birthday, we held a contest here at Scheuer Linens in San Francisco (www.scheuerlinens.com) to see who could make the best Barbie using unclothed craft doll forms of various sizes (as well as actual Barbie forms) and recycled materials and discontinued products from our store. Needle and thread was not allowed, allowed glue, tape, clips, and tacks. Our staff of ten outdid themselves, as you can see from the pictures. Louis Cortellesso made the Bonwit Teller scene (see picture above) with 15 members of the Barbie family shown. He handmade the clothes on the mannequins in the windows after painting four Barbies black. This is truly museum quality work.

Ten other Barbies were submitted, including: (second row, from left), detail from Bonwit Teller scene, made by Louis Cortellesso; Robo Barbie, made by Mark Scheuer; (third row, from left), Barbies by: Janet Scheuer, Vichhana Leng, Helena Bui; (bottom row, from left), by: Pamela Nelson, Cindy Wang, Vanessa Arreola. A prize of a day off was to be given to the person making the best Barbie, but they were all so good, everyone who made one was given a day off.

The Barbies up will remain on display in our store for about three weeks, so please come in and enjoy our handiwork. We’re at 340 Sutter St. in downtown San Francisco, right around the corner from Union Square.

“I was delighted to have the opportunity to work with you personally yesterday. As always, you expert advice and extraordinary serevice (no matter what size order) is most appreciated. No wonder that Scheuer Linens endures in these financially uneasy times.” – R.B.

“I write to commend an outstanding salesperson in your San Francisco shop – Ms. Vichhana Leng. From our first meeting in mid-July, 2008, through to the arrival of the special-ordered merchandise las week, she has been a joy to work with.

Her patient dedication to seeing that I was absolutely pleased with my purchase was truly outstanding and ‘beyond the call of duty.’ She is the personification of the phrase ‘customer service,’ and you are fortunate to have her on your sales force.

Because of her superlative attention to my needs, I will use your company in the future. She is a jewel to be treasured.” – G.U.

When the Obama family starts living the in the White House, they will have quite a few rooms to consider redoing…the Executive Mansion has 16 bedrooms, most notably the White House Master bedroom, but also the famous Lincoln and Queens bedrooms, as well as a number of less formally named rooms…there are 35 bathrooms in the White House, but unlike the bedrooms in the Mansion, none of the bathrooms have official names…the State Dining Room seats up to 140…so that’s a lot of new linens…by the way, the White House also has 412 doors, 147 windows, eight staircases, three elevators, and one bowling alley…I came across all of this data in the November 24 issue of Home Furnishings Now, one of the trade publications we regularly read.

Customers who purchase organic cotton products often ask about environmentally friendly cleaning, both at home at the local dry cleaners. We recommend Holiday Cleaners, 1820 Polk St., San Francisco since they are one of five GreatEarth® San Francisco dry cleaners listed on the GreenEarth Cleaning website, www.greenearthcleaning.com.

A GreenEarth® Cleaning may be the friendliest dry cleaning process ever. No hazardous chemicals are used, so there’s nothing to dirty the air, contaminate the soil, or pollute the water. And unlike perchloroethylene, which is used by most dry cleaners and can be very hard on fabric, The GreenEarth process cleans with pure liquid silicone, which can be safely disposed of.

Pure liquid silicone is, in essence, liquefied sand. This is the same safe, natural sand the earth has been creating for over six billion years. It is chemically inert, meaning it won’t interact with fabric. It just carries the detergent to your clothes and then carries away the dirt and oil. Whites won’t yellow and colors won’t fade, no matter how often they are cleaned.

For home cleaning of fabrics, we recommend and sell Le Blanc’s® Linen Wash products, which includes: Linen Wash®, DownWash®, Towel Wash, Silk & Lingerie Wash, and Laundry Wash. All of these products are known for removing extremely difficult stains from luxury fabrics without the use of harmful chemicals. They contain no bleach, no caustics, and no phosphates; all are biodegradable and sulphate-free. LinenWash’s neutral pH balance makes it safe to use on linens, cotton, synthetics, and blends. Almost all of our vendors recommend LinenWash® products.

Le Blanc® does not recommend using the same soap for everything. Each of their formulas is different and is made specifically for laundering certain fibers. There are even special formulas that are fragrance-free and allergen-free and some that are made especially for men and children. We have used and tested LinenWash® for years and highly recommend it. The cost is about $1 per load.