Fibre Content
The fibres or fibre blends used in sheets include: cotton, polyester and cotton/polyester.

Cotton: Before the birth of cotton/polyester blend sheets, the all-cotton sheet was used by most facilities. They are not as durable but are more comfortable than cotton/polyester sheets.

Polyester: Polyester, being made from a synthetic fibre, is wrinkle resistant, strong, resistant to stretching and shrinking, quick drying, abrasion resistant, easily washed and resistant to most chemicals. Because of its low moisture absorbency, polyester alone makes a poor quality sheet unless it has a special finish, it is uncomfortable to sleep on.

Cotton/Polyester: Sheets of the following percentages: 50/50, 65/35 or 70/30 are by far the most common in the market. These are weight proportions, and the blending takes place during the spinning process. The higher the percentage of polyester, the more durable the sheet. The higher the percentage of cotton, the more comfortable the sheet.

A frequent complaint about the wearing qualities of blend sheets is that cotton disappears leaving a thin piece of polyester. Occasionally, this phenomenon does take place, but had the sheet been 100% cotton, it would have been torn and discarded long before a blend sheet processed with the same laundry conditions.

Flat Versus Fitted Sheets
Flat sheets are preferred by many facilities because they are quicker to remove and receive less stress in removal. Flat sheets also tend to be more durable and are less expensive than fitted sheets.

Fitted sheets use a stretch material around the full corner, providing ease of bed-making. Fitted or contour sheets result in a smoother bed because the sheet fits tighter on the mattress. The fitted sheet is subjected to more stress from the stretch and tension exerted in pulling and fitting the contour-end over the mattress edge and they do wear out more quickly. Furthermore, the elastic components may wear out before the sheet.

Care
Most sheets can be machine washed and tumbled dried. All white sheets can be laundered using chlorine bleach and can be ironed. The ironing temperature must be adjusted to the polyester heat tolerance.

How long will a sheet last? Tests conducted by the International Fabricare Institute (IFI) in the U.S.A. on sheets provided the following results: After 175 launderings, the all-cotton sheet was discarded whereas the cotton/polyester sheets were still in tact after 300 launderings.

The housekeeper should also take note that sheets should not be stretched excessively. Therefore, it is important to use the correct size of sheets that fit the bed. On top of that, sheets that come fresh from the laundry not be used immediately as this will weaken the fibres. They should be given sufficient time to cool and 'rest' before use.

Terry Towels
The primary function of a towel is absorbency of moisture. However, absorbent towels should also be durable. A strong fibre, such as polyester, is durable. Natural fibres such as cotton are absorbent.

A durable and absorbent towel is one that has a strong ground weave, ply yarns in both the ground and pile (but with loose twist in the pile) and a firm selvage and hem.

Most facilities use cotton towels. They are absorbent, relatively inexpensive and can be laundered easily. They may contain a small amount of polyester. Many warp yarns are blended with 35% or 65% polyester.

Care

Towels may shrink as much as 15% especially if they are all cotton. The shrinkage generally occurs in the first five launderings and dryings. It is recommended to use a fabric softener when laundering towels.

Blankets

The obvious function of a blanket is to provide warmth. Blankets have the primary purpose of trapping body heat near the body. The weight of the blanket is not a true indication of its warmth. Lightweight wool blankets may be just as warm as heavy tightly woven felted ones.

Fibre Content
Blankets are made of the following fibres: wool, cotton, acrylic, nylon and polyester.

Wool: Wool is no longer the most common fibre used for blankets as it once was. Wool is lofty, warm and resilient. However, wool is prone to shrinkage and it is very difficult to launder. It is also expensive, heavy and may be unpleasantly harsh and some people are allergic to wool.

Cotton: Cotton is lofty, warm and soft when new, but it has low resilience and it may shrink. Cotton also has a tendency to lint and may shed. Cotton is used in most hospitals as thermal blankets. Cotton is desirable because it can withstand the rigors of sterilisation and bleaching agents.

Acrylic: Acrylic is a popular fibre used in blankets used by hotels and hospitals. It is lightweight, lofty, warm and resilient. Unfortunately, it is prone to static and has a tendency to form sheds.

Nylon: Nylon is used in blends and non-woven blankets. It has characteristics similar to acrylics.

Polyester: Polyester is used in blends and non-woven blankets. It has characteristics similar to acrylics.

Care
Most blankets can be machine-washed and dried. With most blankets, machine drying recommended since the tumbling action will fluff up the blanket and increase its thermal retention. Shrinkage of 5% is considered acceptable.

Barrier Fabrics
Barrier linens, which are linens that provide an aqueous barrier, have been around over a decade. The earliest form of barrier linens was designed primarily for use in the operating room setting. The purpose of the barrier fabric in an operating room is to prevent the passage of bacteria laden fluids from a non-sterile area into the sterile field. These barrier fabrics were designed for use as surgical wrappers, table and stand covers, surgical drapes and surgeons' gowns.

Recently, due to the need to protect the healthcare worker from contact with Hepatitis B and the HIV virus, new generations of barrier fabrics have been developed, which includes precaution/isolation gowns, laundry bags, laboratory coats and other types of apparel.