UPDATE:  Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams abruptly shuttered their operations on August 27, 2023, as reported by Business of Home. Though the MG+BW website is still accessible to the public as of September 5, 2023, orders can no longer be placed.

The launch of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ (MG+BW) 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection in August 2022 prompted us to investigate the relationship between quality bed linen and a good night’s rest.

Can the grade and fiber of bed sheets really make a difference in the onset, duration and quality of your nighttime slumber?

We discovered that quality bed linen is the key element for a restful and restorative night’s sleep. If your bed sheets are scratchy, uncomfortable, or cause you to become too hot or too cold throughout the night, resulting in uneven sleeping patterns, it’s clearly time to rethink your choice of bedding.

We also learned that high-quality, organic, hypoallergenic bed linen, that is breathable, thermoregulating and free of harmful toxins, is meeting the needs of wellness-focused consumers.

Highly discerning shoppers, are not only concerned about the materials that touch their skin and impact their sleep on a nightly basis, but they also care about what goes into the production of the bedding products that they choose to purchase.

We explored the benefits of high-quality organic linen and how the MG+BW organic linen collection met the criteria for the highest standards of the most wellness-conscious consumers at the time of their launch..

Table of Contents

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Why You Should Care About Organic Linen

We have known for years that the quality of your “sleep stack” (e.g. bed frame; mattress; pillows; bedding; and overall room atmosphere) is critical to experiencing restorative sleep on a consistent basis. In turn, it is no secret that sleep plays a vital role in one’s overall wellness and health, both physical and mental.

The quality of bed linen, in turn, directly impacts the attributes of what constitutes an invigorating night’s rest, namely:

  • Sleep Onset Latency (SOL): How quickly you first fall asleep
  • Sleep Efficiency (SE): The percentage of time spent asleep
  • Sleep Duration: How long you sleep

According to Somnology, a digital health enterprise focused on digital therapeutic remediation of sleep disorders, the quality of your sheets can make all the difference for comfortable, restful sleep.

The freshness of high quality sheets promotes immediate relaxation and the onset of sleep within minutes of your head hitting the pillow. As your body experiences the softness of superior quality bed linen, you begin to relax and fall into a zone of comfort and ultimately the stages of restful sleep.

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection Closeup View

We can attest that MG+BW’s new organic linen sheets, surpassed our expectations in terms of comfort, immediate relaxation, and restful sleep. Having been loyal to high-end Italian cotton sheets for several years, this was our first foray into the world of linen sheets. We were not disappointed. MG+BW’s linen bedding provided a comforting and relaxing experience conducive to deep, restful sleep, the very first night.

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The Unique Traits of Organic Linen

The unique traits of organic linen enable the fabric to deliver powerful wellness benefits, while the use of organically grown flax addresses socially responsible manufacturing practices.

For the sake of simplicity, we will explain how high-quality organic linen differs from high-quality organic cotton.

First, the quality of the linen fiber is the single most important trait that will translate into a higher quality finished product. For years, manufacturers of cotton sheets have over stated the importance of high thread counts.

Thread count is a textile measurement that quantifies the density of threads by adding vertical and horizontal threads in one square inch of fabric. The premise has been the higher the thread count, the higher the quality of the fabric.

However, this logic is flawed for the following reasons:

  • Weaker fiber will require a higher density
  • Higher quality fiber does not require a higher density
  • As thread density increases, the fabric will become less breathable

Since not all threads are equal, it is the quality of the fiber that has precedence over thread count. In linen’s case, it actually is manufactured with a low thread count due to it being a superior class of fiber – thicker and stronger than cotton. Instead, linen is typically specified in Grams per Square Meter (GSM).

Organic linen, woven with certified organic flax that is grown and harvested without pesticides or other chemical toxins, is a cut above all other fabrics. In other words, the natural strengths of organic flax make it possible for manufacturers like MG+BW to produce linen bedding that is not only safe for humans, but safe for the environment at large.

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection White

To further improve upon the production process, better quality brands use artisanal, Portuguese production facilities, with generations of textile expertise for an “old world” quality that is unmatched by any other manufacturing capabilities in the world.

Production of the MG+BW linen collection is in Guimaraes, Portugal, an ancient city revered for its exquisite linen products and generational craftsmanship. This is yet another long-standing tradition of the MG+BW brand, utilizing only the best, experienced artisans throughout the world.

 

The Benefits of Organic Linen

The unique traits of organic linen make it possible to deliver the following benefits to wellness-focused consumers:

 

Breathability

Organic linen keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, with excellent moisture-wicking properties for humid nights. A key trait of organic linen is its longer fibers, which produce a softer, more breathable fabric.

 

Antimicrobial and Hypoallergenic

Organic linen flax is grown without pesticides or other harmful toxins. This is an excellent choice for those with allergies or skin sensitivity issues.

 

Durability

Organic linen has a longer life span than that of cotton, which means you can enjoy your high-quality linen sheets for many years, another justification for purchasing bedding products in a higher price tier.

 

Softness

The softness of organic linen will grab your attention from the moment you open the packaging, and throughout the lifespan of the fabric, which will get softer after each wash. The natural, textured feel only gets better over time.

 

Ease-of-Care

Organic linen can be simply washed in the washing machine with cold water and your favorite detergent. For drying, you can choose to line dry outside, or use your dryer on low temperatures for about 15 minutes, or use a combination of both. We prefer our linen to have a slightly damp dry feel when making the bed, as we can pull the sheet tighter to allow them to completely dry naturally, wrinkle free, in our well ventilated bedroom.

 

Stronger Yet Softer than Cotton

A common question for shoppers of luxury linen is how luxury linen bedding differs from luxury cotton bedding.

  • Linen is more durable and will last longer
  • Linen has a silkier, more luxurious feel
  • Linen dries twice as fast as cotton
  • Linen crops are less reliant on pesticides than cotton crops with similar yields
  • Linen crops require less water than cotton crops with similar yields

 

Adding Quality Linen Bedding to Your “Sleep Stack”

Understanding the materials and production process of a particular brand of bed linen is important for choosing the right sheets that will create a soporific, calmative effect to allow you to sleep comfortably and deeply throughout the night.

The consensus is that most people will spend one-third of their lives in bed, which is a striking reminder to not “under invest” in comfort, safety and restorative features within your “sleep stack”.

When considering your budget for high-quality bedding, we strongly recommend assigning the proper respect and priority that linen deserves. For example, when investing in a high-end mattress, be sure that your bedding matches or surpasses this newly elevated sleeping experience.

Sheets should never be an afterthought or be given a reduced budget due to not being “viewable”. In other words, when allocating budget towards other popular luxury items (e.g. automobiles; clothing; jewelry; frequent fine dining; etc.), be sure to include bedding into the equation. Ask yourself: have you been short changing “one third of your life” for other luxury items that are not nearly as important as your sleep health?

During a major remodel of our master bedroom in recent years, we applied this very advice and significantly upgraded our “sleep stack” with the following items:

  • High End King Size Bed (upgraded from a Queen)
  • Sleep Number SMART Mattress (to accommodate varying individual mattress firmness)
  • High-End Italian Cotton Sheets
  • High-End Coverlet blanket from Portugal

We elevated our sleeping experience with other key elements of our daily health and wellness routines: nutrition; hydration; and exercise. We are now excited to be able to add luxury organic linen to our wellness regimen, as shown in the image below.

Purgula Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Organic Linen Bedding Collection King Sized Bed

 

Purgula’s Take on MG+BW’s 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection

Having been loyal to high-end cotton sheets for several years, we were not sure what to expect when we first experienced MG+BW’s organic linen bedding. Given what we had already learned about their new-at-the-time product line, we certainly kept an open and optimistic mindset.

To create a fair apples-to-apples comparison, we remade our king-sized bed with the following MG+BW bedding parts, e.g.: two pillow cases; one fitted sheet; one top sheet; and one king-sized duvet cover.

MG+BW’s 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection consisted of the following products:

  • Sheet Sets:  1 fitted sheet, 1 flat sheet, 2 pillowcases (Queen or King size)
  • Pillowcase Sets: 2 per set (Standard or King size)
  • Bedding Set: 1 Sheet Set, 1 Pillowcase Set, 1 Duvet Cover (Queen or King size)
  • Duvet Covers (Queen or King size)
  • Euro Shams

The sheets were lightly sprayed with water and just slightly ironed, as again, we are accustomed to smooth cotton sheets. We also kept our nighttime schedule the same to create a similar sleep pattern.

From start-to-finish our first night with the MG+BW’s linen collection can be summed up as: several “wows”; lots and lots of deep sleep; and many “feels really soft and comfortable”. The bottom line reaction is that comfort will dominate your senses.

Keep in mind that even though we live in hot Southern California, we are able to sleep comfortably during the summer months without the need for air conditioning. We rely on high ceilings, a ceiling fan, and open windows to dissipate lingering hot air from the day, while taking in cooler, outside desert air at night.

Here are our additional thoughts on MG+BW’s organic linen bedding collection.

 

Quality

Seeing and touching MG+BW’s organic linen makes you appreciate the level of quality and care that goes into its production:

  • 100% certified, organically-grown, European flax, one of the highest quality fibers in the world for fine bedding
  • Consumers can be confident that this collection employed the highest levels of sustainability and environmentally-friendly practices that had been the legacy of the MG+BW brand
  • This collection held certifications from both OEKO-TEX (specific for global standards for safe and sustainable manufacturing processes) and GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), one of the few linen collections with these highest standards in the world
  • Production of the MG+BW linen collection was in Guimaraes, Portugal, an ancient city revered for its exquisite linen products and generational craftsmanship. This was yet another long-standing tradition of the MG+BW brand, utilizing only the best, experienced artisans throughout the world.

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Artisans of Comfort

Artisans of Comfort (2019)

 

Packaging

As expected, our bedding set was received in one large shipping box, with each item expertly packaged in protective plastic bags, and further wrapped in a protective linen bag (also referred to as Self Fabric Packaging).

Attached to each linen bag was a product tag with proof of GOTS and OKEO-TEX STANDARD 100 certifications. Having learned what is involved with producing 100% organic linen bedding, make these product tags extra special.

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams GOTS Certified Product Label for Organic Linen Duvet Cover

 

Mattress Fit

The fitted sheet went on easily on our Sleep Number air mattress, with a well-balanced fit, e.g.: not difficult to put on but with a nice snug fit to the mattress.

 

Duvet Fit

MG+BW’s duvet cover proved to be a better fit than our regular Italian cotton duvet cover, which caused shifting issues at night leading to uneven distribution of the duvet. So far, MG+BW’s duvet cover has provided consistent distribution, which absolutely increases the overall comfort of our slumber.

 

Aesthetics

Admittedly when we think of the aesthetics of linen products, we tend to think of wrinkles first and foremost. We have learned that no matter how well a linen item is pressed, wrinkles are inevitable. However, we can confidently state that in terms of linen bedding, its comfort will quickly override any concerns you may have about its “relaxed” look. If any one home décor item should be synonymous with a “comfortable, relaxed aesthetic” it should be your bed.

Purgula Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection Closeup of Duvet Cover

To better align the king duvet cover with the design of our bedroom, we tucked in the edges, which gave the bed a crisper, more polished look, while also showcasing the linen frame of our bed. Decorative pillows and an overlaid blanket at the foot of the bed are other ways to balance the “relaxed” look.

For those who like the “Farmhouse Chic” design style, linen will fit in “naturally”, of course!

The collection is available in Natural, Clay, Silver, Dawn, and White.

Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection Color Options

Purgula Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection King Sized Bed Headboard View

 

Care

Though we have not yet laundered our linen bedding set, we do not anticipate any change in how we have cared for our Italian cotton bedding sets. We are very consistent with the frequency of washing and alternating our sheet sets, which is imperative to keep the “fresh feel” and to extend the lifespan of each set.

 

FAQs on MG+BW’s 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection

 

What bedding items were available to purchase within MG+BW’s new 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection?

The following items and sets made up the 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection when they were available for purchase:

  • Sheet Sets:  1 fitted sheet, 1 flat sheet, 2 pillowcases (Queen or King size)
  • Pillowcase Sets: 2 per set (Standard or King size)
  • Bedding Set: 1 Sheet Set, 1 Pillowcase Set, 1 Duvet Cover (Queen or King size)
  • Duvet Covers (Queen or King size)
  • Euro Shams

 

Did MG+BW offer free shipping for their 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection?

Yes, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams offered free shipping to members of its Comfort Club for their entire bedding collection, including their 100% Organica Linen Bedding Collection.

 

When did MG+BW launch their line of 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection?

MG+BW launched their 100% Organic Linen Bedding Collection on August 8, 2022.

 

What is GOTS certified?

GOTS is defined by the OTA (Organic Trade Association) as:

“the world’s leading processing standard for textiles made from organic fibers. It defines high-level environmental criteria along the entire organic textiles supply chain and requires compliance with social criteria as well”.

 

What is the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® label?

STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® is one of the world’s best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. When a textile article is sold with this label, this is confirmation that the product has been tested for harmful substances and that the article is harmless for human health.

 

Where was MG+BW linen flax grown?

MG+BW used 100% organic European grown flax that was GOTS certified.

 

Where was MG+BW linen woven?

MG+BW’s organic linen bedding collection was woven and manufactured in Guimaraes, Portugal by artisanal, ninth-generational textile experts.

 

Did MG+BW hold a GOTS certification of fabric?

Yes, MG+BW held a GOTS certification for their organic linen.

 

Were MG+BW organic linen sheets pre-washed?

Yes, MG+BW’s organic linen were pre-washed, which made them softer. The more you wash organic linen, the softer it becomes.

 

How should you care for MG+BW’s organic linen?

Always use cold water, as hot water will shrink the linen fibers. The linen can be line dried, dried in a dryer at low temperatures, or a combination of the two.

 

Where was MG+BW headquartered?

MG+BW was headquartered in Taylorsville, North Carolina.

 

100% Organic Linen Shopping Links

 

Organic Linen, Sustainability & Sleep Resources

 

Additional Recommended Home Wellness Reading

 

Disclaimer: In order for Purgula to write this indepth article on this topic, we were sent a Bedding Set of 100% Organic Linen Bedding (King sheet set, with pillow cases and duvet cover) from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

 

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