We think you will agree that when it comes to decorating your home the Master Bedroom and Bathroom should be focal points and will set the tone in your home. One of the elements that will enhance the beauty for these rooms resides in selecting the right beddings and towels. There is nothing more beautiful, rich, stately and inviting than fine, regal bed linens. Plush, thick, yet soft bath towels add the final touch!
But does beautiful mean good quality? does thickness in towels mean durability?
With these questions in mind we decided to ask a veteran in the business, CEO and Founder of McGary and Company
Q: What is the basic business philosophy of McGary and Company?
A: We try to bring to the marketplace, primarily through interior design professionals, the finest quality bedding and towels.
Q: Where do your products come from?
A: We used to do a lot of distribution for the U.S. manufacturers, like Fieldcrest and
Wamsutta, but in the last 10 years or so virtually all the production for U.S companies has moved off-shore like China.
When this happened we didn’t feel the quality was quite the same. We currently import from Italy.
Q: What should we look for in bed linens and how important is thread count?
A: Thread count has been a benchmark of quality for long enough now that consumers have recognized it is not the only consideration when making a bedding purchase.
Thread count is an indicator of quality, but we would advise consumers to be equally conscious of country of origin and, of course, fiber content (e.g. cotton).
Look at the sewing carefully:
- Does it look like it was sewn with skill and care?
- Are the hems uneven?
- Are the threads too far apart on the seams to hold up to frequent laundering?
- Is it really lightweight or Is it really heavy?
We think consumers are very capable of making a good decision.
Q: Why is Italy such a good source for bed linens and bath towels?
A: Italy has a heritage of knowing how to weave, and perhaps more important, how to finish cloth. (Finishing is the end process of dyeing or bleaching, mercerizing and washing.) Whether we are talking about bed linens or ready-to-wear. Italy knows how to make a cloth feel fabulous.
Q: What are your best selling bedding products?
A: Styles and tastes always change, and right now the emphasis is on solid colors or simple stripes, either percale or sateen weaves, with either a simple hemstitch finishing or with more elaborate embroidery stitching. We carry an entire line of these products.
Q: We hear the trend is “organic towels”?
A: Yes it is, they are growing in demand. We carry the Eko-Luxe towel.
It is made from a 60% combed organic cotton and 40% rayon made from bamboo.
The addition of rayon makes the Eko-Luxe towel extremely absorbent and soft.
The combination of organic cotton and bamboo makes the towel eco-friendly.
Q: Any recommendations on how to select the right towel?
A: If the consumer thinks about it, towels really are very simple. A towel should absorb water, period. A towel consists of loops of the (usually cotton).
What’s logical?: the longer the loop the more water it can absorb.The more loops the more water can be absorbed.
The more the loops are twisted (like a rope) the less water can be absorbed.
Unfortunately there are downsides: a non-twisted loop will absorb better and is prone to snagging.
And an overly dense towel actually defeats itself (like trying to dry off with a rug).
Our suggestion would be to look for a fairly dense towel, long loops, without too much twist in the loops.
Q: How should we take care of our bed linens and towels?
A: Always use warm/cold temperature, and NOT hot.
You will “cook” your beautiful bed linens if you use too hot of a temperature, and their sateen sheen will disappear.
Select “towel or cotton cycle”, otherwise use the” gentle cycle”.
Organic detergents are excellent as they are very gentle on the fibers.
Ecos Clear is one of our favorite laundry dertergent. Use a softener as well, as it will keep the fabric soft. Vaska makes a good one called Herbasoft.
You can also use regular detergents, but be very conservative “less is more”, read the instructions. Clear detergents perform best.
Set you dryer at a “less dry cycle” and remove bed linens while still damp, not totally dry. Iron at warm temperature as well. Regarding towels, use the “normal dry cycle”.
Q: Does your company sell to the public?
A: We sell to design professionals who buy for their clients.
We had a showroom at the San Francisco Design Center for many years.
We now sell directly to the public too.