10 Things to Check Before Approving Bedsheets (Checklist)

Fabric, GSM, shade, size, stitching, shrinkage, colourfastness, finishing, packing and labels — checked before you approve.

Quick Answer: Before you approve a bedsheet order, check fabric and thread count, GSM, shade, size, stitching, shrinkage, colourfastness, finishing, packing and labels. Agree each point in writing before production, and confirm the inspection arrangement in your quotation — Yousaf Ventures coordinates quality checks with suppliers for you.

Use this checklist on a sample before you approve an order, and again on the finished goods before they ship. Each point below says what to look for and what to ask for in writing. For the full specification behind the checklist, see our bed linen buyer’s guide and our hotel bed linen guide.

1. Fabric and thread count

Confirm the fabric is T-180 — 180 threads per square inch, warp 100, weft 80, pick 40/40 — in the blend you ordered: 100% cotton, poly cotton 50/50 or CVC 65/35. Check the fabric in hand against the sample you approved, and make sure the construction is written into your quotation.

Ask for the blend in writing — the same thread count can be made in different blends, and cotton and poly cotton behave differently in the wash. If the fabric feels different from the approved sample, raise it before production goes ahead.

2. GSM

GSM is grams per square metre — the weight of the fabric — and it is confirmed to your product specification. Ask for the GSM figure in your quotation, and check the sample feels like the weight you ordered: a light fabric cannot carry a heavy specification, and a heavy one will cost more than you planned.

Compare the sample’s GSM with the specification. If the figure is missing from your quotation, ask for it before you approve — GSM and thread count are different measurements, and hotels should have both.

3. Shade

Check the shade against your approved colour standard or master sample, under the same lighting you will use to judge it. Colours are matched to customer requirements, and white should be consistent across the whole order — compare sheets from different parts of the batch.

Note any shade variation between pieces. If you ordered white, check there is no yellowing or uneven tone, and if you ordered a colour, check it against the shade card you approved rather than against memory.

4. Size

Measure the finished sheet against the agreed dimensions — Single 180×300 cm, King Single 200×300 cm, Queen 250×300 cm, King 300×300 cm, Super King on request — remembering that 1 inch equals 2.54 cm. Measure the finished sheet, not the raw fabric, and account for the shrinkage of the blend.

Check both length and width, and the hem or fitted depth if your specification includes it. The full size table is in our bed linen buyer’s guide.

5. Stitching

Check seams, hems and stitch density across the whole sheet — no skipped stitches, loose threads, puckering or uneven hems. Stitching is done in the factory’s own unit, and the production flow includes a quality inspection after stitching, before packing.

Pull gently at the seams and check the corners. If the bedsheet is fitted, check the elastic and corner construction, and if it is flat, check that the hems are even on all sides.

6. Shrinkage

Expect shrinkage of 8–10% for 100% cotton, 2–3% for poly cotton 50/50 and 5–8% for CVC 65/35. Ask for the shrinkage figures in your specification, and if you can, wash a sample the way you will wash the finished sheets — then measure it.

Order the size with shrinkage in mind: a sheet that fits before its first wash but shrinks below the agreed size is a failed order.

7. Colourfastness

Colourfastness is confirmed to your customer specification — ask for the standard in writing and for laboratory test results where available. Wash a sample to check the colour holds, and check that whites stay white across the batch.

Washing durability is approximately 60–130 washes, depending on the fabric. If the colour fades or bleeds in the sample wash, raise it before approving the order.

8. Finishing

Check the look and feel of the finished fabric — no stains, marks, holes, spots or uneven dyeing, and a neat, clean selvedge. Hold the sheet to the light and look at both the face and the reverse before you approve.

Finishing includes any softening or treatment agreed in your specification. If the sample feels different from the fabric you approved, ask why before production goes ahead.

9. Packing

Confirm the packing, labelling and quantities per carton before the order ships — and that the packing suits sea or air freight. Check that nothing arrives damp or damaged, and that the cartons are marked with the right product, size and quantity.

Packing, labelling and quantities are checked at the packaging inspection stage, before shipment approval. If your order is smaller than a full container, LCL (less than container load) is available — ask in your quote request.

10. Labels

Confirm the brand labels, care labels and barcode requirements in writing — spelling, placement and language. Custom labelling and brand labels are available, and they should match your brand artwork exactly; check them on the sample before you approve.

Include the label specification in your order confirmation. A wrong label is a common reason for a shipment to be held at inspection.

How quality is checked during production

Quality is checked at every stage: raw materials, incoming inspection, production, laboratory testing, packaging inspection and shipment approval. Agree the inspection arrangement in your quotation — who checks what, and when — so there is no confusion before the order ships.

The production flow runs Weaving > Processing > Stitching > Quality inspection > Packing > Export. When you are ready to order, send your specification through the form on the Contact page — see the Bed Linen and Hotel Bedsheets pages, and How We Work for the full process.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I check first on a bedsheet sample?

Fabric and thread count, GSM and shade — the essentials — before you approve anything else. If the fabric, weight or colour is wrong, the rest of the checklist does not matter.

How much shrinkage is normal?

8–10% for 100% cotton, 2–3% for poly cotton 50/50 and 5–8% for CVC 65/35, per our supplier catalogue. Ask for the figures in your specification and measure a washed sample.

How many washes should a bedsheet last?

Washing durability is approximately 60–130 washes, depending on the fabric. Colourfastness is confirmed to your customer specification.

Can I ask for laboratory test results?

Yes — ask for them where available. Quality checks include laboratory testing, and the results can be shared as part of the inspection arrangement agreed in your quotation.

How do I start an order after approving a sample?

Send your specification — fabric, sizes, quantity and destination — through the request a quote form or by emailing ceo@yousafventures.com. Yousaf Ventures will come back with a written quotation.

By Ghulam Fatima, Founder & Client Communication Head, Yousaf Ventures
Last updated: 12 November 2026 — Request a quote · See all products