We've always encouraged our customers, friends and family to hang their sheets to dry. Extend the life of your linens while doing a little good for our planet. Happy Earth Day from everyone at Au Lit Fine Linens!

It can be difficult to decipher all the lingo when it comes to shopping for a duvet. There's a lot to take in and some of it can be a bit confusing. Here are the four things you need to know to separate the good from the bad:

1. Make sure it’s pure white goose down. In Canada, a down product must contain a minimum of 75% down to be labeled as down. For a down product to be labeled as Goose Down it must be a minimum of 90% Goose. If it doesn't meet these criterias, there could be just about anything in there, most probably a lot of chicken feathers! Our advice, trust the company you’re buying and make sure they can answer all the questions you have. (Look for brands that are certified with Downmark by The Down Association of Canada, for US products look for the American Down and Feather Council).

2. The quality of down is measured in Loft (a.k.a. Fill Power). A lofting power of 500-550 is considered good, 550–750 is considered very good, and 750+ is considered excellent. This doesn’t mean you can only buy 750+ and up, but understanding the difference will help you make an educated decision.

3. Shell thread count should be above 300. The thread-count of the shell does affect how the entire duvet will feel. A silkier, higher thread count shell allows for the down to move around beautifully and does not “crunch” as some lower thread count shells do. 

4. We recommend a baffle-box construction so the down remains evenly spread out and does not clump.

1. One of you is a warm sleeper while the other is a cold sleeper.

2. Choosing a thread count

3. Can't decide on a colour scheme

4. Pillows that suit individual needs

It's a brisk day here in Toronto, and as much as we're excited about snow for the holiday season, we must admit that nothing could beat flying to a warm tropical paradise right about now. Think warm thoughts with some of our favourite travel inspired gift ideas. 

Featured above: Cashmere Set, Travel Iron and our very popular Travel Pillow.

hermes.com and asos.com

modcloth.com, holtrenfrew.com and lomography.com

anthropologie.com, sephora.com and wesc.com

Q: Why does cotton fabric shrink?

A: Cotton fabric shrinks primarily due to the relaxation of the cotton fibers. During the spinning and weaving processes, tension is created as the cotton fibers are straightened, stretched, twisted, and pulled. The heat and agitation in the washing and drying cycles release this tension, relaxing the fibers and allowing them to return to their natural state.

Washing in cold water and line drying to avoid the high temperatures and agitation of the dryer will help to minimize shrinkage. However, there is still a chance for shrinkage.

Recently, Sferra tested a king fitted sheet, following proper washing and drying care instructions. Here is what they found:

The shrinkage rates were 3.7%, 4.2%, 5.4% for the width, length and depth, respectively. As you can see, by overcutting the king fitted sheet, the post-shrinkage sizing is the perfect fit for the 78x80” king mattress.

Due to this, we purposely overcut our bottom fitted sheets to allow for shrinkage and recommend following formula when purchasing your fitted sheets: 

Mattress Depth + 4" = Fitted Sheet Depth

This will ensure that your mattress is always properly covered.

Information provided by one of our favourite brands Sferra.

 A favourite subject here at Au Lit is how to care for your linens. We're always discussion the best options for extending the lifespan of our linens and we wanted to share some tips for good basic care.

1. Once a week, machine wash your linens in cold or lukewarm water, hot for whites, using a mild detergent. We like to use Sunlight or our Le Blanc Linen wash (shown below). Avoid detergents that contain bleach, ammonia or strong enzymes as they may cause discoloration. 

2. To keep your white's as white as possible, we recommend soaking them overnight in hot water with mild detergent before their weekly washing. You'll be amazed at the difference a little soaking can do. If you prefer to use bleach (colour safe bleaches only) or Oxiclean, these should only be used occasionally.

3. Cotton satin linens must be washed in cold water before use to set the fibres and prevent pilling. After the first wash, they can be washed in hot or lukewarm water.

4. Hanging to dry will ensure more longevity and less wrinkling. Do not use the hot dryer for more than ten minutes, if at all, as the heat destroys the natural fibres of the cotton and will considerably shorten the lifespan of your linens. Iron, if necessary, while damp. For an extra bit of freshness, use one of our linen waters, like our K Hall Washed Cotton Scent or Lavender from L'Othantique.

5. Skin creams and beauty products may stain or discolour your linens.

To purchase our Le Blanc products, visit or contact our store.