People often ask us about the thread count of our sheets. Our answer is- there is no thread count! What? How can that be, you ask? There has to be one! Is it 200, 300 or 500? Well, it’s none of these and here’s why. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric. These consist of vertical threads (warp) and horizontal threads (weft) woven together. While woven sheets do have thread counts, knit sheets do not. All of our sheets are knit.

This leads us to the next question. What’s the difference between a knit and woven sheet? That’s a good question, since many of the sheets consumers are used to seeing are woven. Woven fabrics are produced on looms. Woven fabrics have yarns that interconnect both vertically and horizontally. A woven fabric is inherently rigid.

Knit fabrics are made on various types of knitting machines. Knit fabrics are made using one or more long threads or yarns that are knitted to create interlocking loops. As a result, knitted fabrics generally have more stretch and flexibility. Celia Rachel’s Jersey Knit Cotton Sheets and our polyester Grand Flannel Sheets generally have more stretch than woven flannel or cotton sheets. Since they are knitted, rather than woven, our pima cotton Jersey Knit Sheets feel soft and luxurious.

People also ask us about our cotton. Where is it from? What type of cotton do we use? We use cotton that is produced in the USA. We use pima cotton, the highest grade cotton available. This allows for the very soft hand of our sheets.

Another question we are often asked is, are your flannel sheets cotton? The answer is no, our sheets are 100% polyester. Many consumers mistakenly believe that polyester sheets are hard and scratchy. Not true! Our Grand Flannel Sheets are knitted, (not woven) and as you may remember, knits are stretchy and flexible. They are made from the same supple fabric that sleepwear has been produced from for years. Our Grand Flannel sheets have an incredibly soft hand and are very comfortable.

We hope this helps to answer some of your questions about thread count, knits vs wovens, pima cotton and polyester flannel. When choosing sheets, the ultimate decision is yours. The best ones for you are those that you like, that you think will look nice on your bed and most importantly, those that feel comfortable so that you can get a good night’s sleep!

This Veterans Day, Celia Rachel is honored to pay tribute our veterans who have so bravely served this country. We are indebted to you for protecting and defending America and for your sacrifices and courage to achieve peace and democracy. We thank you and our nation’s armed forces who continue to serve and protect our country and its ideals. We also thank the military families who also serve this country by their unwavering support of their loved ones. We are proud to honor all of America’s heroes not only today, but everyday.

From all of us at Celia Rachel, thank you.

We thought we’d take this opportunity to introduce you to our store, located in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Yes, we have an actual store where we sell all the products featured on our website and more. It’s located in our plant where we research, design, develop and manufacture our fabrics.

We were thrilled to be featured recently on ABC’s World News with Diane Sawyer as part of their Made in America series. This segment focused on furnishing a dorm room at SMU with all American made products. According to ABC World News, if all college students used American made products for their dorm rooms, we may be able to create many more jobs for US workers.

Our jersey knit sheets were one of the bedding products selected for the makeover. During the broadcast, viewers were given a peek inside our plant. We thought we’d show you a little more about our mill and a brief overview of how our sheets are produced.

• Preparing fabric for cutting

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• Quality Control

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• Dyeing and Finishing

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• Color Testing Lab

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• Circular Knitting Machines

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• Circular Knitting Machine

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• Entrance to Celia Rachel Outlet Store

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• Pointing the way to Celia Rachel

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• Our Plant-Mohican Mills

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• The Staff with the finished product!

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• Celia Rachel Outlet Store

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• Jersey Knit Sheets in our store

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• Folding and Packing the Sheet Sets

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• Sewing Room

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• Cutting the fabric

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American grown cotton is used to produce the yarn we use in our jersey knit sheets. The yarn is knitted on our Circular Knitting Machines. Colors are formulated and tested in our color lab and then the fabric goes through dyeing and finishing. Quality control is a very important part of the process in manufacturing our sheets. All fabric goes through quality control to make certain it will meet with customer satisfaction. The fabric is then prepared for cutting and sewing. Finally, our sheets are folded, packaged and placed on our store shelves. Celia Rachel and Mohican Mills employees are proud to manufacture American made products and give everyone the choice of purchasing bedding made in the USA!

Today, July 4th, America celebrates its 234th birthday. This Independence Day, we’d like to express our pride in the United States of America and how truly blessed and honored we are to live in this great country.

Celia Rachel is proud to be an American company producing quality products all made and manufactured in the United States of America. Your support allows us to keep workers employed and helps us to support our community.

These are difficult times. Throughout history, America has faced many challenges to preserving freedom and the American way of life. Our strong belief in our country’s principles has helped us to meet these challenges. This spirit had carried on through generations of Americans and we’re honored and thankful to continue the rich tradition of freedom.

We are most grateful to the men and women of this great nation who risk their lives here and abroad to serve, defend and protect our country in the name of our freedom.
From everyone at Celia Rachel, we wish you a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend.

When President Obama called upon Americans to buy products made right here in the USA in his State of the Union address, ABC World News listened. As part of their “Made in America” segment with Diane Sawyer, the team of producers at ABC World News set out to find high-quality, American-made products and home furnishings. One family in Dallas, Texas agreed to let ABC World News give them an “all-American” makeover: all goods in their kitchen, living room and bedroom were replaced with products manufactured in the USA. As the family learned, this was not an easy task! The team at ABC World News reported that nearly 60% of everything we buy is made overseas. However, if every one of us spent an extra $3.33 on U.S.-made goods every year, it would create nearly 10,000 new jobs in this country.

After the makeover, the family members were nothing but smiles with their brand new “American” home. They strongly encourage everyone to buy American-made goods, which would help generate thousands of more jobs for more Americans. Check out how the family’s doing a week after the makeover here.

Celia Rachel is honored to be listed on ABC News’ interactive map that pinpoints various companies that manufacture products domestically.

Take ABC’s “Made in America” challenge today and buy more USA-made products, whether they are groceries, clothing, or your favorite Celia Rachel items!

A beautifully decorated table is the focus of any party. Celia Rachel can help to make your table special and unique. Start with a striking lace tablecloth by Celia Rachel.

A lace tablecloth is so versatile. Play up the vintage aspect by using the tablecloth without a liner and adding fine china, silverware and stemware. Add flowers in a cut class vase and enjoy a pleasing traditional table. Go for a more modern look with a colorful liner that matches your party colors. Make a distinctive centerpiece by wrapping pieces of fruit or candy in tulle and tie with a ribbon. Then unwrap for a fun dessert treat. Or tie a lovely tulle bow around a vase of fresh flowers.

Used alone or with a solid color liner that matches your party colors, your table will set the tone for your get-together. Celia Rachel tablecloths are 100% polyester so they are easy- care and long wearing, and they are available in a variety of sizes or can be custom made.

For more casual get togethers, for a children’s table, or for a game night, Our Celia Rachel Supersuede® fitted and non fitted tablecloths are your go-to option. Non fitted Supersuede®tablecloths add a little bit of luxury to your dining experience. They are soft and rich looking and are a simple way to dress your table.

A perfectly smooth table top is what you want for poker night, the family scrabble game, bridge or mah jongg with friends and that’s just what you’ll get with these great table toppers! Celia Rachel Supersuede® tablecloths are made of 100% polyester and are machine washable. They are stain and shrink resistant and will keep their faux suede softness wash after wash.

We hope you’ll try our tablecloths for your parties, games, or your everyday use!

It’s the time of year when your calendar is filled with Graduations, Weddings, Holidays, Barbecues and Get-Togethers. Not sure what gifts to give? Today’s blog has gift ideas from Celia Rachel that we’re sure will impress friends and family. Best of all, you ’ll be giving a gift that’s made in the USA!

TRAVEL BLANKETS – These make great gifts for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Graduations, or any occasion! They come in assorted colors. We also suggest TRAVEL BLANKETS IN A BAG. All of our travel blankets are soft and lightweight, perfect for plane, train, car trips, camping or just a nap on the couch. We are also offering NEW Personalized, Embroidered Travel Blankets! These make great party favors for Sweet 16’s, Birthday Parties, Corporate Events or as a special gift for Mom, Dad or Graduate!

CAMISOLE NIGHT GOWN– Brides will love our NEW Celia Rachel Full Length Camisole Nightgown. This rich, elegant nightgown looks very expensive but it’s reasonably priced. It’s the perfect gift for ANY woman who wants to feel very special.

BABY BLANKETS – We love these blankets. They are very soft and comfortable. A beautiful, cuddly blanket from Celia Rachel is a wonderful baby gift! Available in Pink, Blue and Yellow, they can be embroidered with the baby’s name and birthdate and a bear or train.

SATIN SHEETS & COMFORTERS – Not sure what to give the bride and groom for their wedding? A luxurious Satin Quilted Comforter and a Satin Sheet Set make a rich and elegant gift for the happy couple and you don’t have to spend a fortune!

COTTON JERSEY SHEETS & SUPERSUEDE COMFORTERS – These are an excellent choice for recent high school graduates heading off to college. They are also terrific for engagement or wedding gifts. The Jersey Knit Sheets are the finest quality 100% cotton that retain their softness and shape wash after wash. They are available in extra long for dorm beds. Our Supersuede Comforters come in rich colors and are 100% polyester and machine washable. They are so lightweight it’s hard to believe how much warmth they provide. They look great and your kids will love the ease they’ll have making their beds! A newly married couple will appreciate these easy care sheets and the beauty and elegance of the Supersuede Comforter. Actually, they make a great present to give yourself!

We know how difficult it is to find items that are made in the USA. Celia Rachel is trying to help fill the void. These are just a few suggestions. Please visit us at Celia Rachel where you will find many more gift ideas! We appreciate your support and welcome your comments and suggestions.

Have this ever happened to you – you are in a store shopping for your family, or yourself, and while looking at products and reading labels, you find yourself a bit troubled by the fact that everything seems to be made somewhere else? It’s rare to find that “Made in USA” label these days. Of course, the global economy is important, but what about us and this country?

I hear experts on TV talking about the American economy and the importance of manufacturing and production in this country. Well, it just seems to me to be as simple as this – my purchase of a product made in the USA keeps someone else in the USA employed, which in turn supports a family and a community and in the long run – the country. It may be a relatively small thing but it means so much on many different levels.

I’d like to suggest an easy way to “Buy American” while totally spoiling yourself at the same time – cotton jersey knit sheets. Celia Rachel makes 100% cotton jersey sheets at their facility in North Carolina. They come in beautiful colors and all sizes, including extra long twin (perfect for dorm beds). These are the highest quality sheets made to the highest standards that keep their softness wash after wash. They are just a dream to slip into. Let’s face it; there is nothing better at the end of a busy day than to wrap yourself up in a soft and cozy bed!

I’m sure there are a lot of people who like me, have a busy life but still want to do what they can to support this country in these difficult times. Buying these sheets is a small way to be good to yourself while knowing you are taking care of someone else, too.

Celia Rachel’s Outlet Store is located on the premises of our Lincolnton, North Carolina factory. We sell directly to our customers, and so we can keep our prices low. Our walk-in customers often find nice surprises. We wanted to offer everyone a chance to try our products, so we created the Shopceliarachel.com website. Our goal is to try to keep hard-working, industrious employees employed, while simultaneously providing American- made products to those who want to support American workers and USA- based companies. We’ve tried to develop goods that people can use and enjoy without spending a fortune.

We’ve had lots of requests for our Jersey Knit Sheets because they are soft and comfy and they last! My friends and I think they’re the best for college students. You know how kids hate to do laundry, etc. Well, these sheets are really easy to care for and they don’t wear out. They’re also terrific for busy working moms and dads and just about anyone who wants an easy-care, soft and comfortable sheet set.

Our Matte and Sparkle Tulle fabrics are also highly requested items. We have loads of colors and our customers like the fact that this tulle is made in North Carolina. A future post will discuss how you can use tulle! I happen to love it for gift wrapping, because it turns a plain box into an elegant present with just a few twists of the fabric!

If you have any requests for items we don’t carry, let us know. We’re always interested in new ideas.

Welcome to our new blog. Our first post is inspired by a thank you speech made by Samson Bitensky in 1998. Mr. Bitensky was the Founder and CEO of Fab Industries, Inc., a textile manufacturing company committed to manufacturing goods in the USA. Mr. Bitensky passed away in 2006, but his visionary genius and leadership in the textile world is legendary. In 1998, Mr. Bitensky was awarded the prestigious FEMMY award, given by the Underfashion Club, Inc. to outstanding executives for exceptional achievements.

Mr. Bitensky emigrated to the USA from Poland in 1938. He attended New York’s City College School of Engineering, but interrupted his formal education to enlist in the US Army. He was a forward observer with the 2nd Chemical Battalion in the Italian Campaign of WWII. Upon discharge from the Army in 1946, Mr. Bitensky began his business career with a dress company in New Jersey. There he gained experience in manufacturing, fabrics and sales. He then became a partner in a converting business selling wovens, nylon tricots, nettings and lace. In 1955, he started Fab Lace Corporation to sell fabrics and laces. In 1958 he acquired a tricot manufacturing plant in Amsterdam, NY. In 1966 Fab Lace became Fab Industries, Inc. and the company continued to grow and expand, and created new and innovative products. Fab’s textile operations knit, dyed and finished a diversified line of tricot and circular knit fabrics and laces which were sold to a variety of markets. Most importantly, Mr. Bitensky always believed in keeping his company based in the USA. All of the manufacturing, dyeing and finishing were rooted in plants in North Carolina, New York and Pennsylvania. In 1998, when he accepted his award, the American based textile manufacturing landscape had already started to change. Here is an excerpt of what he said:

I’d like to express my thanks to everyone for taking the time to come here tonight. The Industry is going through a period of radical changes. Most garments sold in stores today are manufactured somewhere, but not in the United States. They are sewn together in the Caribbean, Mexico, in Bangladesh or Haiti or the Far East….

I started in this business 50 years ago selling to the underwear and lingerie manufacturers. today I still do the same even though things have drastically changed. Years ago the business was concentrated mainly on Madison Avenue in NYC. It was a Garden of Eden filled with hundreds of customers. Today it is a desert with few oases….

Even though to a great extent we’ve relinquished making these garments in the United States, we must not relinquish the control of the product itself.

In every garment there is a label that says “Made in Mexico, or China or Someplace Else. There should be another label that says “Created in the United States,” because the ideas, the styles, the selection of color and presentation comes from your minds and geniuses. To accomplish this, it is important that we educate young talent that will continue to carry on these ideas and innovations for the future.

(Excerpt from speech given by Samson Bitensky- 1998 Femmy All Star Gala-March 10, 1998, NYC)

Samson Bitensky believed in education, hard work and the American dream. He believed that we should support American manufacturers and workers. I think he would be pleased to see that some companies are continuing to follow his visions and are trying provide jobs for US workers on American soil. I think he’d also be thrilled with consumers who read labels and try to purchase products with labels that read “Made in the USA”.