That’s right – flannel bed sheets are back in style – as thousands turn to traditional bedding to escape soaring energy bills.
The cosy bed linen option was hugely popular during World War II, but sales figures dropped off during the 1960s and 1970s as man-made materials grew in popularity.
However it now appears that the naturally warm fabric is back in style, with many looking for ways to avoid having their heating on for too long.
“Customers are snuggling up to a piece of British history once again,” said Ed Watson, spokesperson for Debenhams.
“When asked to choose between romance and heat, thousands of men and women have decided that keeping their bits and bobs toasty and warm is far more important than anything else.”
Silk sheets have often been seen as the ideal option for seduction and success in the bedroom, but it appears that nowadays frugality is sexy.
“Customers have discovered that buying cosy, traditional flannel bed linen is much, much cheaper than leaving their central heating on in the bedroom all night,” Watson added.
“They tell us that there’s a wonderful sense of comfort when slipping between flannel sheets, a feeling of being snugly wrapped and looked after which doesn’t come from any other material. They’re the ideal answer to tough times.”
Back in the days before central heating flannel sheets were standard issue in homes as their texture holds tiny pockets of air between bed and sleeper, trapping in heat regardless of the freezing cold weather outside.
The return to prominence of flannel sheets has matched the continual price hikes for electricity and gas, which now stand almost 80 per cent more expensive than five years ago.
Bedding has changed a lot over the years, with various different fabrics in vogue at one time or another.
Nylon was at one point very popular, as it was crease proof and thus did not need to be ironed; the big disadvantage was that it would often give restless sleepers a sharp shock from static electricity.
Cotton sheets became popular in the 1980s, as worldwide production meant that the finest weaves could be sold at affordable prices.
Many are actually buying numerous different types of bedding for different times of year, The Duvet and Pillow Warehouse (DAPW) report a huge surge of customers searching out the warmest possible duvet for the current cold snap.
Jonathan Attwood a spokesperson for DAPW, said: “Our customers are rushing to buy our warmest duvets. Many have heard warnings of plummeting temperatures and heating failures due to the excessive cold and want to be prepared.”
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