Eight Great Makers of Sumptuous Bed Linens

These luxury Italian linens were the post-war brainchild of Vinicio Tarli and Fano Puliti. In 1947, the two Italians acquired some old looms and a hangar which would become their warehouse. They began with the manufacture of exceptional tablecloths, and by 1958 had branched out into bed linens, creating all of their own fabrics and designs. Now run by the third generation of the families, the company no longer makes its own fabric but outsources to trusted weavers, printers, cutters and sewers. The result is a collection of traditional and popular linens, made with good care and quality. The Young Bed selection is suitable for children and teenagers, offering a range of pretty floral prints or a few more novelty designs like farmyard animals, fish or whales. The Elegant Bed collection does exactly what it promises—sophisticated designs ranging from the bold blue and white floral Cape Hampton Bolina, to the pale and gentle Taormina and Tristano & Isolta. The company also produces a large number of custom materials for prestigious hotels, designers, restaurants and retailers, so you know you're in good hands. They've got an outlet store just opposite their warehouse in Sesto Fiorentino, about eight miles outside Florence, and their linens are also available in Florence, as well as at Harrods and Liberty in London and branches of Williams Sonoma, HomeGoods and Restoration Hardware throughout the United States.

Looking for good quality sheets down under? Lucienne Linen produces their own line and also stocks products from such names as Armani Casa, Giuseppe Bellora, and Paris' Blanc d'Ivoire. Their signature in-house linens come in a mix of 55% linen and 45% cotton, giving you the best qualities of both materials. The pure Egyptian cotton line comes in white almond and soft taupe. Other sheets have delicate embroidery in traditional floral patterns; choose either a subtle white on white, or brighten things up a little with the pastel colors. They also have an oh-so-cute range for kids, all hand-embroidered to ensure one stylish crib. The Lucienne et Bébé range offers moms layers of bedding, from flat bassinet sheets to pure pashmina blankets and a comfy coverlet with or without a warming layer of baby alpaca wool. And for a personal touch, anything can be monogrammed, from lavender bags to pillowslips.

Londoner's looking for summery furnishings and crisp sheets head to the White Company, the number one port of call for sophisticated home furnishings and accessories in, of course, white. It stocks a large range of linens, mostly in the signature white, but splashes of pastel and natural colors do creep in now and again—for example, in the blue and white Riley Stripe, or the mulberry ladder stitching in the Santorini set. Most of the sets are made from cotton with thread counts of between 200 and 600, although the easy care set—perfect for busy moms or working gals—is 50% cotton, 50% polyester, with a 200 thread count. They also offer pure linen sets, which are great for hot summer nights. Beautifully crafted, the linen sets are not as varied as the cotton, but you can choose between simple housewife pillow cases, hand-drawn thread work or a pure linen cord set. And for all you green goddesses out there, they offer an organic cotton option, made without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizer and colored with eco-friendly dyes to ensure a natural good night's sleep. Is it bedtime yet? Carried at White Company locations throughout the UK and available online and from Selfridges in London.

When iconoclast artist and film director Julian Schnabel built a limited line of oversized, raw steel beds, no standard sheets could fit them, so his wife, Olatz, a former model with a design background, came to the rescue by creating custom linens that would suit the stylish beds. She didn't stop there, designing sheets for her twin sons' beds, made with the kind of gorgeous fabrics she had had as a child in Spain, and in 2004 opened her own boutique in the New York's West Village, selling a wide range of linens chic enough to tempt the likes of actors Dennis Hopper and Isabelle Huppert. Following Olatz's love of classic European craftsmanship, the shop has and Old World feel, save for the original Schnabel paintings hanging on the walls. Themed around the Mediterranean colors and textures of Olatz's childhood memories, the sheets come in a variety of colors and styles, and range from simple, contemporary sheets suitable for men, to feminine pink embroidered numbers. Most are made in Italy or Portugal. I love the pretty lace Ortensia and Camilla, or the brightly trimmed Lido (colored trim with double appliqué stripes). If you like things bright and breezy, take a peek at the fun Palermo line with a contrasting colored sheet and trim. For something really special, check out the sets hand-sewn and embroidered in Madeira in linen or cotton percale, or the Aswan, with a variety of fonts and styles available for the monogrammed initials. You can't slip between sheets in just any old thing, so pick up a pair of Olatz's fab PJs or silk nightgowns while you're there. She also sells lovely cashmere blankets, as well as linens for bath, table and baby bassinets or cribs.

To visit Léron on Madison Avenue is to step back into a world where custom-embroidered bed linens were the norm for any trousseau. Established in 1910, the business is now run by the third generation owner, David Forster, a man dedicated to exquisite bed linens. The service is impeccable and the scope for design fantastic; they have a huge range of patterns and colors for you to choose and are famous for their embroidery and appliqué. The historic company has kept up with the trends, so it's not all about chintz or florals. While there are very pretty flower designs, there is also a good contemporary selection, such as the Taylor line, with its geometric spot border on cotton pique from Italy, or Good Night Sleep Well, bordered with “good night” in different languages on pure Egyptian cotton. I love the gorgeous Olivia, which is a little more traditional with its hand embroidered, monogrammed swags. You can visit their New York shop, or ask them to come to you—they are more than happy to help you design your perfect piece at home, where you can match it to what you have already. Top notch, old-fashioned attention to detail which leaves you with some of the world's best linens.

Until 1920, when Madeleine and David Porthault begin producing sheets with colored embroidery and screen prints, most Parisians slept on plain, white sheets. They were an instant hit and the company grew to become one of the world's most respected linen manufacturers, with a dedicated following of famous faces—Jackie O reportedly loved their table linens. The sheets are still made on the same premises in France but are now available worldwide with more and more prints added to the collection each year. They've also introduced a 1,000 thread count range, available by special order, if you're looking for the ultimate bed linens. Their bold patterns, many of them vibrant florals, are inspired by artists or famous past clients. However 2008 has seen their biggest collection yet, with more abstract, monochrome styles. The sheets are very high quality and very durable. Take care of them, because you could be passing them down for generations. Available at Porthault boutiques in Paris, New York and Dallas, or at some other select boutiques, such as the Monogrammed Linen shop in London and Mary Mahoney in Palm Beach.

Europeans are usually associated with manufacture of fine linens, so prepare yourself for a surprise: Anichini's goods are hand crafted in Vermont. Well, when it's that cold I guess you need something fabulous to curl up in at night. Speaking of fabulous, Cher happens to be a fan of Anichini's opulent bed sets. Don't expect subtlety, these are sheets for a princess, full of extravagant fabrics and rich colors—even the neutral-colored Dreamy Erema is decorated with lavish brocades. The collections are inspired by the countries where the opulent materials are sourced; Heavenly Hazeran, in golds and creams, is an interpretation of the royal dress of Ottomans in the 16th century; Tempting Taj is rich in reds and oranges, evoking a sense of Eastern spice with its silky Giava sheets. The materials are high caliber, whether it's cashmere from Nepal or Velvets from Turkey, and the final products look like something from a film set—indeed the sheets appear in several recent films. True to it's motto of "Enlightened Luxury," Anichini is not all about lying back and enjoying the good life. The company is a strong supporter of AIDs and HIV charities and women's rights, and donates 1% of revenue to the Sustainability Institute of Hartland, Vermont. Sold at Anichini boutiques in LA and New York; also available online.

Forget about bohemian students with long hair and vegan sandals—these days, hemp is chic. Case in point: Jilly Cholmondeley's new line of hemp bed linens that are both luxurious and eco-friendly. Woven in Italy, they get softer with every wash—plus, unlike some cotton or linen sheets, these are more durable and last for ages. Don't worry, sleeping in hemp sheets isn't going to make you high; industrial hemp is the non-psychoactive variant of cannabis. Hemp also has much better eco-credentials than cotton and linen. Even organic cotton uses huge amounts of water; hemp requires much less, and needs very few pesticides or herbicides. So you'll sleep with an easy conscience. Hemp gathered a bit of a bad reputation for coarseness when it first entered mainstream use—indeed, it was the material used for early ship sails—but superior modern spinning and weaving techniques make it soft, while retaining its durability (if you don't believe me, just get in touch with Jilly and she'll send you a free sample to stroke). The collection comes in two designs, and in ivory or white they are classic and pretty—after all, being eco-friendly no longer means you have to sacrifice on style. The bed linens are available online, but be aware that "double" refers to a European king-size, and a U.S. queen-size.