I remember when Secret Linen Store first launched — something that seemed to herald a new age of luxury, online bedding companies. Many followed suit, but as one of the original brands bringing this new way to shop for bedding to the masses, Secret Linen Store created itself an almost household name.
Considered by many, I'd say, as one of the best bedding brands (you could have a sense of house proudness to say you owned Secret Linen Store bedding at any rate), I've owned bedding from this company before, but never quite dug into it as thoroughly as I intend to for this review.
As with how I'm testing all bedding brands, I asked Secret Linen Store to review its most popular bedding styles to get a feel for the quality of the product as a whole. For Secret Linen Store, which also retails cotton bedding, linen is still king, so I'm testing out its 100% linen bedding — more specifically, its Sophie Stripe set. Secret Linen Store is a good source if you're looking for sophisticated patterned bedding, after all, so it seemed a shame not to.
Since Secret Linen Store has been around since 2013, you'll find plenty of reviews online for it already, but I'm diving deep between the sheets with this one to see whether it lives up to its price tag. For a king-size bed, you're looking at around £249 for a duvet and pillowcase set, with extra for sheets.
This is the first version of the Secret Linen store review you're reading, meaning it's been inspected, washed, and slept in for at least two weeks. This review will be updated a little later in the year, once the bedding has been used for a total of four cumulative weeks. It's important, especially for linen bedding, which tends to be a little coarser to begin with, and softens after multiple washes and uses.
I love the Mediterranean-inspired look that feels apparent in this more modern take on a classic ticking stripe, with background colors of amber and olive. Ranging in size from single to emperor, with pillowcases in standard, square, and super king, there's a set to fit every size of bed. Alongside this set, I tested with Secret Linen Store's flat linen sheet.
Is Secret Linen Store's Bedding Good Quality?
Bed linen undergoes a lot of wear and tear, both in terms of being slept in and regular washing, so to some extent, the test of durability is a test of time. However, there are a few cheats I use to get a sense of quality when testing bed sheets.
The first is the touch test, not only to give a sense of how smooth and comfortable the textile is, but also whether it's going to regulate your temperature well. They say that the best bed materials for it will feel cooler to the touch than room temperature, and in general, that's what I experienced across most of these bedding reviews all stored in the same conditions.
For Secret Linen Store's 100% linen bedding, it felt cooler to the touch than some (our Bed Threads bedding review, for example), but not as others (Cultiver's bedding review came out top on this front).
Taking a look at the care taken with the stitching inside the duvet can also give you a good clue to the longevity of your bed sheets, and I'd say that Secret Linen Store stood out as a front runner, especially when comparing the best linen sheets. The seams were neat, felt sturdy, and were reinforced with a chain stitch, which is generally considered stronger than a running stitch.
The brand has also come up with a clever repair scheme with The Seam, so if anything does happen to your bedding after (hopefully) years of use, you can have it repaired.
I didn't have any issue with fiber shedding when this bedding was washed, either, something that can be common with linen bedding especially.
How Is Secret Linen Store Bedding to Sleep In?
I tested Secret Linen Store's linen bedding for two weeks, pre-washing before its first use, and between the first and second weeks. To hammer the point home again, linen bedding is coarser to start with, and should, in most cases, soften after use and subsequent washes. Secret Linen Store's linen bedding was a little crisp for its first use, but I could definitely feel it starting to soften during week two. I'll update this further, after further testing.
Having said that, I'd rate Secret Linen Store's linen bedding as on the heavier side. Some linens are light and airy, some are stiffer and heavier — each has its pros and cons, depending on how you like to sleep. For me, the heavier nature made it feel a little more wintery, though I did still find it regulated my temperature well (as someone who identifies as a hot sleeper), tested at a time of year where the nights seemed to fluctuate between warm and cool quite significantly.
On the pro column for this slightly more structured linen is that it held its shape for longer, and I felt the natural 'linen sag' you get after sleeping in linen sheets for a certain amount of time held off a little longer, making it more comfortable to sleep in between washes for a longer period. or too cold.
How Easy Is Bed Threads Bedding to Care for?
Harking back to the 'linen sag' issue, this bedding lasted two or three days longer than some other comparable linens, meaning there was only a slight start the linen looking 'too' lived in after around a week. That means if weekly how often you wash bed sheets, your bedding looks good for the whole time.
I tend to not iron my linen bedding, rather drying it as flat as possible and embracing the natural wrinkle of the material, but if you prefer to press yours, I tried it out and found that this linen bedding was largely easy to iron with a high heat and steam function.
How Does Secret Linen Store Bedding Rank on Style?
Secret Linen Store has quite a distinct point of view when it comes to its bedding ranges, and how it presents them. I feel like you'll really be into its offering if you also like brands such as Loaf, Neptune, even M&S's homewares.
However, you can, of course, style it however you like, and a lot of what Secret Linen Store does is simple basics that you can dress up in different styles. There are great solids, timeless patterns such as stripes and checks, and then more intricate patterned styles (especially in the cotton bedding) as well as a collaboration with textile designer Molly Mahon.
Talking of collabs, Secret Linen Store just launched a micro collection with Glassette, too.
A classic olive green that feels near neutral and will dress up any bedroom.
Stripe mixing with a maximalist frill. This bedding hits a big trend duo for this year.
If you want to add some variety to your bedscape, there's a range of bed throws to complement this bedding, too.
The Finer Details
When investing in luxury bedding, the details are important, so to compare brands I'm looking at a few key angles — how it arrives at your door, and the buttons/closings on the duvet cover and/or pillowcases. They don't, really, matter in the long run, but it's the little details that make things feel special.
Packaging: Secret Linen Store's packaging is minimal, but is clearly designed with its environmental impact in mind. It arrives in a biodegradable bag, with paper wrapping only. No plastic. It sets the tone for the brand, undoubtedly. Unlike some other brands, it doesn't come with storage bags, but I'll let you decide whether that's important to you or not.
The Button Test: These linen sheets come with pretty standard buttonhole and button closings, but with a slightly upgraded pearlescent button compared to the basic clear buttons used on some brands.
Is Secret Linen Store Bedding Worth It?
Comparing costs to other similar luxury brands, Secret Linen Store is largely the same price as its competitors at around £250 for a king-size set. Bed Threads costs around £240 for a king-size duvet cover set in flax linen, while Piglet in Bed is priced at £248.
It's a high price tag, yes, but if you're keen on linen bedding then it's a good investment. For those unsure if linen bedding is for them, I'd suggest investing in some more affordable ones first, to avoid disappointment (M&S has a more affordable set, and La Redoute is rated well, too). Secret Linen Store is the place to go to once you do know and are ready to invest in the best quality, 'forever sheets'.
You're buying into Secret Linen Store as a bit of a prestige brand, too, which undoubtedly adds to the price, but sometimes it's worth it for the flex, let alone the style factor that's baked into the brand's designs.
