BEDDING SHOPPING
Expats in the Netherlands looking to buy bed sheets, pillow cases, comforters or other bedding items will have no problem finding them at Dutch retail stores, from low-end up through premium. Flat sheets are the exception…
BED LINENS
In the Netherlands, bed sheets and pillow cases (beddengoed) are usually sold individually rather than in sets. Fitted sheets are referred to as ‘hoeslaken’ in Holland and pillow cases are ‘kussenslopen’. Flat sheets (‘plat laken’) are not that popular with the Dutch which means far fewer retail stores carry them. Check bol.com and Wehkamp.
Solid-colored bed linens are far more popular with the Dutch, so don’t expect a wide assortment of print or pattern sheets and pillow cases. Cotton broadcloth is the dominant bedding material in the Netherlands but flannel (‘jersey’) sheets are extremely popular in the winter.
Bed sheets in the Netherlands come in widths of 70cm, 80cm, 90cm, 140cm, 160cm and 180cm. Mattresses are commonly available in widths of 70cm, 80cm and 90cm. 2-person beds are commonly 140cm, 160cm or 180cm in width and use 2x70cm, 2x80cm or 2x90cm mattresses next to each other (rather than one large mattress like those found in the United States). The most common mattress length in Holland is 200cm (210cm and 220cm-long mattresses can also be found).
Blankets (bedspreien/plaids) are not nearly as popular with Dutch people as comforters (dekbedden) so not all bedding retailers in the Netherlands sell them (check bol.com, JYSK, Swiss Sense and Wehkamp). Comforter covers (dekbedovertreken) are typically sold as a set with one or two matching pillow shams (depending on the bed width). Unlike bed sheets, prints and patterns are far more commonly used with comforter covers and easy to find at many stores. Have a look at the assortment at bol.com, Hema, Swiss Sense and Wehkamp.
Comforters can be found at all quality/price levels in the Netherlands. Lower-priced comforters can be found at stores like Hema and JYSK. Higher quality comforters can be found at De Bijenkorf, Swiss Sense and Wehkamp. bol.com sells comforters at all price points.
DUTCH BEDDING BRANDS
Popular Dutch bedding brands include Cinderella, Dreamhouse, Essenza, Sleeptime, Ten Cate Home and Vandyck which are sold by department stores as well as online at bol.com and Wehkamp.
Low-cost bedding in the Netherlands is sold by retailers such as Hema, JYSK and IKEA. All have stores located in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Groningen and most larger Dutch cities. Online retailer Wehkamp sells sheets and linens under their in-house brand Wehkamp’s Own which has a good price/quality balance.
PILLOWS & MATTRESS TOPPERS
In the Netherlands, bed pillows (‘hoofdkussens’) are sold in specialty stores (‘slaapspecialists’) Beddenreus, BeterBed and Swiss Sense, department stores such as Hema, home stores such as JYSK and online from retailers such as Amazon and bol.com.
Mattress toppers are popular in the Netherlands since wide beds typically use two narrower mattresses, so a foam topper is needed so as not to feel where the two mattresses meet. Some mattress toppers have come with removable covers that can be machine washed, but this is not always the case. It is a good idea to purchase these online as they are generally too bulky to transport by bike. Find topper options at retailers such as Swiss Sense and bol.com.
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