2008 Woodie Awards
RSSPromoted linens disappoint some
By Elizabeth Murray
Issue date: 10/19/07 Section: News
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However, students say they are often unsure about the quality of the products. In addition, retail stores provide more options for students.
Residence Hall Linens, a company Lehigh advertises to first-year students, markets sheets guaranteed to fit extra long dorm beds, as well as pillows, comforters, storage supplies and other products.
Lehigh beds are extra long twin beds measuring 36 inches by 80 inches, five inches longer than a standard twin bed.
Several stores nationwide also sell extra-long sheets.
According to its Web site, Residence Hall Linens charges $19.95 for a three-piece sheet, while "The Complete Campus Collection" sells for $189.95.
Andrew McDade, general manager for Residence Hall Linens, said the company sells sheets with thread counts from 180 to 250, and students can choose 100 percent cotton or 60 percent cotton, 40 percent polyester sheets.
In comparison, Bed, Bath & Beyond offers extra long twin sheets with thread counts from 220 to 620.
Residence Hall Linens markets to students directly through colleges. The schools, in turn, receive a portion of the profit.
Ozzie Breiner, director of residential services, said Lehigh students benefit from the money Lehigh receives.
Breiner said money is directly used for student services and student programs, such as service trips during spring break.
Residence Hall Linens mails its products directly to students' homes. The convenience is why Lehigh is involved with Residence Hall Linens, Breiner said.
Luciana Trabanino, '11, is an international student from El Salvador. She said ordering from Residence Hall Linens was the only way for her to find all the products she needed.
"It was hard to get everything back home," Trabanino said.
However, some students say they are uncomfortable with the fact that the company does not disclose product details on its Web site.
McDade said the company offers a variety of quality cotton sheets, and students can call the office for more information.
Some students who purchased the sheets said the quality was less than average.
"They kind of feel like prison sheets," Emily Stafford, '11, said. "But they are livable. They're two steps above prison sheets."
Trabanino said the quality of her sheets was tolerable, but that she did have one problem.
"I ended up buying another comforter because it wasn't warm enough," she said. "They're not really good sheets, but they'll do the job for college."
Many other students choose to not purchase from Residence Hall Linens because of the limited color selections.
Ashley Forbes, '11, said that Residence Hall Linens did not match the color scheme of her room.
"They didn't coordinate with my comforter," she said. "I needed lime green sheets and they didn't have any."
Stafford said that even the color choices the company provides do not match each other well.
