Since being heralded by Oprah Winfrey on national T.V. as her "best discovery of the year," 100 percent cotton jersey knit sheets have become one of the hottest items for the home. Coined the "T-shirt sheet", these stretchy, comfy, wrinkle-free alternatives to the flat weaves, twills and sateens that currently dominate the market, have answered the consumers cry for apparel-influenced bedding.

"Since I found T-shirt sheets, sleeping has not been the same for me... nothing has made me feel better than the T-shirt sheets," claims the talk show host.

Rachel Ashwell, president of Los Angeles-based Shabby Chic, and developer of the cotton knit sheets beloved by Oprah, says her inspiration for the product was the idea of sleeping in an oversized T-shirt.

"People find comfort in surrounding themselves in T-shirt material, why not expand it to be the whole bed?" explains Ashwell.

Since the mention on Oprah, growing customer demand for T-shirt sheets has led Ashwell to expand Shabby Chic’s T-shirt sheet line (which also features duvets and dust ruffles) to include additional colors to its current palette of white and cream.

While cotton knit sheets have been popular in Europe for years, until recently they could only be found in infant bedding in the United States.

"We saw an European trend in cotton knit sheets develop into a long-standing product," explains Eike S. Heymer, director, fabric development & research implementation, Cotton Incorporated. "Anticipating this trend would catch on here, we did research on machinery and yarns and met with many American mills."

The heightened comfort of cotton knit sheets comes from the knitting process used in manufacturing. According to Heymer, "The lower twist of a knitted yarn used for these sheets yields a much softer hand. The stretch characteristics of cotton jersey knit is due to the fabric’s interlocking spirals, also making the sheets breathable and wrinkle-resistant."

Springs Industries’ Springmaid division will start shipping its brightly colored cotton knit sheets and striped duvet cover line to a national retail chain in April. The company is also featuring cotton knit sheets for its Wamsutta and Liz at Home lines.

"Anytime you can make a transition from apparel to bedding, it has great potential for success," said Kevin McCabe, product manager for Springmaid. "It’s part of the whole movement of the consumer to look for cotton and better quality fabrics."

Douglas Shavel, vice president of Shavel Associates, manufacturer of the 100 percent cotton Homestyle Knit Jersey Sheet Sets line, attributes the success of their product to "Americas movement toward casual living." The Homestyle Knit Jersey Sheet Sets line, which includes comforters, toss pillows, shams and window treatments, also features denim-look knit sets in deep indigo and stone wash.

Currently, cotton knit sheets are available from major retailers such as Barneys, Pottery Barn, Shabby Chic, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Homeplace, and are very quickly making their way into better department stores.