The "Best" Table Linen is the Style that Best Suits You

At Fine Linen and Bath, our passion for luxury table linens is second only to our dedication to our clients. That's why our customer service team is available to answer questions about table linens whenever we are asked. And one of the most frequent queries we get is what is the “best” table linen? The truth is, there's no one-size-fits all answer. But the right information makes buying decisions easier.

This blog showcases two of our most popular table linen collections: SFERRA Festival and Matouk Lowell. We'll walk you through material and construction, color and customization options, care instructions, and pricing, all with the goal of helping you set your perfect table.

Understanding the Differences Between SFERRA Festival and Matouk Lowell

SFERRA Festival and Matouk Lowell are two best-selling table linen collections beloved for their versatility; they are equally perfect for dressing a table for daily use or a special occasion. But the two collections take distinctly different approaches to luxury.

SFERRA Festival is made from 100% linen in a plain weave, finished by hand with a single row of refined thread-drawn hemstitching and mitered corners (round tablecloths get a plain hem instead). The collection is woven in Lithuania and offered in an extraordinary 101 colors, making it one of the most versatile table linen lines available. Cocktail napkins, dinner napkins, and placemats are routinely stocked in every color; runners and tablecloths are regularly stocked in 15 core shades, with all other colors available made-to-order. Festival also offers the broadest range of sizes and shapes of the two collections — including square, oblong, and round tablecloths, plus four table runner lengths — making it easy to outfit tables of nearly any shape or size.

Matouk Lowell, by contrast, pairs 100% white linen with a tasteful colored sateen trim for a more tailored, refined look. Made from Italian-woven fabric, Lowell comes in eight signature color pairings. Lowell can also be custom-made with sateen trim from any shade in Matouk's Nocturne or Talita bedding collections. All Matouk fabrics are OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified, and tablecloths are oversized by 4% to account for shrinkage.

(Note: Matouk aficionados will recognize the Lowell name from the Lowell bedding and Lowell guest towel collections, both of which are popular styles that feature the same sateen border).

Benefits of Sferra Festival: Classic, Colorful, European Craftsmanship

Every item in the SFERRA Festival collection is a testament to the style, quality, and craftsmanship of European woven linen. The hand-drawn hemstitch — a form of decorative drawn-thread work made by pulling parallel threads and tying the cross threads into tiny bunches — creates small, lace-like patterned openings along the hem that can read as elegant in a formal setting or casual in a more relaxed one, rather than fussy.

With 101 color options, Festival is ideal for anyone who wants to build a table linen collection that can shift with the seasons, the occasion, or their mood, from a crisp White dinner party to a bold Emerald or Raspberry holiday table. The line includes cocktail napkins, dinner napkins, placemats, table runners, and both square and oblong tablecloths. Napkins come in multiple sizes and styles — including oblong and square cocktail napkins as well as dinner napkins — while tablecloths and runners are offered in a wide array of sizes and shapes, from square and oblong to round tablecloths and four runner lengths, giving you the flexibility to dress nearly any table.

"SFERRA Festival allows clients to express their real personality at the table. The range of colors and sizes, paired with the hand-drawn hemstitch, makes SFERRA Festival a timeless style."

— Helena Hendricks, Senior Associate Brand Manager at Fine Linen and Bath

Care Instructions: Machine wash in cold water on a gentle cycle. Do not use bleach, which may weaken the fabric and cause yellowing. Don't use fabric softener. Separate dark colors. Do not wring. Line or tumble dry on low heat, and remove while still damp. Steam iron on the "linen" setting.

Benefits of Matouk Lowell: Tailored, Versatile, American Atelier Quality

From Matouk's iconic and best-selling collection, Lowell is suitable for any dining environment thanks to its exquisite tailoring and tasteful sateen trim. It's a slightly more structured, polished look than an all-linen hemstitch; the sateen trim adds a subtle sheen and defined edge that pairs beautifully with both formal and everyday settings.

Lowell's customization options go beyond standard stock: in addition to 8 signature shades, the collection can be custom-made with any sateen from Matouk's Nocturne or Talita collections. Monogramming is available for a personalized finishing touch. It's easy to see why Lowell remains one of Matouk's most popular styles across sheets, table linens, and home accessories alike.

"What makes Lowell so special is that tailored sateen trim. Matouk takes an already beautiful linen napkin and gives it a finished, almost couture quality. It's the detail our clients notice first, and the one they fall in love with."
— Helena Hendricks, Senior Associate Brand Manager at Fine Linen and Bath

Care Instructions: Machine wash on a gentle cycle. Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Tumble dry on low heat. Iron while still damp.

Sferra Festival vs. Matouk Lowell Comparison Chart

Sferra Festival offers a notably wider range of sizes and shapes — including square and round tablecloths and four runner lengths — giving you more flexibility to outfit tables of different shapes and sizes, and spans a wider budget range overall. Matouk Lowell focuses on oblong tablecloths only, in four lengths, and sits at a more elevated price point.

How to Choose Between Sferra Festival and Matouk Lowell

Still deciding? Here are some things to consider.

• Choose Sferra Festival if you want the widest possible range of solid colors — 101 in total — along with the most size and shape options, including square and round tablecloths and multiple runner lengths, and a more budget-friendly price structure.
• Choose Matouk Lowell if you're drawn to a more tailored look, with a defined sateen trim and the ability to customize that trim with any sateen from Matouk's Nocturne or Talita collections.

Fine Linen and Bath: Your Source for SFERRA Festival and Matouk Lowell Table Linens

Fine Linen and Bath is proud to carry the full SFERRA Festival and Matouk Lowell collections. Founded in Italy in 1891, Sferra is known worldwide as a definitive purveyor of luxury linens — found everywhere from a White House state dinner to a mattress on the Vatican jet. Matouk, for nearly 100 years, has handcrafted luxury linens from the world's finest materials at its family-run factory in Fall River, Massachusetts, earning the loyalty of generations of discerning clients, interior designers, and hotel and estate managers.

"Whether a client is drawn to Sferra's incredible range of color or Matouk's tailored sateen detail, our job is to help them find the linen that feels right for their table and their life," adds Helena Hendricks. "There's no wrong choice here — just a different kind of beautiful."

The Fine Linen and Bath team prides itself on delivering premier customer service. Take advantage of our swatch program to review your color and design options before you buy, and let us help with monogramming and other customization needs. Call our design team at (866) 352-4522 or drop us a line using the chat feature. We are here to help!