I stumbled upon these adorable cat-print sets while browsing through marketplaces. The illustrations were so beautiful that I got hooked. I mean, who wouldn't love them? The brand was unfamiliar to me - Pavlina. But when I saw the composition, I was bummed - it's polyester, which isn't exactly my go-to fabric. I've got a ton of sets, but all of them are made of cotton or satin, and I really didn't want to buy polyester. Still, I added it to my favorites.
The bright, realistic cat pictures were calling me, and I decided to make a decision and look for natural fabrics. I chose a black set, for some reason. I've never had black bedding before, and I wanted to mix things up. And the cat depicted on it is just a gorgeous black cat.
I'm really fond of black cats, I had a 15-year-old black cat named Bagira who lived with me without a single scratch. And now I have a beautiful black and white cat named Sasha.
So, what's the result? I didn't find a similar set made of cotton, so I decided to take a risk and order from an unfamiliar brand and unfamiliar fabric. It was a pretty cheap set, just 1000 rubles. While I was hesitating, the price on Yandex Market dropped, and I ended up buying a two-person set for 875 rubles.
Two-Person Bedding Set with European Pillowcase Pavlina Black Kitten
🐈⬛ Brand - Pavlina
🐈⬛ Composition - polyester (100% polyethylene)
🐈⬛ Pattern - animals
🐈⬛ Size - two-person set with European pillowcase
🐈⬛ Pillowcases - 70x70 cm (2 pieces)
🐈⬛ Article number - 103718753908
🐈⬛ Manufacturer - Russia, Ivanovo
I got this set in a package with some other stuff on the front, but on the back, I saw a little black cat peeking out, and I was like, okay, no big deal, I'll just toss this box anyway.
There was a QR code sticker on the side.
On the packaging, it said it was made in Ivanovo, and I was like, maybe this won't be as bad as I thought. I mean, Ivanovo-made stuff is supposed to be pretty good, but spoiler alert, I was wrong.
European-style bedding from Ivanovo's Pavlina brand is a great choice for high-quality and soft polyester. It doesn't wrinkle, breathes, and absorbs moisture. The fabric is dense (85g/m), light, doesn't sag after washing, dries quickly, and doesn't need ironing.
When I unwrapped the bedding and started inspecting it, I was really let down. Seamstress #17 must have been either nearsighted or had a wonky hand.
The way she sewed it was just... wow. Threads sticking out everywhere.
Pavlina bedding pillowcases
I've got a ton of bedding in all sorts of colors and patterns, but the cut and design of this set are just perfect. I've splurged on pricier sets before, but this one's a game-changer.
Before I used it, I washed the bedding at 30° and it came out looking great – no shrinkage. It dried super fast, too, because the fabric is so thin. I didn't iron it, but the material's silky smooth and it lays flat beautifully when you pull it tight.
Flat Sheet
This is a major concern for me, since standard double sets never seem to fit my bed. I've got a double bed, supposedly, but maybe the sheets are just too small or my bed's not entirely standard. Either way, I end up buying either a family set with a big flat sheet or a double set with a European-style sheet.
At 200 x 220 cm, this one's a good width for tucking in around the mattress, but it's a bit short in the length. I folded it over at the foot of the bed, but there's a bit of a gap at the bottom.
Pavlinka Bedding Flat SheetI was a bit worried it wouldn't be long enough, especially since my mattress is on the taller side. But hey, at least it fits width-wise.
As I was putting it on, I realized the bed was already taken over by someone else in the household – our bedding's always the first thing to get updated!
I've already written about the pillowcases. The duvet cover is a size of 175 x 215 cm, with a slit at the bottom, and it fits perfectly over a double duvet. The design is the same as the sheet. I spotted a defect that I didn't notice at first. On one side, there's a white stripe about 35 cm long, which looks like a scratch.
So, basically, you should always check for defects at the point of delivery. But, honestly, it's such a hassle to unpack everything when it's all neatly packed. I've always received high-quality, good bedding, to be fair. I could have returned it due to the defect, but I didn't want to go through the trouble. Plus, as far as I know, slight misalignment and trimming of the design on the duvet covers aren't considered defects. I mean, another set might have the same misalignment.
The design
The bedding, in reality, turns out to be a grey color, and the black cat is actually quite realistic. But, despite that, it looks really beautiful. The print is bright and lifelike, and the cat looks just like a photo. When you take off the duvet cover, it's like a 'wow' effect. My Sasha doesn't blend in with the bedding, her black fur stands out against the grey background. It's hilarious to watch her sleep on the cat's face or paw.
The fabric
I was most worried about how it would feel sleeping on synthetic fabric, as I'd never had that experience before. I was afraid the fabric would be non-breathable, it would be hot, and you'd sweat underneath it. But, as it turned out, all my worries were for nothing. The fabric feels like satin, soft and silky, the only downside is that it's extremely thin. I'm not sure how long it'll last, although the manufacturer claims it's durable.
Advantages of synthetic bedding:
- A smooth and soft material against the skin,
- The fabric is easy to maintain,
- Durable material,
- The color remains vibrant even after multiple washes, it doesn't fade,
- Stylish, trendy, popular, and modern designs.
I'm a bit worried that my cat also sleeps in the bed and sometimes scratches with her claws, I'm afraid that such a thin material won't last long and will get caught. Although it's not visible yet. It's survived a few washes and looks like new.
Sleeping is comfortable, it feels nice and soft against my body. The only thing is that it constantly comes out of the fitted sheet (I mean the edges pop out from under the mattress), probably because the material is so silky and slippery.
Pavlin Bedding Pillowcase
So, my concerns about the material quality haven't been confirmed and I want to say that if you're also afraid to buy synthetic fabric, it's not as bad as you think. However, I wouldn't give Pavlin Bedding more than three stars, as the execution is a bit sloppy. I don't know if this is the quality of the whole brand or I just got lucky, but because of this, I wouldn't recommend this set. But if you really need it, I'd strongly advise checking it out at the pickup point before taking it home, as you might not like it. Even a small amount of money is worth it for a decent product.
My love for cat prints and laziness led me to this purchase. I personally won't be buying from Pavlin again.
Also, I have cat-themed bedding in a lighter color, so I wanted to try a darker one.
- Collecting cat figurines
- My new blanket - now I sleep and wake up with joy!