An exceptional set of bed sheets could be the missing link to getting your best shuteye ever. If your bedding feels too pilled, too stiff, or too threadbare to be enjoyable, then it’s time to make that upgrade for your sleep's sake. Because there's a multitude of different materials on the market, here’s a breakdown of the most common sheet fabrics that you’ll find in your brand-new-bedding search:
Percale Sheets: Made of cotton, percale is touted as the industry standard for lightweight, all-season sheets. The weave is breathable, and the fabric feels soft and cool upon first night's sleep.
Sateen Sheets: Though also made of cotton, the fabric weave is tighter and smoother, so it retains more heat. It also looks and feels slightly more luxe, as the material has a slight sheen to it.
Linen Sheets: This fabric is made from flax fibers, giving it a rougher and more textured feel. It does wrinkle easily (though that’s actually part of its casual appeal). However, it significantly softens and smooths out the more that the sheets are washed and used. Linen has a porous weave, making it a great material for sleeping with in the warmer months.
Flannel Sheets: Flannel bedding is typically made from cotton. This material has a fluffy and very dense weave with minimal airflow, making it ideal for cold-weather hibernation.
Cooling Sheets: An emerging category in the bedding space, cooling sheets are made from a variety of slinky, cool-to-the-touch materials like Tencel, modal, polyester, and bamboo, and they're best for hot sleepers who overheat or sweat in the night.
With this bedding primer in mind, here are seven exceptional sheet sets, spanning a range of materials and price points, so you can find your perfect fit!
Best Santeen Sheets
Yes, getting out of bed in the morning is hard — and no, this amazing sheet set from Brooklinen doesn't make it any easier. The smooth and lustrous 480-thread-count sateen weave wraps the user in its warm, silky softness, while providing ample breathability that’s imperative for a comfortable sleeping temperature. These sheets are just the right weight for year-round use, and they hold up to heavy linen-closet rotation as well. We also love that you can mix-and-match the sheets with the duvet covers and extra pillowcases that come in the bundle, and that all of the colors and patterns are complementary to each other and totally refined.
Best Microfiber Sheets
With thousands of reviews on Amazon and a favorable 4.5-star rating overall, these bed sheets are a great option if you want a solid set that's on the affordable end of the cost spectrum (at just under $30 for a king size!), whether you’re making up the master suite or the guest bed. Made of silky-soft microfiber polyester, they're warm without being stifling, and they also wick away body heat. Users tout their durability, softness, and vibrance after a year of use, and we love that they come in a wide array of colors from basic black to bubblegum pink.
Best Linen Set
Looking for bedding that's even lighter than cotton percale? Get yourself a set of linen sheets, stat! Linen sheets are ideal for summertime sleeping, because the fabric itself tends to be lighter and more porous than other weaves. It's woven of sustainably sourced fibers derived from the flax plant, which is a fast-growing crop that requires far less water to grow and harvest than cotton. Although linen sheets tend to feel a little grainy to the touch upon first use, they usually soften up after a few washes into an unbelievably soft and cozy material that won't pill or produce as much lint as others.
The Lands' End Garment-Washed Linen Sheets topped our own in-house user test, ticking off all of our baseline criteria in terms of comfort, breathability, and value. They're made from Belgian flax, and are pre-washed for a cotton-like feel that’s far softer than linen’s traditionally rough texture. This set got high marks for breathability, which is perfect for those whose body (or bedroom) temperature errs on the side of warm at night. For the long-term, these sheets are touted as holding up incredibly well to countless washes and near-constant use. Users can also monogram these sheets for just $8 more!
Best Percale Sheets
Parachute's Luxury Percale Sheets are gorgeous linens with a crisp feel and clean look. Made in Portugal, the Egyptian-cotton percale material is pleasantly lightweight and airy, making them an ideal summertime set. It's certainly a sheet set that gets better with time, as washings with the proper care will relax the fibers and make the sheets even more cozy. If you sleep with a cooling pillow, this set is the perfect thickness to allow you to feel the pillow's coolness without being too thin or as porous as linen.
As with all of their sheet sets, Parachute allows users to choose whether or not they want to include a top sheet, making a difference of $60–90 on the sum total, depending on the chosen size.
Best Bamboo Sheets
The Purple sheets are made of bamboo-derived viscose and Spandex, and the texture is very comfy and T-shirt-like. The sheets' fabric isn't thick or weighty at all, making them great for the warmer seasons, and though the material isn't infused with anything to make it "cooling," it does have a slinky, breathable feel. Quite simply, these sheets are a hot sleeper's dream. They form-fit perfectly to a 12-inch-high mattress and securely stay on, thanks to the fitted sheets' thick elastic band.
Best Cooling Sheets
Comprised of a cotton/Tencel blend, this 300-thread-count sheet set is pre-washed to perfection with a soft, lived-in texture. It offers the best of both fabrics, offering just enough insulation to feel cozy, while also wicking away moisture and staying silky and cool throughout the night. The set is available in twin, queen, and king sizes, and in five neutral tones.
Best Jersey Sheets
Jersey sheets are made of modal, which is a semi-plant-derived textile made from beech-tree pulp that's used often to make T-shirts, pajamas, and underwear. The fabric is slinky and stretchy, and it feels great against the skin. It also tends to have a slight cooling feeling as well, making them great for warm-weather sleeping.
The Pure Beech Jersey Knit Sheet set may be on the affordable end of the bedding spectrum, but they're also irresistibly soft and flexible. They require no breaking-in at all to feel instantly at home in. Though the material is slightly more prone to pilling and shrinking, washing the set on a gentler and cooler laundry setting will extend its lifespan considerably.
FAQ
The search for better bedding can turn up far more questions than answers at times. We’ve covered a few of the most frequently asked questions about sheets below.
Q: What does the thread count number mean?
A: Thread count pertains to the number of threads woven within 1 square inch of the material. The higher the number of threads per square inch, the higher the thread count, and the more tightly woven that material will be. Luxury-grade sheets tend to be upwards of 700 thread count, giving you that crisp, hotel-quality feel. This doesn’t mean a smaller thread count means lesser quality! Sheets with a 300 or 400 thread count can be much softer upon first night’s sleep, and they usually won't need to be "broken-in" by repeated washings.
If you buy sheets with a high thread count, you're investing in a fabric that likely won’t degrade or pill over time, but will yield a softer and softer texture the more that it’s used. And yes, that'll usually mean paying a little bit more.
Q: What makes organic cotton sheets different? Who are they best for?
A: For those looking to buy organic cotton sheets, make sure that it's a product with a GOTS-certification seal, because “organic” can be a misleading label. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard, and attaining this certification means that the material is vetted for environmentally and socially responsible harvesting, manufacturing, and marketing of the product to consumers. The GOTS website is a great resource to find out more about what meeting this criteria entails. GOTS-certified organic cotton sheets are a little pricier than standard sheet sets, but opting for these is a great choice for any household that’s trying to consume consciously and invest in bedding that was made with the smallest environmental footprint possible.
Q: Is there a right way to wash a new sheet set?
A: It’s best to consult the care label on a new set of sheets to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Washing with a gentle detergent should suffice, but take care to wash on a warm-water setting, as opposed to the hottest temperature, to avoid shrinking and expedited deterioration. If you’ve invested in dark-colored sheets, just keep in mind that some skin care and acne products like benzoyl peroxide do have the unfortunate side-effect of staining dark fabric with light spots.
Q: How often should sheets be changed?
A: Your pillowcases should be changed every single week, because the oil from your hair can transfer to your skin and make you break out. It's perfectly fine to change your sheets on a weekly or biweekly basis, particularly if you sleep alone and/or shower before bedtime. (But no longer than that, please!)
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