A Simple Guide to the Best Material for Bed Sheets

Finding the perfect bed sheets is a key factor to having a good night’s sleep, and staying comfortable all night long.  If you’ve been shopping for sheets lately, you’ve no doubt seen that there are several different options for materials and thread counts, and if you don’t know what you’re looking for, shopping can feel a bit overwhelming. In this post, I’m going to simplify and break down the options, so you can determine the best material for bed sheets that can help you get your best sleep ever.

The right bed sheets for you will depend on whether you sleep hot or cold, and how you like your sheets to feel when you’re crawling into bed. We all have different preferences, so this guide will help you decide which bed sheet material is right for you. Then, we’ll also talk about things like thread count, natural materials, how to avoid buying sheets that pill, and the best sheet brands.

Cotton Bed Sheets

Cotton is a very common material and popular choice for bedding. It’s soft, affordable, breathable, and widely available. But, is cotton the best material for bed sheets? It depends on the cotton! 

The quality of cotton sheets depends almost entirely on the length of the cotton fiber. The longer the fiber, the softer it will be. The shorter the fiber, the more likely the sheets will feel scratchy, and pill.

Egyptian Cotton

The longest cotton fibers come from Egyptian cotton, which is only grown in Egypt and hand-picked to maintain the supreme quality of the natural fibers. Egyptian cotton sheets will often be your most expensive option, and are considered a top-of-the-line luxury material. 

When buying Egyptian cotton sheets, beware of brands that may try to mislead you by selling cheaper forms of cotton mixed together with Egyptian cotton at a lower price. You’ll know it’s real Egyptian cotton by examining the package and looking for the official Cotton Egypt Association seal. Yes, some brands will even use a fake seal, so keep this old saying in mind if you find inexpensive Egyptian cotton sheets, “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”  

• Best for: Hot sleepers, those who want (and appreciate) that luxury-hotel feel
• Pros: Considered the best cotton sheet material you can buy. Soft, silky smooth, and strong, and will last a long time. No pilling. Softens over time.
• Cons: Expensive, and can shrink if you don’t follow washing instructions. Can feel a little stiff before washing.

My Pick for Best Egyptian Cotton Sheets: Peacock Alley Emily Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set and Frette Ultimate Sheet Set (for unlimited budgets)

Pima and Supima Cotton

Both Pima and Supima cotton produce high-quality, long fibers, and are an excellent material for sheets. Like Egyptian cotton, Pima and Supima sheets are soft, durable, breathable, and resistant to pilling. They are considered higher quality than your standard cotton sheets, and tend to be less expensive than Egyptian cotton. 

Supima cotton gets its name from combining the words “Superior Pima.” It is only grown in the United States, and is held to extremely high quality and purity standards. Supima cotton fibers are longer and softer than Pima, and you can expect Supima sheets to also be more expensive than Pima.

• Best for: Hot sleepers and warm weather
• Pros: Similar quality to Egyptian cotton, and often more affordable. Soft, strong, light, and breathable.  Hypoallergenic, resistant to mold and dust mites.
• Cons: More expensive than standard/generic cotton. Supima cotton can be more expensive than Egyptian cotton. Pima cotton is often blended with other lesser-quality cotton fibers.

My Pick for Best Pima Sheets: LL Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set

My Pick for Best Supima Sheets: Company Store Natural Legends Hotel Supima Cotton Wrinkle-Free Sateen Sheet Set

Generic Cotton

It’s hard to go wrong with a basic set of cotton sheets. Your standard/generic cotton sheets are breathable, crisp, fairly soft, and affordable. Generic cotton fibers are shorter, and therefore less durable than the luxury cotton materials mentioned above, which means the sheets will be more prone to pilling over time. When shopping for basic or discount cotton sheets, look for higher thread counts to get better quality. But, be sure to learn about deceptive thread counts below!

• Best for: Hot sleepers, limited budget
• Pros: Very affordable, breathable
• Cons: Not always the softest. Can wear out and pill over time

My Pick for Best Generic Cotton Sheets: Pottery Barn 400-Thread-Count Organic Percale Sheet Set and Target Threshold 400 Thread Count Solid Performance Sheet Set (great quality at a budget price)

Linen Sheets

Linen sheets are made from flax plant fibers. Because linen fibers are thicker than cotton, linen sheets are also stronger and more durable than cotton, and tend to last longer than other natural fabrics. While linen sheets can start out a little stiff, after multiple washes they will become very soft and supple. They’re also breathable, and more absorbent than cotton, so they’re perfect for hot sleepers. The one downside to linen is that they are highly prone to wrinkling.

• Best for: Hot sleepers
• Pros: Becomes very soft after multiple washes, breathable, hypoallergenic, strong
• Cons: Sheets start out fairly stiff, and wrinkle easily. More expensive than generic cotton sheets

My Pick for Best Linen Sheets: Parachute Linen Sheet Set

Bamboo Sheets

Bamboo sheets have become more popular in recent years because bamboo is a fast-growing, sustainable plant that produces very long fibers. Those fibers produce super strong sheets that are incredibly soft, with a silky feel to them. They are also breathable, moisture-wicking, hypoallergenic, and won’t pill. 

The downside to bamboo is that it uses chemicals during manufacturing to transform the bamboo from a plant to a pulp, and then into fibers. Those chemicals are disposed of, and don’t have a negative affect the sheets, but it’s good to be aware. Bamboo fibers are often combined with synthetic fibers, like rayon or lyocell, so your bamboo sheets may not be 100% natural. 

• Best for: Hot sleepers
• Pros: Light, silky, soft, durable, breathable natural material. More eco-friendly and sustainable than other materials. 
• Cons: Can be more expensive than cotton. May wrinkle, depending on the weave. Uses chemical processing during manufacturing.

My Pick for Best Bamboo Sheets: Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set (Oprah’s Favorite, too!)

Silk Sheets

Silk is a natural fiber created by the silkworm insect. It is expensive to produce, and is therefore considered to be a highly luxurious and elegant fabric. Silk sheets are super soft, lightweight, shiny, and hypoallergenic. They are cool to the touch, and moisture-wicking, so they are perfect for hot sleepers. If you are looking for top-of-the-line sheets, and don’t mind paying extra for luxury, treat yourself to some silk sheets.

• Best for: Hot sleepers, those seeking the epitome of luxury
• Pros: Soft, smooth, cooling, and expensive-looking. Do not wrinkle easily.
• Cons: Expensive, and require delicate handling when washing

My Pick for Best Silk Sheets: LilySilk 19MM 4PCS Silk Bedding Set

Flannel Sheets

Flannel sheets are typically made from cotton, but can also be a blend of wool, cotton, or a synthetic material, like polyester. During the manufacturing process, the materials are brushed, which raises up the fine fibers, and results is a softer, denser material. The great thing about flannel sheets is that they’re super soft, and will keep you nice and warm in chilly winter months. When you crawl into a bed that has flannel sheets, you’ll never have to experience the chill of a cold sheet….they’re warm and cozy right from the start. Plus, they come in fun winter designs!

When shopping for flannel sheets, the quality of the sheets is not measured in thread count, but rather in weight, either ounces or grams per square meter (GSM). In general, heavier is better. For great quality and long lasting flannel sheets, look for a weight of 170 GSM or higher, or at least five ounces.

• Best for: Cold sleepers, or cold winter months
• Pros: Very warm, cozy, soft, and affordable. Comes in fun winter patterns.
• Cons: Not very breathable, and fairly heavy

My Pick for Best Flannel Sheets: Lands’ End Comfy Super Soft Cotton Flannel Bed Sheet Set – 5oz

Are Percale or Sateen Sheets Best for you?

Percale and sateen are not materials, they are terms that describe how the material is woven together. The best weave for you will mostly depend on your sleep temperature preference.

Percale sheets have a simple, tight, 1 over 1 weave that produces a matte appearance and a crisp feel. They are lightweight and more breathable than a sateen weave, so they are ideal for hot sleepers and warm summer months. 

• Best for: Hot sleepers
• Pros: Crisp, lightweight, breathable, and cool. Pill resistant. Softens over time. 
• Cons: May feel a little stiff in the beginning, but softens over time.

My Picks for Best Percale Sheets: Matouk Sierra Hemstitch Long Staple Percale Sheets and Frette Hotel Classic Sheet Set

Sateen sheets have a 3 (or 4) over 1 weave that results in a soft, silky-smooth sheet with a slight sheen to it. Sateen sheets are a little heavier and denser than percale, and will give you a warmer sleep. If you’re a cool sleeper or need some extra warmth during cool winter months, sateen sheets are a great option for you. 

• Best for: Cold sleepers
• Pros: Wrinkle-resistant and drape nicely. Silky with a subtle sheen. Smooth and soft. Available at most price points.
• Cons: Sheen can fade over time and may develop pilling. Can trap more heat than other weaves.

My Pick for Best Sateen Sheets: Brooklinen Luxe Core Sateen Sheet Set

Best Sheet Material for Hot Sleepers

If you’re a hot sleeper and want sheets that can help reduce your body heat, or you live in a warm climate, these sheets will work best for you:

• Cotton sheets with a percale weave
• Pima or Supima Cotton
• Egyptian Cotton
• Linen
• Bamboo
• Silk

Best Sheet Material for Cold Sleepers

For cold sleepers that want a little more warmth from their sheets to help maintain their body temperature, or for those of you who live in a cold climate, the following sheet materials are a great option for you:

• Cotton sheets with a sateen weave
• Flannel

How to Find Sheets that Won’t Pill

Pilling is when material fibers break and form little balls all over your sheets, and it happens most often with low-quality materials that are used and washed frequently. Those little balls can make the sheets feel rough and scratchy, and they will look more shabby and unsightly. If you want to avoid pilling, spend your money on a high-quality sheet fabric. Here are the features you should look for when shopping for sheets to avoid pilling:

• Longer cotton fibers (Pima, Supima, and Egyptian), linen, silk, and bamboo are least likely bed sheet materials to pill
• Percale weaves may pill less than sateen fabrics
• Avoid synthetic fibers (they can be more susceptible to pilling)
• Cotton flannel is very likely to pill, but some flannel sheets are designed to resist pilling

What is a good thread count for sheets?

Now that you know all about the best material for bed sheets, let’s talk about thread count. Thread count represents the number of threads woven together in a square inch of fabric.

Most people believe that the higher the thread count is, the better the sheet quality. However that’s not always the case!

The best sheets will be made from a single-ply fabric. Single-ply fabrics are made with a single thread, and require a long fiber, like Egyptian cotton or linen, to create. Single-ply yarn produces the softest, strongest, and longest-lasting sheets, but there are only so many fibers that can fit into a square inch of fabric, so thread counts will be lower.

Cheaper sheets or higher thread count sheets will typically be made from multi-ply fabrics with short-staple fibers. Double-ply (or 2-ply) fabrics are made by twisting two threads together to make one thread. You can fit more of these threads into a square inch of fabric, which can result in double the thread count.  The problem with this is that multi-ply construction is often used to strengthen lower-grade cotton, and those high thread counts often indicate that the sheet is constructed from a lower quality material. Multi-ply sheets will be thicker, heavier, and not as soft.

Most experts agree the best thread count for cotton bed sheets is between 200 and 400. Be suspicious of any thread count over 500 because it could be a sign of a lower-quality sheet! 

In general, don’t shop for the highest thread count sheets you can find. Instead, look for a high-quality cotton with a thread count between 200-400.

Best Sheet Brands

There are tons of sheet brands out there, but there are a handful that are truly exceptional. With input from other designers, and my own experience, I’ve created a list of favorite brands (and places to shop) for the best bed sheets. Amongst these brands, you’ll find some of the softest, and most comfortable bed sheets money can buy.  And while it’s true that many of these are luxury brands, you’ll also find several that won’t break the bank

• Sferrs – luxury brand with Egyptian cotton, crisp cotton percale, and breathable linen bedding collections
• Frette – Long-established brand found in luxury hotels and many European royal households
• Matouk – Family-focused brand from Massachusetts in business for over 100 years.
• Peacock Alley – a designer favorite brand for simple, elegant fine linens and bath towels
• Eastern Accents – American-made luxury home textiles, based in Chicago, and founded by a husband-wife team
• Boll & Branch – Started in 2014, they source and manufacture their 100% organic cotton fabrics from scratch
• Parachute – Premium quality bedding and everyday essentials, launched in 2014.
• Brooklinen – simple, beautiful, high-quality home essentials at a fair price. I love my Brooklinen sheets!
• Pratesi – super high luxury brand for those with an unlimited budget
• Lilysilk – the best for silk sheets
• Costco – you can find great quality sheets for a low price. Many designers and homeowners swear by Costco sheets.

After reading this guide, you’re now armed with all the knowledge you need to choose the best material for bed sheets that can give you a comfortable night’s sleep. Do you have a favorite sheet material or brand of sheets? Let me know in the comments…I’d love to hear from you!

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