Interesting Reasons Why Everyone Is Obsessing About Bed Sheet Material Types
Bed sheet material types…
What’s it all about, and why are people obsessing about them?
I am sure there are no sleepless nights going on here, but the choice is enormous people just can’t take it!
Microfibre here, cotton there!
AND what the …
Is Eucalyptus?…
What to choose and what for.
If you don’t want to fall into the trap of buying your next bed sheet without knowing what you REALLY want it for, then read on.
Yes…
It can be a bit confusing out there in the land of bed sheets…
Sheets for beds!
The humble bed sheet has taken on many different forms these days and it is up to the informed shopper to know what sort of bed sheet they need and what sort of bed material to buy.
There are so many different types of fabrics these days, but how do you know which one is the best for you?
- Cotton?
- Polyester?
- Silk?
- Tencel?
- Pima?
- Bamboo?
I could go on. Try to say that and not taking a breath…
And what exactly are these fabrics about, anyway?
While walking leisurely along the shop isle, you see a colour that would suit your bedroom decor or your favorite colour.
Wait!
You see a pattern that you just have to have…
While is it finding your favourite colour or design, what about the material it is made of.
Are you a hot sleeper, is the weather hot now and you really want to put it on your bed right now because you love it so much…
Choosing sheets when made from the right fabric needs to suit your lifestyle and preferences, of course, we cannot forget about that, can we.
But is a bit more complicated than you would have ever expected, so let’s go through these different types of material for bed sheets?
While there are many different types of fabric used in bed sheets now.
Let’s go through the most common, or we will be here all day:
Cotton Bed Sheets
Do you know that Cotton is the most popular bed sheet fabric in the world…
Really!
Maybe because it is very affordable and easy to care for material for bed sheets.
Cotton Bed Sheets are also breathable, durable, soft to the touch (except if you starch it, and I am sure you are not going to do that) and the biggest thing that I guess people really like is it’s easy to care for and not that expensive.
Whether its 100% cotton bed sheets, you can get a cotton bed sheets set to different cotton bed sheets designs.
Cotton is the choice for many people.
We are going to have a look at different types of sheets out there Ok…
And if you see one, don’t go past a cotton bed sheets sale, you never know what bargains you could pick up.
You’ll find several different types of cotton.
Yes…
The fun never stops.
However, some of these terms actually refer to the origin of the cotton fibres themselves, while there are other terms that refer to the style of methods in treating cotton fabric, or the fibre itself.
And the most common of these fibres and best cotton for bed sheets are:
Upland Cotton Sheets
This one is native to the Americas, but now it is the most commonly grown cotton in the world.
Sounds like word got around and people took it around the world to grow doesn’t it?
Upland cotton fibres are not as long as the Egyptian and Pima cotton, so it’s not as soft as these other cotton varieties.
So, most of the cotton sheets, unless they specify otherwise of course…
Are made of Upland cotton, especially if they are at a bargain based price.
Egyptian Cotton Sheets
Yes…
Egyptian Cotton is the most luxurious variety of cotton and you will not probably have heard of it unless you have been a hermit living in a cave up in the mountains for a very long time…
This is going to be the choice if you are looking for that high-quality, surer soft bed sheet.
Being one of the best materials for bed sheets, Egyptian cotton is grown in warm weather, dry climates like North Africa for instance.
Egyptian cotton has those extra-long fibres that are the reason when creating the smoothest and softest of fabrics out there.
Cotton Jersey Sheets
We have all heard of cotton jersey, haven’t we?
Anyway, this refers to sheets that are made from cotton fabric that is knit rather than woven.
Cotton jersey is essentially the same fabric used in…
WAIT FOR IT!
Cotton T-shirts, we all know these as they are worn so much these days.
Percale Bed Sheets
Now this one refers to a closely woven cotton fabric with a plain weave.
It has a very cool texture to it with a thread count of 180 or higher.
Yes, that thread count has come back again…
As with the other article I wrote about thread count that didn’t send you to sleep.
I hope.
The word Combed Cotton refers to a cotton fabric that has been treated to remove all of the short fibres during the manufacturing process, leaving us with a very smooth fabric.
Flannel Sheets
Who has not heard of Flannel…
Those cold winter nights snuggled up in your flannel sheets.
Now if you don’t have flannel sheets in winter, well…
You better go and buy some, because you are missing out on a night of a much warmer and better night’s sleep.
They are that good.
Anyway, getting back to the subject, flannel is a cotton fabric that has been combed to fluff up the fibres (and it does that).
The result is a very soft fabric with a nap that traps all that body heat of yours, giving flannel its snuggly-warm qualities that give you a happy feeling.
Unlike other types of bedding materials out there, the flannelette quality is measured in ounces per square yard, rather than by thread count.
Pima Cotton Bed Sheets
Pima Cotton is another one also known for being very soft, and has that natural sheen.
It has medium-to extra-long fibres that are ideal in fabric for the bed linen fabric types.
This cotton is mainly grown in the southwest of the United States, with a few other locations too.
MicroCotton®
I am not sure if you have heard of micro cotton as it is a trademarked brand of an extremely fine cotton thread that was developed in India.
This, I can say durable cotton, is made from long-staple cotton fibres, is very soft and also very absorbent well.
Synthetic Bed Sheets
What do you think about when you think about synthetic?
Polyester.
If you are on a budget, and not being a cheap-skate, these bed sheet material types are the cheapest sheets you can buy on the market, and there are reasons for this in which I am going to tell you now…
They are not that breathable as other materials.
And for this reason alone you can often get hot at night, and that’s not good in a hot climate.
Now, these synthetic sheets are usually made of polyester, microfiber or high-tech performance blends.
So if you are the hot sweaty kind of person when sleeping at night, you may wish to avoid synthetic sheets for this reason alone.
Though I can’t see that they are not beneficial in the cooler months of the year.
Yet, there are benefits of Synthetic Bedding also…
Synthetics, you could say are technically advanced materials (now there’s a mouth full) designed for the modern world and provide easy care and sublime comfort apparently.
Coming with all those benefits of natural fibres, synthetic fibres are beneficial for those people who are you could say very busy in their life and not that good with the household stuff.
And need bedding such as this to keep their busy schedules as they are durable synthetic materials that provide high performance, are breathable and lightweight which is good for some people.
Synthetic fibres give you the softness at a lower price, are easily washed, and dry fast out on the washing line.
So for people on the run, you could say, easy to keep.
And not the creases that you would get with cotton sheets.
What Do You Think About When You Think About synthetic?
Polyester
If you are on a budget, and not being a cheap-skate, these bed sheet material types are the cheapest sheets you can buy on the market.
And there are reasons for this in which I am going to tell you now…
They are not that breathable as other materials.
And for this reason alone you can often get hot at night, and that’s not good in a hot climate.
Now, these synthetic sheets are usually made of polyester, microfiber or high-tech performance blends.
So if you are of the hot sweaty kind of person when sleeping at night, you may wish to avoid synthetic sheets for this reason alone.
Though I can’t see that they are not beneficial in the cooler months of the year.
Yet, there are benefits of Synthetic Bedding also…
Synthetics, you could say are technically advanced materials (now there’s a mouth full) designed for the modern world and provide easy care and comfort apparently.
Coming with all those benefits of natural fibres, synthetic fibres are beneficial for those people who are you could say very busy in their life and not that good with the household stuff.
And need bedding such as this to keep their busy schedules as they are durable synthetic materials which provide high performance, are breathable and lightweight which is good for some people.
Synthetic fibres give you softness at a lower price, are easily washed, and dry fast out on the washing line.
So for people on the run, you could say, easy to keep. And not the creases that you would get with cotton sheets.
If you don’t already know, Polyester is a man-made fibre produced from the same polymers used to make, get this! plastic drink bottles.
I know…
A little yuck you might think.
Are polyester bed sheets good?
Let’s find out more.
So yes…
Polyester is inexpensive, it can also quite scratchy and stiff when used on its own.
This is the reason why you will find polyester mixed with another thread, often cotton when it comes to bed sheets, they do have their own falts.
Microfiber Sheets
Is microfiber good material for bed sheets?
Well…
Microfiber is a very finely woven polyester and it is sometimes sold as microfiber.
These sheets can be very soft, their downfall is that they are not as breathable as cotton, as you could imagine, and so I would not recommend if you are one of those people who tend to “sleep hot.”
They do resist stains if you spill something while in bed and are durable, so if you are hard on your sheets, then as far as material for bed sheets go, these could be just what you are looking for.
Nylon Bed Sheets
This one is a strong and durable synthetic fabric used in bed sheets that can make for soft and satiny bedsheets that (you will like this) do not wrinkle up when washed or if you fidget too much in bed.
But nylon starts to pill up after only a few items of washing which are a problem.
And nylon does not hold up very well under the high heat of say, dryers or even an iron.
Not only that…
Even if you have too much sunlight, this can also cause problems for nylon.
Acrylic Sheets
Here is another synthetic material.
And because of this, it is not as comfortable against the skin as when it comes to natural fibres, yet, on a good note, it is very wrinkle resistant.
Which is a good thing, and can be used to make very colourful bedding if you like your colours, and who doesn’t like a splash of colour in the bedroom.
Cant have drab colours all the time…
It is actually used more often when it comes to comforters and blankets than for actual bed sheets.
Washing your sheets is required to avoid pilling.
Polyester Sheets For The Bed
These sheets should feel soft on the skin, which is a plus of course, who wants scratchy bed sheets, especially if you have sensitive skin, or layered out too long in the sun and accidentally got sunburned.
Which you shouldn’t anyway…
But you should keep in mind, that while these sheets don’t come with the hefty price tag as our cotton bed sheets do, polyester sheets are constructed using a man-made fibre.
As far as the durability rating is concerned, it can almost match that of the cotton sheets and its fabric strength comes from the materials from which it is made.
Polyester also shares some similar agents as plastic, because of this it will not rip or tear very easily from daily wear.
It’s not really known either as a breathable fabric, but there are sheet manufacturers out there who are trying to change the perception of this to the public by using a simple weaving pattern that allows for air circulation.
This changes everything for people who are hot sleepers or live in hot and humid climates in the world by allowing the moisture, mainly from you…
To evaporate from the sheets and disappear into the atmosphere.
It does not absorb moisture at the same as cotton does but its advantage is fast drying on the clothesline or wherever you hang your sheets.
Microfiber Sheets
Yes…
Microfiber bed sheets are also synthetic, but there is something…
They are of a higher quality than polyester.
Being less common, these bed sheet material types such as microfibre are very capable of keeping you warm and at keeping you cool and refreshed at night time.
See also The Pros and Cons of Using Satin vs. Silk Bed Sheets
They are in fact quite comparable to that of even cotton for comfort.
What Is A Microfiber Sheet?
Microfiber sheet sets (aka microplush sheets) are super fine synthetic fibres, get this! they are thinner than a fifth of human hair…
These very thin indeed…
Microfibers are woven together to make more than bedding, but we are talking about sheets here.
Microfiber sheets don’t even dull when washed many times or even tear easily.
That’s got to be good…
Microfiber is also warm and great for those people who tend to get cold easily at night when sleeping as it retains your body’s natural heat, so that should answer your question on are microfibre sheets are hot?
And yes, if you ask are microfiber bed sheets comfortable?
It also wicks moisture for all those sweaty people out there. And when it comes to stain resistance, well…
Maintenance a breeze.
However just because they resist stains better than other bed fabrics if you leave the stain for too long.
You should get that stain out as soon as you can.
Microfiber sheeting can only go so far you know…
You can also get microfiber in microfibre plush bed sheets, microfibre fabric bed sheets as well.
Silk Bed Sheets
Now we get to Silk, the silk bed sheet, or bed sheets silk, whatever you might call them…
Are Silk Bed Sheets Good?
Well…
As you probably know the silk sheet is one of the most expensive bed sheet fabrics you can buy on the market today.
There’s a good reason for that, silk is one of the most comfortable and luxurious bed sheet fabric types out there.
This luxurious, soft fibre is produced by silkworms for sheer indulgence.
It’s hard to beat real silk sheets when you can get them. Silk bed sheets benefits are many.
They’re silky, cool and sensuous, making them a go-to for those romantic people out there or for that sexy bedroom look and feel.
Silk is also naturally hypoallergenic.
But when it comes to cost, it’s right up there…
Of course, and you need to take care of silk sheets, which are delicate.
Still, if you want that utmost in luxury, consider them, they do come in many luxurious colours so if you do consider a set of silk sheets.
If you have ever wondered about that shimmering appearance that silk has, it is due to the triangular prism-like structure of the silk fibre.
Which allows silk cloth to refract the incoming light at different angles, producing those different colours.
Silk is actually produced by several insects, but in general, only the silk of moth caterpillars has been used for textile manufacturing.
Mulberry silk is the highest quality silk available for purchase.
You can get silk in silk bed sheets queen, silk bed sheets single, silk bed sheets set, silk bed sheets double bed.
Eucalyptus Sheets Or Tencel Bed Sheets
Also known as Tencel is a brand name…
Often known as tensel fabric.
YES!
If you have never thought about it before, it’s not the eucalyptus leaves from the tree that were talking about that you have to lay on.
No…
What are tenell sheets?
This being a natural and sustainable material, and is taking the bedding world by storm is lyocell (also known as TENCEL).
Tencel or lyocell is made from wood cellulose, often obtained from eucalyptus trees that are grown on farms, not in the wild OK…
That means that no koalas are harmed or displaced by the production of this material which is great.
If the kolas had been affected, I would not be interested in buying this new material.
So…
The process that is used to grow and create TENCEL fibres is eco-friendly, which is good.
And in fact, has won its own awards for its low environmental impact (sounding even better).
Are Tensel Sheets Good?
Hear this then, TENCEL eliminates the negative environmental impact of traditional fibre processing, by using new sustainable technologies.
There are no nasty chemicals involved or water-wasting irrigation systems needed to grow eucalyptus trees making TENCEL one of the most eco-friendly fabrics available.
Even better!
The great benefit of this material is that Eucalyptus fibre is naturally hypoallergenic, and if you would ask me, are tencel sheets hot?
They are a great regulator of temperature.
The weave is also strong and durable, so these eucalyptus sheets maintain that brand new feel for longer than some other bed sheets out there today, you can also get tensel fitted sheets on the market as well.
Linen Sheets
What are linen sheets like?
Well, the best material for bed sheets, is Linen one of them?
Let’s see…
Linen sheets are a thick fabric woven from flax, providing a durable sheet that can last for YES!
Decades…
Thread counts in linen bed sheets are much lower than cotton bed sheets due to the thickness of the fabric, so if you see great linen sheets with a 150 thread count.
It’s a good thing OK…
Is linen a form of cotton?
You may ask…
When it comes to bed sheet material types, Linen is actually extremely strong, absorbent and lightweight in nature and dries faster than cotton.
The fabric is made from the flax plant, part of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae.
Plant stuff…
Linen is a natural fibre which is good, it’s a bit like cotton in some ways, but it does take longer when harvesting takes place and is made up into the fabric that we know, and the flax fibres can be difficult to also weave.
Are Linen Sheets Scratchy You May Ask?
When it comes to anything…
What you pay is what you get.
The same applies to cotton, if you buy cheap linen sheets for sale, maybe not the best sheets.
Look at the quality first, as cheap linen bed sheets are not always the best linen sheets as they can be stiff and last only a year or so before they feel uncomfortable and threadbare.
Linen for bed sheets might command a higher price tag to be the best you can buy but the fabric is long-lasting and only gets better with age
.
Do have a look at organic linen sheets also on the market as well.
This linen is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in not only hot but humid weather as well.
Did you know that Linen is the world’s strongest natural fibre there is…
And it’s often considered in Europe as the best quality material to sleep on.
Linen benefits, and it has many.
Are mostly associated with its balance between its longevity and also the ability to develop an incredible softness over time.
Its insulation properties are next-to-none, as it traps the warmth of your body in the winter months, but has the ability to breathe and move air around in months of summer keeping you cooler.
Can You Put Linen Sheets In A Dryer?
You can, but only put a minimal amount of linen in the clothes dryer as it dries so fast if you have too many, the outer layer will be over dry and the middle near the drum wall will still be damp.
So the fewer the better so they can throw themselves around in the dryer to let the warm air circulate.
It’s also eco friendly, as the cultivation and manufacturing of flax is environmentally friendly…
Requiring fewer pesticide energy and irrigation than many of those other fibres out there, including yes…
Cotton.
The flax plant in question from which linen is derived requires only one-fifth of the fertilizers and pesticides that say, even cotton requires.
And that’s saying something don’t you think…
We are looking at greater hypo-allergenic properties, linen being a natural fibre it is hypo-allergenic, so for people suffering from allergies, hay fever, and asthma, this is great for you.
Linen has a loose weave, which is distinctive, which means that it captures less dust and allergens, and you know that these substances cause the allergies that I have been talking about.
With its high moisture absorbency.
When it comes to Linen sheets it’s a plus but also by not absorbing moisture as readily as say cotton sheets for instance…
Moisture such as water when washing or sweat does not break down the fibres as quickly as you would think as cotton does.
Bamboo Bed Sheets
What are bamboo sheets…
Well here is a little bamboo sheets review for you.
If you didn’t know, bamboo fibres can be made into fabric, is it the best material for bed sheets? we shall see.
Bamboo, well it’s typically rather stiff and rough.
Because, there something smells fishy here…
Most often, when you see bed sheets labeled as “bamboo” these sheets are actually rayon.
GASP! I know…
What this means…
The bamboo pulp has gone through a chemical process to dissolve the pulp, you could say – re-solidify it, and it is then spun into thread.
This process unfortunately involves the use of harmful chemicals and can potentially harm the environment.
Yet when making bamboo sheets, it is less environmentally friendly than the manufacturers claim.
It does, however, on the brighter side of things, it does produce a very durable and soft, silky fabric.
The benefits of bamboo sheets are many, bamboo material in fact is as breathable as cotton and feels very good against your skin.
And because bamboo is the world’s fastest-growing plant, bamboo bedding isn’t just sustainable.
The plant’s fast-growing nature is very environmentally – friendly to produce, requiring none of those harmful pesticides to grow and even using less water than is used in the production of cotton.
Agreed, bamboo does still have to undergo that intensive chemical processes…
To turn it from raw bamboo pulp from the tree into a textile.
The end result, being bamboo bed linen, the texture is soft, and also cool, and even hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
So many pluses, it does make it a popular choice to those bed buying public out there in the need for bed sheets, bamboo is very beneficial.
Remember that when you see bamboo bedding in the shops.
Bamboo bedding, in fact, should never claim to be ‘100% bamboo’ as you do need other fibres to turn it into a textile such as sheets.
Instead, you’ll see in the shops ‘viscose from bamboo’,’bamboo viscose’ or ‘bamboo rayon’ bedding, but fast gaining popularity is ‘bamboo lyocell’.
This is more boutique end of the scale as far as bed linen goes.
Boasting such benefits such as preventing the growth of odour-causing bacteria that none of us wants in bed with us.
Did you know that you could get bamboo bed sheets as organic bamboo sheets as well… well you can.
Bed Sheet Blends
One of the fabrics out there that is in fact heavily underrated is materials in blends.
These blends being polyester/cotton combine many benefits from multiple fabric types that actually give a cheaper and good level of comfort to the sleeper.
There are in fact many blended fabrics available on the market, most of these blends do include some form of cotton.
Surprise! Surprise!
You have heard of cotton/polyester everywhere, right?
Well, that’s because it is the most common, but now you will also find such combinations such as cotton/rayon, nylon/polyester and even cotton/bamboo.
Blended fabrics such as these are usually inexpensive, wrinkle-resistant and durable
for those heavy users such as you may be…
What is the best blend for sheets you may ask?
Well…
The cotton-polyester blend sheets out there are wrinkle-resistant, being a plus, (no ironing).
Do you know that polyester lasts longer than cotton, and while relatively inexpensive with the polyester mix in it?
Yes, half the cost as if buying 100% pure cotton sheets.
The choice of a ‘cotton-rayon blend’, which gives you the comfort and knowing that you haven’t had quite an impact on the environment and leaving a bigger footprint.
Yet also delivers a breathable, smoother sleep environment in a sheet with that wrinkle-resistant quality and even a better look, even if you have had your sheets folded in the cupboard for a while.
Polyester fabric has had a popularity boost these days because of some of its qualities that give you a smooth finish and the ability to be easily blended with other fabrics.
So say when cotton, for instance, is blended with a certain percentage of material like polyester.
You can get the best of both the fibres and their properties combined to end up with a fabric that is durable and not going to let those toes of yours poke through so easily.
At the end of this almighty list of linen on the market today, they have certainly grew in numbers over the years, and as time goes on.
I am sure the manufacturers will find different ways to make new fibres interconnect with all sorts of different materials whether man-made or natural just waiting to be discovered
.
There are many bed sheets material types out on the market today and we have covered the main groups and even gone a bit into those groups.
BUT WAIT
I had to stop somewhere or this article about bed sheets would be like a never-ending story.
So you do get the rundown on the different linen types out there just waiting for your own bedroom to be adorned.
You have the knowledge to know what sort of sheet you want for your bed in all different sorts of weather and you personally if you sleep hot or sleep cold.
So go to it!