The type of fabric your bedding is made from can have a big impact on your comfort and sleep quality

The type of fabric your bedding is made from can have a big impact on your comfort and sleep quality. Thread count and fabric weave also play a role.
Cotton is a popular choice because it’s soft, strong and breathable, and gets softer with each wash. Sheets and pillowcases woven with percale offer a crisp feel while sateen offers the luxurious experience of satin.
Cotton
Cotton bedding fabric is one of the most popular and classic options for home textiles. The material is durable, affordable, soft to the touch and breathable, making it perfect for all seasons.
Sheets made with cotton are available in a variety of weaves, including percale and sateen. Each type of sheet has its own unique feel and benefits, depending on the type of cotton used and the thread count.
Long-staple cotton sheets have finer fibers, allowing the fabric to be more refined and smooth. They also have a better resilience against pilling and are less likely to get wrinkled during washing and drying. Short-staple cotton, on the other hand, is rougher and coarser. It's often used for blankets and can be more prone to pilling than long-staple cotton.
Linen
Linen sheets are a favourite amongst the style-conscious, as they give off that effortless je ne sais quoi. They’re also breathable and can be made in a wide range of colours, perfect for pairing with any bedroom decor.
Like cotton, linen is self-cooling, able to absorb moisture and wick it away from the body. But it also boasts a unique texture that stimulates blood flow, giving you that light massaging effect while you sleep.
It’s a low-maintenance textile that gets softer with every wash and will last longer than cotton. Plus, the flax plant requires fewer resources (water and pesticides) to grow, making it an environmentally friendly option for your bedding. Lastly, it’s fully biodegradable at the end of its lifespan.
Microfibre
A great night’s sleep can have a huge impact on your health and well-being. It is therefore important to choose the best bedding fabric for your needs and preferences. There are a number of different options, including cotton and microfiber sheets.
These are man-made fabrics that use polyester and polyamide to produce a durable, soft, and lightweight fabric. They are often used for clothing, towels, and cleaning products, due to their durability, affordability, and lightweight efficiency.
Microfiber sheets are woven tightly and have a silky, smooth feel. They are usually brushed to give them a velvety texture. They are breathable but can be slippery, so some people prefer to go with a sateen or percale weave to make them less slippery. They are also not as soft and lightweight as cotton sheets.
Polyester
Polyester is a man-made fabric that’s affordable, strong, wrinkle-resistant and washable. It’s also hypoallergenic and does not shrink. Its smooth texture is comfortable to sleep on, and it drapes well.
Most people who choose polyester sheets are looking for a durable and low-maintenance option. They are also less likely to pill than cotton sheets. However, polyester is not as breathable as natural materials and may cause you to feel hotter during the night.
Some manufacturers combine polyester with other fabrics, such as cotton or wool, to create a more breathable and absorbent material. This combination is typically more expensive than 100% polyester, but it is often less prone to static, wrinkles and pilling. These types of polyester-cotton blends are great for colder climates. Other popular options include percale and sateen weave sheets.
Silk
Silk bedding is luxuriously soft and comfortable, and is increasingly popular as an alternative to cotton sheets. It’s also hypoallergenic and naturally temperature regulating. In warm weather, silk sheets wick away moisture to keep you cool and dry, while in colder conditions the fabric combines with air to provide a layer of insulation.
In comparison, cotton requires lots of chemicals to grow and process. These chemical residues rub against your skin during the night, and they can also release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air.
In addition to its natural benefits, silk is durable and can be machine washed with ease – provided you follow the care instructions carefully.