There’s nothing quite as amazing as lying down on a comfy bedsheet for a good night’s sleep. And the feeling is even better if you go to sleep knowing that your bed linen was crafted without harming the planet.
With an impressive range of sustainable fabrics with different weaves and textures available, shopping for the perfect bedsheet can be a tricky process. Today, we bring you all the facts you need to know about two popular types of woven fabrics - Percale and Sateen, how they fare as bed linens, and where one score over the other.
So, let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
- What is Percale?
- What is Sateen?
- Percale Vs. Sateen Sheets? What makes them different
- Are Percale and Sateen Bedding Environmentally Friendly?
- Factors to Look at When Shopping for Bedsheets
- Care Tips to Make Your Percale and Sateen Sheets Last Longer
- Still in Doubt? Try Both Weaves to Check Suitability
What is Percale?
Percale is a plain weave knit with a traditional technique of one yarn over and one yarn under. Percale sheets are mostly made from cotton but may be blended with synthetic fibers like polyester, rayon, or lyocell. But to make sure the percale bed sheet you’re buying is planet-friendly, we recommend opting for ones made from organic cotton.
When you buy a set of new percale sheets, you’ll notice how crisp and matted they feel. It’s because the percale weave is usually tighter than your standard sheets. Most percale bedsheets have a minimum thread count of 180 to 200. This plain-weave fabric is hailed for its durability and resistance to piling, getting only better in texture with each wash.
Not only are percale sheets durable, but they’re also lightweight and breathable, making them perfect for hot sleepers.
What is Sateen?
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of sateen is its distinctive weave. Sateen is made using a technique where one yarn goes under three or four yarns to give it a silky smooth look that’s very hotel-chic.
This type of weave gives a shiny appearance but also makes the sheets slightly heavier than percale. In comfort, These incredibly soft and cozy organic sateen sheets are perfect for colder weather. Even those who tend to sleep cold can use these sheets every day, all year long.
In terms of construction, sateen sheets can either be pure cotton or a mix of cotton with polyester, rayon, and lyocell. To ensure that your sleep is as blissful for you as it is for the earth, we recommend buying sheets woven from a certified organic variety of cotton. We’ll talk about the benefit of this eco-friendly fabric in a bit.