- Savinly Guide to Bed Sheets
- The Meaning of Thread and Weave
- Understanding Thread Count
- The Best Sheets for You
- Shopping for Sheets
- The Best Bed Sheets You Can Afford
- Caring for Bed Sheets
The nicest bed sheets usually come with a heftier price tag. When confronted with triple-digit figures, it’s easy to forget how much of our lives we actually spend on them.
We spend roughly one-third of our lives in bed, so it’s reasonable to want the best linens our budget allows. But do you need to splurge to get a comfortable night’s sleep?
Not necessarily — but choosing correctly matters. Not all sheets are made equal. To help you pick wisely when shopping for linens, we’ve assembled this guide.
Savinly Guide to Bed Sheets
Below is our Savinly guide to purchasing bed sheets so you get the most value whether you’re spending $50 or, gulp, $500.
The Meaning of Thread and Weave
When buying sheets, there are two principal terms to understand: thread and weave.
Thread Type
Thread refers to the fiber the sheets are spun from.
Egyptian cotton: Commonly regarded as the pinnacle. This long-staple cotton has lengthy, supple fibers.
Pima or Peruvian cotton: Another long-staple variety, sourced from Peru.
Regular cotton: The standard cotton, often grown in India and China. It costs much less than Pima or Egyptian cotton but doesn’t last quite as long.
Silk, modal and bamboo: These fibers, sometimes blended with cotton, have grown in popularity recently. They’re natural materials — modal comes from beech tree pulp.
Polyester: A synthetic option — think of that vintage powder-blue tux material. Polyester can be economical, though it isn’t ideal for everyone. More on that later.
Weave Method
Weave describes how the threads are interlaced to form the fabric. Two primary techniques are common:
Percale: Percale sheets feel crisp. They’re made with a traditional over-under weave.
Sateen: These sheets feel smooth and silky. The weave places more threads on the surface, producing that sheen.
And what about flannel and jersey? These cozy options can be crafted from wool, cotton or synthetics. Flannel is woven then brushed to lift fibers and create softness. Jersey is knit loosely for that T-shirt-like texture. They aren’t as robust as some cotton sheets but can last with proper upkeep.
Understanding Thread Count
Thread count measures how many threads are woven together within a square inch of fabric.
For many shoppers, it’s the primary way to judge sheet quality. Higher always means better, right?
It’s not that simple.
A listed thread count between 200 and 400 is sensible and likely accurate. Above 400 gets murkier because manufacturers can use thinner yarns or twist extra threads to artificially up the number.
“If you’re going to compare thread count, you have to do it for products made by the same company,” said Maruchi Azorin, owner of Villa Rosa Linens in Tampa, Florida.
If you’re not comparing like with like, differences in crop and manufacturing make comparisons unreliable.
“You can realistically weave together 350 to 400 threads,” Azorin noted. Beyond that, makers often wrap threads around others before weaving, creating inflated counts in the 400–1,000 range.
Thread count isn’t the sole marker of quality.
A French-made Egyptian cotton percale at 200 thread count can be an excellent sheet set. It’s not just the tally of threads — it’s the caliber of the fibers themselves.
What Thread Count Is Best for Bed Sheets?
“We repeatedly see shoppers equating softness with ever-higher thread counts, assuming a larger number equals a softer sheet,” says Torun Hannam, founder of The Bamboo Shop, an Australian company offering eco-friendly bamboo bedding.
Thread count gives a rough sense of fabric, but it doesn’t reveal quality or hand-feel. The composition and quality of the yarn matter far more, Hannam emphasizes.
The Best Sheets for You
So thread count isn’t everything. Much of your satisfaction depends on choosing sheets that suit your budget and sleeping style. Consider how much maintenance you want to commit to as well.
If you dislike wrinkles, check the label for wrinkle-resistant claims.
Overall: Percale tends to be the best all-around option, says Nora Mitchell, editor-in-chief of Household Advice. “Percale is comfortable, affordably priced and breathable, making it ideal for warm sleepers or those in hot climates,” Mitchell notes. Because you can layer, percale works across seasons and helps wick moisture from the body.
Value: Cotton sheets are the best budget choice, says Alex Savy, a certified sleep science coach and founder of Sleeping Ocean. While not luxurious, cotton is natural, breathable and affordable — it lets skin breathe, reduces heat buildup and feels gentle.
Softest: Silk sheets deliver unmatched smoothness thanks to very fine fibers. Silk is pricey, so bamboo is a softer, lower-cost alternative that softens after a few washes. “Both silk and bamboo are breathable,” Savy says. Note: they demand delicate care.
Eco-friendly: Bamboo sheets. Sourced from the bamboo plant and processed in a sustainable way, these linens are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
For cold sleepers/warmth: Flannel sheets are great if you get cold at night. “Flannel undergoes a process that teases fibers loose, creating a soft, fluffy surface,” Savy explains. Flannel is often cotton or synthetic microfiber.
For the chilliest sleepers, wool is ideal. Wool fibers insulate while remaining breathable, reducing the risk of night sweats compared with synthetic microfibers.
If you sleep hot, the best options are breathable fabrics like linen, bamboo and cotton.
Luxury/splurge: The priciest choice is vicuña wool from Peruvian vicuña animals. They’re sheared infrequently — about once every three years — and production is costly and strictly regulated.
Allergy sufferers: Seek out hypoallergenic sheets to deter mold and dust mites. Cotton, microfiber and wool with tight weaves make good hypoallergenic choices.
All-season: Cotton again shines here. It breathes in warm months and, with thicker weaves, can perform well in colder weather. Cotton is widely available and budget-friendly.
Shopping for Sheets
Here are specific points to consider while you shop for linens.
Cotton Sheets
There are several cotton varieties (some are addressed separately below). Egyptian cotton is the most luxurious, feeling silkier than standard cotton. If a set just reads “cotton,” it’s usually American Upland, with shorter fibers than Egyptian but still durable and comfortable. If you want authentic Egyptian cotton, look for certification that verifies it.
- Price:$30 – $300 per set.
- Look and feel:Soft, slightly lustrous.
- Durability:Long-lasting.
- Breathability:Good.
- Ease of care:Easy.
Sateen Sheets
Sateen blends cotton into a satin weave, creating a silky fabric suited to cooler rooms. They aren’t as crisp as Egyptian or regular cotton.
- Price:$50 – $200 per set.
- Look and feel:Shiny and glossy.
- Durability:Long-lasting.
- Breathability:Good.
- Ease of care:Easy.
Percale Sheets
Percale uses cotton yarns in a tight weave. Typically starting around 180 thread count, percale is sturdy, easy to launder and resists wrinkling.
- Price:$30 – $100 per set.
- Look and feel:Matte and crisp.
- Durability:Long-lasting.
- Breathability:Good.
- Ease of care:Easy.
Silk Sheets
Silk is pricier than cotton and sits firmly in the luxury category. Wash gently with a silk-specific detergent, and avoid the dryer to prevent snags and pilling — air drying is best. Proper care yields extremely soft, temperature-regulating bedding that’s gentle on the skin.
- Price:$150 – $1,500 per set.
- Look and feel:Sumptuously soft and lustrous.
- Durability:If handled properly, silk lasts. If not, it can wear quickly.
- Breathability:Silk regulates temperature well.
- Ease of care:Challenging. Use low-heat or hand wash, air dry and store carefully.
Bamboo Sheets
Bamboo fabrics resist bacteria and dust mites, making them an eco-conscious choice. They’re breathable, sustainable and robust.
- Price:$100 – $150 per set.
- Look and feel:Silky and smooth.
- Durability:Very durable.
- Breathability:More breathable than cotton; stays comfortable when you’re warm.
- Ease of care:Fairly easy. Wash in cold water without bleach and, if possible, line dry.
Wool Sheets
Wool can be among the priciest choices, but if you sleep cold it may be worth the cost. Wool offers excellent temperature regulation and wicks moisture — research suggests it helps people sleep more soundly (and it’s not necessarily scratchy).
- Price:$300 – $500 per set.
- Look and feel:Soft, warm, sometimes slightly oily in texture.
- Durability:Long-lasting with the right care.
- Breathability:Good.
- Ease of care:Tricky. Some wool is machine-washable, but many require dry cleaning or special settings and line drying. The upside: wool doesn’t need frequent washing because it’s naturally antibacterial.
The Best Bed Sheets You Can Afford
Consider again that hypothetical French-made Egyptian cotton percale with a 200 thread count.
For a queen-sized bed, expect to pay about $300. A king-size set will run nearer $400.
That’s the ballpark for top-tier sheets.
The plus side: investing in quality means longevity — you might see a decade or more of use before the sheets wear out. Elastic may give out before the fabric. Azorin recommends buying high-end sheets in white or ecru (that creamy off-white) so they match any decor for years.
Not ready to spend hundreds on a full set? Consider upgrading your pillowcases first.
“They’re closest to your face,” Azorin said. She spotted a 300-thread-count Egyptian cotton sateen pillowcase set priced around $160.
Still stretched for cash? That’s okay.
If you want warmth and some luxury without the highest price, consider Egyptian cotton-poly blends. Expect roughly $120 for a 300-thread-count queen set.
If you sleep hot and want cooler bedding, opt for 100% cotton (not necessarily Egyptian or Pima). It stays cool to the touch all night.
Budget around $135 for a queen set of 100% cotton. We looked at department store brand pricing to illustrate typical costs, though you might find deals at discount retailers or online.
Caring for Bed Sheets
Azorin has run her Tampa linen shop for over 30 years and has answered so many care questions she developed a line of linen washes.
The first rule to extend sheet life: stop drying them on high heat.
“High heat degrades fabric, causing cotton to pill and eventually develop holes,” Azorin said.
Excessive heat also destroys the elastic in fitted sheets.
Instead, tumble on normal or delicate, or better yet, hang sheets to dry if you can.
Another tip: avoid dryer sheets on cotton. Dryer sheets contain fabric-softening chemicals and are basically pieces of polyester. That polyester can be abrasive and contribute to pilling with repeated drying.
Using topical acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide? Those stains are stubborn. Save your best linens and use inexpensive sheets while treating skin.
One last pointer from Azorin: If pets sleep in your bed, pick a lower thread count percale. Pet claws tend to snag and create holes in other types of sheets.
Contributors: Danielle Braff and Lisa Rowan. Article adapted for Savinly by Emma Carter.
