Coyuchi’s crinkled percale sheets.
Photo: Retailer
Covering bedding for the Strategist for several years, I’ve tested every style of sheet on the market. Cotton percale quickly became my favorite for its crisp and lightweight weave, but the plain fabric can sometimes feel too cool. That’s not a problem for me in the middle of summer (I try to sleep without the air conditioner on), but for all other times I like something a little cozier.
While the category isn’t new, a bunch of brands recently started releasing “washed” or “brushed” cotton sheets — some of them percale and some of them sateen — that promise to be softer and more lived-in than your classic bed linens right out of the box. Both types of sheets undergo an extra finishing process. Washed sheets are put through an enzyme wash or are stone-washed to break them in, while brushed sheets are combed with fine metal brushes to lift the fiber, creating a napped texture. After sleeping on a few different sets, I don’t ever want to go to bed with anything else on the mattress. Here’s everything I tried.
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Weave: Sateen | Finish: Washed
These are the sheets that changed everything for me. The best way to describe them is buttery. They’re made of organic cotton in a sateen weave, which is more densely woven than percale, making the fabric feel slinkier, thicker, and thus warmer. People who are anti-sateen might call the weave “greasy.” Sateen sheets also have that telltale sheen, which can be divisive. These Morrow sheets don’t have that shine. Instead, they have a matte finish and an incredibly soft and fluid hand feel thanks to the prewashing process. They also feel lighter than regular sateen sheets. And they only get better wash after wash. I love them.
Photo: Lauren Ro
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Weave: Sateen | Finish: Washed
These Boll & Branch sheets are also a washed sateen and are made with long-staple organic cotton. They go through a “proprietary two-step garment wash,” according to the brand, leaving them nice and relaxed. (They also undergo a small-batch dye process that gives them a slight gradient effect, making them actually look a little “vintage.”) Even though they are washed sateen like the Morrow set above, these feel a little crisper and slightly more cooling. I was actually surprised they were made of a sateen weave because they skew a little percale in my opinion. A detail that I love is the five-inch hemline on the flat sheet and pillowcases that reminds me of a button-up shirt.
Photo: Lauren Ro
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Weave: Percale | Finish: Washed
I called in these Coyuchi sheets for testing after Strategist deputy editor Simone Kitchens told me that they had become her new favorite. Kitchens had been using the Morrow organic matte sateen sheets but found them to be a little too warm. After trying these, she hasn’t looked back. The sheets are made of a percale weave in organic cotton so they’re already crisper and cooler than sateen. The prewashed finish gives them that rumpled, lived-in look and feel, which honestly takes years to achieve with classic percale sheets. They’re extremely lightweight and breathable — but still so soft. They’re also a little wrinkly (hence the name “crinkled”) and almost have a linen-y, rustic look. They’re really nice sheets. I personally save them for warmer weather.
Photo: Lauren Ro
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Weave: Percale | Finish: Washed
Brooklinen’s washed percale sheets feel the closest to classic percale, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They might even feel a little thicker than the brand’s regular percale, but with slightly more texture. They’re made with long-staple cotton and remind me most of a beloved Oxford shirt. They’re cool and crisp and have nice heft.
Photo: Lauren Ro
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Weave: Percale | Finish: Brushed and washed
Quince’s brushed cotton sheets are the coziest I tried. They’re made of organic cotton percale that’s been brushed on both sides to create an almost velvety feel that’s very soft (they’re also prewashed for extra softness). Cotton flannel is similarly made, and I would say these feel most like flannel sheets, but not as thick. The fabric does in fact feel a little heftier than the others on this list, which makes these sheets a great option for cooler weather.
Photo: Lauren Ro
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