Which Cotton is Best for Bedding? The How to Choose your Bed Linen Guide

There’s no better feeling than sinking into the luxurious embrace of a boutique hotel bed. Surrounded by sumptuously soft cotton sheets and dreamlike pillows, the perfect night’s sleep is within reach. But what’s their secret?

If you’re looking to recreate hotel luxury in the comfort of your home, then it’s time to turn your attention to the material of your bed linen.

When it comes to bedding, not all linens are created equally, so it’s important to do your research before investing. However, if you can’t separate your Egyptian from your organic or your polyester from your cotton, choosing the best material for bedding can be an arduous task.

That’s where we come in. At The Fine Cotton Company, we’ve combined our expert knowledge of the best cotton bedding to help you choose the right style for you. For all you need to know about which cotton is best for bedding to the best material for bedding, read on.

Which cotton is best for bedding?

Egyptian cotton consistently comes out on top when it comes to which cotton is best for bedding. Renowned as one of the world’s finest types of cotton, it boasts sumptuously soft sheets that are strong and long-lasting, making it a superior choice for luxurious hotels worldwide.

At The Fine Cotton Company, our luxurious bed linens are expertly woven from the finest Egyptian and organic cotton. They are beautifully crafted to give you an improved night’s sleep, last you years and improve with every use, making them a great investment for your home or hotel.

What to consider when shopping for bedding

The average person spends around one-third of their life in bed, so it’s worth investing in bed linens that are comfortable, refreshing, and long-lasting.

Below, we’ve covered the main factors to consider when looking to upgrade your bed linens.

Fabric and feel

When shopping for new bed linens, there are various fabrics to choose from, from cotton and polyester to bamboo and nylon. However, which material is the best for bedding?

At The Fine Cotton Company, luxury is at the heart of everything we do, which is why our bed linen is all 100% Egyptian or organic cotton. As well as being ultra-soft and comfortable, cotton is durable, versatile and breathable. It also helps regulate body temperature, making it the perfect choice for those looking to achieve the perfect night’s sleep.

Our cotton is carefully sourced, ensuring cotton that is sustainable and longer. Our finely-sourced cotton ensures a strong, long-lasting weave that will maintain its softness for far longer than less superior cotton.

The weave of your bed linen

There are various bed linen weaves to choose from, and each one offers a different experience.

At The Fine Cotton Company, our family-run factories weave our carefully sourced cotton into an array of different fabrics, giving you a choice in texture, handle and feel. Which one you choose is entirely up to you. Below, we’ve given you the low down on each one.

Percale cotton bedding

Percale weave cotton is an opulent flat fabric that is luxuriously cool and crisp to the touch, making it ideal for warmer nights or for anyone who prefers cooler linen.

The threads are tightly woven in a one-under-one-over construction, resulting in a strong fabric with a fine texture and luxurious finish.

As a general rule of thumb, percale cotton has a matt finish and is slightly more difficult to iron than sateen cotton bedding. With this in mind, we recommend air drying our percale sheets and ironing or steaming whilst slightly damp for easier pressing.

Sateen cotton bedding

Sateen cotton offers a warmer feel than percale weave fabric. This durable cotton features a super-smooth lustre that is silky to the touch and long-lasting.

Boutique hotels often choose it for their bed linen as it has a particularly luxurious feel, allowing guests to indulge in hotel luxe from the moment their head hits the pillow.

Sateen is made in a satin weave with four-over-one-under yarns, resulting in a truly lustrous, smooth-faced fabric with a distinct diagonal pattern.

Of course, not all sateens are made the same, so if you’re looking to obtain the best cotton for bedding, it’s important to choose a sateen with good-quality cotton yarns to make them strong and long-lasting.

Our sateen cotton bed linens are beautifully crafted with premium fabrics, so whether you opt for sateen cotton flat sheets, pillowcases or duvet covers, you can be confident you’re investing in the finest quality bedding.

Waffle cotton bedding

Waffle cotton bedding is popularly selected due to its stylish, textured look. It features a beautiful grid design and brings a truly elegant finish to any bedroom.

Our collection of waffle cotton bedding makes for a truly wonderful addition to any luxury lover’s home. Moreover, each of our waffle cotton duvets boasts ultra-soft plain cotton on the reverse side, allowing for smooth comfort and a superior night’s sleep.

Cotton vs polyester bedding

Cotton and polyester are two of the most common fibres on the market, making it no surprise that the cotton vs polyester bedding debate is so popular.

But which one should you choose?

If you’re looking for truly luxurious bedding, cotton is your choice. A natural fibre harvested from cottonseeds, cotton is a breathable fabric that is super-soft to the touch. It is a breathable fabric, making it an excellent choice to suit all seasons.

Polyester is also a popular choice for many bed linen brands. Due to its synthetic nature, it is light, durable, easy to care for, and quick-drying. However, unlike cotton, polyester does not breathe with your skin and traps heat, meaning it can be an uncomfortable choice in warmer seasons.

At The Fine Cotton Company, our luxurious bed linens are all made from fine Egyptian and organic cotton, allowing for truly luxurious bedding that is soft to the touch and long-lasting. Alongside duvets, flat sheets and pillowcases, we also offer hotel grade bed linen bundles, which offer premium bed linens in beautiful styles to transform your bed into a deluxe haven of comfort.

Thread Count

Thread count refers to the number of threads in one square inch of fabric. The more threads, the higher the thread count, which generally means the higher quality of bed linen.

Whilst thread count is a generally accepted quality indicator; this can be misleading. The quality of your bed linen comes down to the original yarn used, so you shouldn’t rely on thread count alone when choosing your bed linen.

A sheet of better quality fibre with a lower thread count will feel softer and stand up to washing better than a lower quality fabric with a higher thread count. Some manufacturers use double twist yarns, which means a 600 thread count may only be a 300TC with double threads twisted together.

At The Fine Cotton, our bed linens range from 200 to 600 thread counts, and you can be assured we use the finest quality cotton to make all our bed linen to deliver superior sheets.

Seasonality

What is the best material for bedding? The answer can differ per season.

Brushed cotton linen is perfect for super cold days where extra warmth is needed, whilst crisp, cool percale sheets are a wonderful option on mild summer nights.

However, you can use the same linen all year when styled right – it’s all about layering. If you prefer cooler percale linen, add cotton blankets and throws to your bed for extra warmth and style in winter.

Caring for your linens

We all know that there’s no nicer feeling than sinking into a luxurious hotel bed’s clean, fresh sheets. Crisp and sumptuously soft, hotel bed linens offer quality like no other.

If you look after your linens well, they can maintain their hotel quality for many years to come. Below, we’ve covered a few basic care tips to follow to keep your luxurious bed linens in top condition.

Wash your bed linen separately

Your bed linen should be kept separate from the rest of your laundry to prevent other items from getting caught up in them, as this will prevent them from getting the treatment needed to get them clean. In the same line of thought, it’s also important not to overfill your washing machine. The more space you give your linens to circulate in the machine, the cleaner they will be.

Remove your bed linens as soon as the cycle is over

Once the cycle is over, it’s important to remove your bed linens as soon as possible to help to reduce avoidable wrinkles. You should also dry your bed linens outside for extra freshness if possible.

Wash sheets weekly

By washing your bed sheets weekly, you will instantly extend their life.

Time spent in bed causes dirt, dust & skin cells to accumulate on the sheets, and the longer they are on there, the more stress the fabric is under, which can ultimately cause it to weaken.

Of course, you should always check the care label, as different fabrics will need slightly different care when washing. We’d recommend keeping multiple sets available, so a clean set is always on hand!

Shop luxurious hotel bed linens at The Fine Cotton Company

The material you choose for your bedding can significantly impact your sleep quality. Whilst you want to be cool and comfortable, it’s also important that your sheets are still offering enough warmth to help you sleep soundly.

Cotton is distinguished for its lightweight feel and breathability, whilst polyester is renowned for its easy-care nature and long-lasting quality. However, when it comes to the best material for bedding, it’s also important to take in factors such as the thread count, weave, and finish to ensure that you choose a fabric that caters to you.

At The Fine Cotton Company, we pride ourselves on creating truly beautiful hotel grade bed linens of the finest quality, ensuring that you will experience a deluxe night’s sleep like no other. Our collection has something for everyone from percale cotton weave to lavish sateen.

If you’re looking to recreate a five-star hotel experience in the comfort of your home, be sure to shop our stunning selection of cotton duvet covers. Beautifully crafted with fine Egyptian and organic cotton, our luxury duvet covers will inject instant star quality into your home whilst offering a captivating focal point to any room.

Which Cotton is Best for Bedding? The How to Choose your Bed Linen Guide

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Which cotton is best for bedding?