Percale sheets are best suited to people who prefer crisp, lightweight bedding. They also offer above-average breathability. Sateen sheets are ideal for sleepers who enjoy soft, drapey bedding. The loose weave gives sateen a smooth feel, but the material is not as breathable as percale.
Weave Types
Percale is the crisp, durable plain weave fabric typically used for sheets; it has a thread count of at least 180.
Percale is usually the best weave for cooling sheets
The two most popular weaves for cotton sheets are percale and sateen. Percale is lightweight, crisp and durable. Sateen is soft, smooth and has a lustrous sheen on the surface. it creates a crisper sheet that allows easier ventilation than sateen does.
For hot sleepers and those who just love the crisp feel of cotton fabric, percale sheets are unbeatable.
Here's a list of keywords you can pretty much always associate with percale bedding: Crisp — Think of a white-button-down dress shirt. Cool — Percale sheets are typically better suited for the warmer months. Lightweight — They are usually lighter in weight than sateen sheets. Breathable — Ideal for warm sleepers.
Based on experts I talked to, here's what to look for if you want crisp sheets: White (Dye and prints are more likely to make them smoother/softer than you want.) Stay away from sateen. Easy-care and wrinkle-resistant are not what you want.
Use Starch
This is simple enough. Starch gives your fabric that smooth, silky feel. Your sheets will feel remarkably crisp. Don't overdo it, and you should be fine.
Percale is a type of weave with a plain criss-cross (one thread over, one thread under) weave that results in a breathable, crisp fabric. In general, percale sheets have a stiffer, almost linen-like feel than cotton sateen or microfiber sheets, and they stay cool to the touch even during the hottest months of the year.
FINE EGYPTIAN COTTON PERCALE – The Egyptian cotton percale sheets 350-thread count are durably Crisp and Smooth and comfortable, just right for year-round use. Great bedroom sheets for any room in your house.
What's the best thread count for sheets? In our tests, top-rated bed sheets often have thread counts between 300 and 500. Anything above 500 isn't necessarily better (so don't be deceived when you see thread counts over 1,500), and on the flip side, you can still find quality sheets with thread counts under 300.
Percale sheets are best suited to people who prefer crisp, lightweight bedding. They also offer above-average breathability. Sateen sheets are ideal for sleepers who enjoy soft, drapey bedding. The loose weave gives sateen a smooth feel, but the material is not as breathable as percale.
Material: Most of the sleep experts we spoke to agreed that sheets made of natural fibers, like cotton and linen, are your best bet for sweaty sleepers because they're the most breathable (and therefore cooling).
The Best Fabrics for Breathability
At the top of the breeziness chart, you'll find linen. Linen sheets are made from flax fibers, which are thicker than cotton. The fabric feels rougher to the touch—though it softens up with every wash—and the loose weave lets all that sleepy body heat escape.
Texture: Thin, soft, polyester
The microfiber polyester fabric is very soft and feels great at first touch. However, it's also very thin. So thin, in fact, that you're able to see your hand through the fabric.
Most hotel bed sheets are high-quality cotton, though you'll occasionally find hotel bed sheets made from linen. Look for durable and soft cotton, like Egyptian and Supima, and keep up with cleaning your sheets and bed so your bedroom feels like a luxury hotel.
Egyptian Cotton Sheets. The differences between percale and Egyptian cotton sheets lie in the material itself. Similar to percale sheets, Egyptian cotton bed sheets feature a very high thread count. However, Egyptian cotton is only made with the cotton that grows only in the Nile region of Egypt.
Related Articles. Egyptian-cotton sheets, especially those with a high-thread count, are prized for durability and softness. These sheets get softer over time, but may not feel very soft when they are new and straight out of the package, because of chemicals embedded in the material during manufacturing.
For starters, hotel sheets are designed to withstand frequent washings and constant use. They're also usually made of higher-quality materials, such as 100% cotton or Egyptian cotton. As a result, they're softer and more durable than your average bed sheet.
Egyptian Cotton and Other Types of Cotton. Compared to “regular” cotton, including pima, Turkish cotton fabric feels softer and more plush due to its longer fibers. Egyptian cotton has the longest fibers, which creates a more plush fabric than Turkish cotton.
Percale sheets use a one-over-one-under weave that gives them their classic crisp, smooth feel. Most percale sheets have a thread count of at least 200, so the weave is fairly tight. However, percale is still highly breathable. In fact, it is often considered the best type of sheet for people who tend to sleep hot.
If you love a light, crisp sheet with good breathability and aren't bothered by wrinkles, go with percale. If you prefer a soft, smooth sheet with a little more wrinkle resistance and thickness, go with sateen.
Luxury hotel sheets are usually 300TC or 400TC cotton, with a tight percale or sateen weave to achieve the sought-after softness. For the same reason, you won't find bamboo bed sheets higher than 500TC (Australian standards).
Percale is woven in a basic criss cross weave (one-over, one-under) and has a thread-count higher than 200. It tends to be more crisp and cool, like a classic button down shirt. Cotton Satin fabric is made using a satin weave structure (four over and one under), which gives the fabric a sheen and silkier feel.
One of the main reasons why hotel beds are so deliciously comfortable is because they are covered in luxurious and premium soft sheets. The management opts for light, silky, breathable, and crisp material such as silk or Egyptian cotton with a thread count of 300 or higher because of their excellent softness.