Percale is a cotton fabric with a basic weave that feels light and airy. It's best for hot sleepers who want more breathability or those who prefer a crisp feel.
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). When it comes to cotton, the weave of a fabric matters, too.
Percale is the crisp, durable plain weave fabric typically used for sheets; it has a thread count of at least 180.
What do hotel sheets feel like? A good hotel sheet feels beautifully crisp, primarily because of the percale weave used to make them but also because of manufacturing quality.
What type of sheets sleep the coolest? In general, sheets made from linen, bamboo, and Tencel offer the coolest, most breathable feel. Cotton sheets that feature a percale weave are also known for being exceptionally lightweight and airy, perfect for hot sleepers.
Hotels opt for a percale weave over sateen as percale epitomizes the cool, crisp feeling typical of a luxury hotel suite. A percale weave is also naturally longer lasting as by definition, it's a tighter weave (one under, one over - in comparison, sateen is typically three over, one under).
Percale: A smooth, flat, closely woven and combed fabric that comes in 100 percent cotton or 50/50 cotton/poly blends. Finer than muslin, expect thread counts here to range from 180 to 200. Pima or Supima: A high-quality cotton whose long fiber staple is somewhat similar to that of Egyptian cotton.
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.
The difference between the two terms is that one refers to the actual material, that is, cotton. Percale is the style or design of weaving that makes the material strong. Percale is not only used as a term for Egyptian cotton. There are other types of cotton that are woven in the same way.
Percale sheets usually have a light, crisp, smooth feel comparable to a pressed button-up shirt.
Bamboo stays about 3 degrees cooler than cotton on average. It's breathable enough to allow your body heat to easily escape. Hypoallergenic. Some organic cotton is hypoallergenic, but all bamboo sheets contain hypoallergenic properties.
Egyptian cotton is more breathable, moisture-wicking and absorbent than normal cotton, which helps to regulate your body temperature, making it ideal for balmy summer nights, and all year round comfortable sleeping. This works by drawing away moisture from your skin when you are hot, allowing you to cool down.
Percale sheets are known for their crisp feel and excellent breathability. There's nothing quite like climbing into bed with a sheet that almost feels cool-to-the-touch, especially on a warm night.
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.
What are the benefits of sleeping on cotton percale sheets? Cotton percales are more breathable and cooler-feeling than other sheets, and they're built to last.
Percale cotton sheets are popular for being smooth, breathable, durable, affordable, and low maintenance, but they also have some disadvantages. Percale sheets are prone to wrinkles and they are unsuitable for a colder climate.
The downside to percale sheets is that they can feel rough or scratchy compared to sateen sheets and tend to wrinkle more because of their crisp, durable nature.
Egyptian cotton can handle wash temperature of up to 40 degree Celsius while Pima cotton can be washed to 60 degree Celsius. The Egyptian cotton touch is tremendously soft and smooth while Pima is just as soft boasting a high absorbency rate.
Since percale is made from cotton, it won't be as wicking as linen sheets, and for that reason, linen sheets are cooler than percale. Percale sheets are a type of cotton sheet. They are made from a tightly woven fabric with a 200 or more thread count, which sets them apart from traditional cotton sheets.
Bamboo Sheet Weaves
Since the threads are evenly dispersed, it's easy for air to pass through the fabric, making them a good choice for hot sleepers. Percale sheets usually have a matte finish, and while they're generally easy to care for, they do tend to wrinkle fairly easily.
Although top sheets prevent your comforter from getting dirty, the widespread use of duvet covers has made them somewhat obsolete. Either way you choose to go, make sure your bedding is soft, comfortable, customized to your liking — and regularly washed.
Percale is a plain-weave fabric made from both combed and carded cotton yarns. This type of weave is lightweight and closely woven, producing a smooth finish and a crisp feel. If you like sheets that feel a bit starched and crisp against your skin, percale may be just right.
In most boutique and luxury hotels, the sheets are high-quality in a sateen or percale weave with a high thread count. 100% cotton sheets with a thread count of over 300 are popular in luxury hotels because they are affordable, breathable and withstand commercial washing.