Let’s Settle This Once & for All—Cotton or Linen Sheets?

f all the things we’re passionate about here at Home52 (wiping the sink every day, flipping the toilet paper over the top of the roll, sourcing vintage rugs, etc.), possibly the most fiercely debated topic? Bedsheet material.

We’ve been around the home editor block for a bit, which means we’ve had the chance to test, try, feel, smell, and wash just about all the bedding you can imagine. Given that the average American spends a third of their lifetime in bed (!), quality sheets are tantamount to a healthy sleep routine. Just think about it—would you get a more restful sleep in crisp, white hotel sheets, or the polyester blend that still plagues your childhood bed?

That said, sheets can be a daunting investment, and there’s a bit of background information to know before you take the plunge.

Firstly, to be blunt—thread count is kind of a scam. What used to be an indicator of quality is now largely a packaging ploy to get consumers to spend more. Anything with a thread count higher than 500 starts to get suspicious, and may be composed of multi-ply threads of cotton (counted as individual threads), instead of single ply threads. This is an indicator of lower quality cotton or materials, as the multiple-ply threads strengthen lower-grade cotton. Instead of thread count, look for threads made of long-staple fibers and thin, single ply threads.

Secondly, another thing you’ll see a lot about are weaves. The most common cotton weaves (yup, like a basket) you’ll see are percale and sateen. Percale is a one-over, one-under weave that feels cool and crisp, looks matte, and gets softer with every wash. Sateen is a three-over, one-under weave that’s super soft and smooth and looks slightly shiny. Sateen is usually a bit pricier than percale, since the fabric is close in feel to satin, and ultra wrinkle-resistant.

Linen has a whole other set of standards, which are fuzzier than the ones governing cotton. Thread counts are much lower for linen, as the flax fibers are thicker, and the weave is usually visible, whereas with cotton it’s difficult to see the tiny individual fibers. Linen is also commonly advertised as “stone-washed” or “enzyme-washed” which usually means the breaking-in and multiple washing process is mostly done for you—i.e. the linen comes to you soft, not still stiff.

Read on for our (passionate) pros and cons for each bedding material.