The shop sells seven fibres for bedding, and the choice between them comes down to three things: whether you wake up hot, whether creasing bothers you, and how much time you are willing to give to looking after the thing. Price comes after that, not before. This page compares the seven side by side.
What actually decides it
Most people start with price or with thread count. Neither answers the question that matters, which is what the bed will be like at three in the morning.
Three things decide. The temperature you sleep at, which separates linen and hemp from everything else. Friction, which is what makes the difference to hair and skin, and where silk stands out. And the time you are prepared to give, because some fibres come out of the machine ready and others ask for a delicate wash.
The table runs from the coolest fibre to the warmest.
The seven, side by side
What the table does not say
Bamboo's declared composition is 100% bamboo viscose, and viscose means regenerated fibre: the raw material is a plant and, without being a natural fibre, it reaches a smooth, cold handle that is very pleasant.
With cotton there is a second decision still to make, because cotton is the raw material and not the fabric. Two cotton sheets can give opposite nights depending on how the threads cross. Percale is matte, dry and breathable; sateen is smooth, has a sheen and holds more warmth. That choice is set out in the article on percale and sateen.
What sets Egyptian Cotton™ apart is the length of the fibre before it is spun. Longer fibres make a yarn with fewer joins, which is why the fabric pills less and softens with washing instead of thinning out. You will feel the difference from the first hour, and more so as time goes on. The certificate is rare too: under 1% of the world's cotton, and hand-picked, because mechanical harvesting drags in leaves and stems that only come out of the yarn after repeated washing.
Linen cools because of moisture. The fibre releases water quickly, and it is that exchange that keeps the bed cool on a warm night. The stiffness that allows the exchange is the same stiffness that creases, because the fibre does not spring back on its own. Linen softens further with time, and if the fabric is already soft from the first hour, after a year of washing that softness has only improved.
Hemp comes from the same family of fibres and behaves the same way in bed, with the same breathability and the same thermal regulation. The difference is in strength. The yarn is tougher, starts firmer to the touch and takes longer to soften, which makes it the choice for someone who already knows they like linen and wants it to last.
In silk the filament is continuous. It is not spun from short fibres like all the others, so the surface has no relief at all. That is where the very low friction comes from, and it is why it makes a difference to the hair and skin of anyone who sleeps on their side. In exchange it asks for a delicate wash every week, and it is the most expensive fabric in the house.
Cotton-silk is Supima® cotton, extra-long staple, woven with mulberry silk. The cotton gives the breathability and the strength, the silk gives the continuous surface and the quiet sheen.
Choose by what bothers you
You wake up hot, push your feet out from under the duvet, sleep badly in summer.Linen, without hesitating. It is the fibre that sheds moisture fastest, and that is why it cools.
You want linen's coolness but cannot live with the creasing.Bamboo. It comes out of the machine all but smooth and it is cold to the touch.
You wake up with dishevelled hair or marks on your face.Silk, at least in the pillowcase. It is a question of friction, and no other fabric gets there.
You want a bed that lasts and no more thinking about it.Egyptian Cotton™. It is the one that ages best under frequent washing.
You like linen and want it to last longer.Hemp. Same behaviour in bed, tougher fibre, and it starts firmer.
You do not know, and you want the safe choice.Egyptian Cotton™, and then decide between percale and sateen. It is the fibre that suits most people and the one that risks least.
Fibres change. So does the weave.
The two decisions are worth keeping apart, because they really are two. The fibre decides temperature, friction and care. The way the threads cross decides the handle and the look within the same fibre.
In cotton, Senseslinen offers 200TC and 400TC percale and 300TC and 430TC sateen. Four different fabrics from the same raw material, and the difference between them shows more than the difference between two cottons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the coolest fabric for sheets?
Linen. The fibre takes up moisture and releases it quickly, and that is what keeps the bed cool on warm nights. Hemp behaves in much the same way, for the same reason.
Is bamboo a natural fibre?
Not quite. The declared composition is 100% bamboo viscose, which means regenerated fibre: the raw material is a plant and the production process gives it a smooth, cold handle.
What is the difference between cotton and Egyptian Cotton™?
The length of the fibre before it is spun. Longer fibres make a finer, stronger yarn with fewer joins, which makes the fabric pill less and soften with washing instead of thinning out. The temperature in bed is the same.
Which fabric is best for hair and skin?
Silk, because of friction. A continuous surface pulls at hair less than a fabric with a visible weave, and leaves fewer marks on the face. If you do not want to change the whole bed, changing only the pillowcase solves most of it.
Does Cotton-silk use Supima cotton?
Yes. Cotton-silk is woven with Supima® cotton, extra-long staple, and mulberry silk. The Supima gives the breathability and the strength, the silk gives the smooth surface and the quiet sheen.
Which lasts longest?
Hemp and linen are the toughest fibres, and both improve with use. In cotton, long staple outlasts short. Silk is the one that demands most care in order to last.
Do I need to iron sheets?
It depends on the fibre and the weave. Linen and hemp crease by nature and the crease is part of the look. Bamboo and sateen come out almost smooth. Plain percale is the one that gains most from an iron.
Every fibre has its own article
This page compares the seven. Each then has its own, with what does not fit in a table.
What makes Egyptian Cotton so special?
Pure Bamboo: a new fibre for better sleep
Hemp Natura, the natural choice
Have you ever felt the difference of Cotton-silk?
