The bedsheet you use rules your sleep. On warm and sweltering nights, enjoy cooling and restful sleep with pure cotton or bamboo sheets. Choose the fabric right for you, weighing the subtle differences between cotton and bamboo.

About Bamboo Sheets

Textile makers weave bamboo fibres into bamboo sheets. They may use various techniques and chemicals for the process.

Bamboo guzzles far less water than cotton in its growing stages. The chemical process of viscose may put you off. But only worry about chemical effluents if environmental regulations are lax in your country. Instead, look for a responsible manufacturer who can show you an Oeko Tex-100 certification.

It’s not easy to find 100% natural bamboo fabrics like bamboo linen. Bamboo linen is like hemp or flax, though less coarse. The fabric wrinkles easily. You’re unlikely to enjoy sleeping on a bedding of bamboo linen.

More popular are 100% bamboo-rayon, bamboo lyocell, or bamboo-modal sheets.

Rayon Bamboo

Fabric makers use the viscose process to dissolve the bamboo cellulose in a chemical solution. This makes a viscous pulp, which is then sent through a spinneret and spun into fibres.

The result is a silky soft fabric that is drapey, moisture-wicking and has wonderful lustre. Bamboo sheet sets made with rayon are good for you if you have sensitive skin. Rayon bamboo also smells fresh and resists bacteria.

The viscose process may put folks off the fabric if they’re concerned about chemicals. But responsible manufacturers use wet processes and better waste treatment methods.

Modal bamboo

Bamboo modal is made in a process similar to viscose. But the fabric goes through an extra process to stretch it. You’ll find modal is thus finer, lighter and stronger than rayon when wet. You can tumble-dry it, which you can’t do with rayon. However, the modal is too airy and thin for bedding.

Lyocell bamboo

The lyocell process is a highly sustainable process using non-toxic solvents. The effluents produced are not harmful. Nearly all of the water used is recycled. The result is a fabric that is stronger than bamboo rayon, softer and more resource-efficient.

Not recommended bamboo blends with cotton and other fabrics. The process of blending is labour-intensive, and the resulting fabric isn’t as soft.

Bamboo Fabric Weave

The weave also affects the look and feel of your bamboo bed sheet.

Sateen weave produces silky, lustrous and smooth sheets. The weave pattern is one thread under and three or four threads over. Sateen bamboo sheets are wrinkle-resistant but are less cooling and prone to pilling.

If you don’t mind wrinkles, you’ll love the percale weave. Lightweight, matte percale fabric weaves one thread over and one thread under. The sheet is light, crisp and cooling.

Like denim, the twill weave has parallel ribs laid out diagonally. The ribbing adds texture and makes for durable sheets less smooth than sateen but still quite soft.

Like cotton in how breathable, soft and durable they are, bamboo bedding in Australia’s hot summers can rescue hot sleepers from tossing and turning in bed.

Bamboo Bedding In A Nutshell

Bamboo sheets are:

  • soft
  • breathable
  • strong
  • sometimes, eco-friendly
  • sometimes more expensive than cotton
  • sometimes quick to wrinkle, depending on the weave

What You Need To Know About Cotton Sheets

Everyone loves the classic cotton in bed. Soft, breathable, and durable, cotton gets softer with washing. It’s also easy to wash. Cotton would be excellent if the cotton plant didn’t need as much water and pesticides as it does when it’s growing.

Cotton isn’t of one kind. Regular cotton that makes denim, is affordable though less durable than the extra-long-staple Pima cotton. Pima cotton is less expensive than Egyptian cotton.

Egyptian cotton, the most luxurious type of cotton, is soft and strong. The price reflects the quality. The fibres of Egyptian cotton are extra-long-staples. They’re typically 2 inches long and softer than regular cotton (1 1/8 inch long.)

Long staples are easier to weave into smoother fabrics. Egyptian cotton fabric is less likely to tear or pill and can get softer with time.

Beware of cheaper “Egyptian cotton” sheets: they may be blended. Look for the Cotton Egypt Association certificate when you pay premium prices for Egyptian cotton bed sheets.

Cotton Weaves

Each type of weave can make cotton sheets with distinct qualities.

One thread under and three or four threads over makes the sateen cotton weave. The fabric is silky, drapey and lustrous. It won’t wrinkle, but it may snag or pill easily and make you less cool than other weaves.

The percale weave produces sheets good for hot sleepers. The weave pattern is one over, one under, making a light, soft and moisture-wicking fabric that is also tough. It is likely to get softer with each wash.

Cotton twill has denim-like diagonal parallel ribs which toughen the fabric. Twill weave may not be as soft as percale or sateen. But it’s soft enough for bedsheets.

Jersey sheets are knit, not woven. If you’re hypersensitive to textures, you may prefer sleeping on soft jersey sheets.

Cotton Sheets In A Nutshell

Cotton bedsheets are:

  • Breathable
  • Strong and durable
  • Moisture-wicking
  • Easy to maintain
  • Gets softer with washing
  • Sometimes wrinkle-prone, depending on the weave
  • Typically made with more water and pesticides during crop cultivation
  • Likely to shrink a little

The Bottom Line

If you have to compare bamboo sheets versus cotton sheets, here’s what the comparison would look like:

  • You can make bamboo sheets last long with proper care, but cotton is better for low maintenance. It pays to own old cotton sheets as they get softer with age.
  • The weave and material will determine the feel of bamboo and cotton sheets. If your cotton bedsheet feels rough initially, wash it a few times to make it softer.
  • Bamboo is naturally breathable and cooling, but some feel cotton is airier. Cotton is more moisture-wicking than bamboo.
  • You can machine-wash and machine-dry bamboo sheets. But cotton sheets are easier to maintain.
  • Bamboo sheets can cost anywhere from $50 to over $200. Regular cotton sheets are usually cheaper, starting at around $50. Egyptian cotton can set you back by over $500.

Both types of sheets have their pros and cons. Are you a hot sleeper? Are you on a budget? Are you concerned about pesticide usage? Think about these questions when you’re making a choice.