How To Choose Bed Sheets: The Best Sheets For You

Trying to choose what sheets are ideal for you? With all the different fabrics and sizes available it can be overwhelming to decide which bed sheets to get.

You can choose the best bed sheet for you by considering factors like the material used, weave, and thread count. While your mattress determines the softness or firmness of your bed, your sheets can make all the difference when it comes to comfort and temperature control throughout the night. 

Different people will have different sleeping preferences, and what’s comfortable for you may not be comfortable for someone else. Read this guide for things to look for in sheets that are ideal for you .

Choosing Bed Sheets

Since you’ll be spending all your sleeping with them, it’s essential to get sheets that are not only comfortable but durable enough to last for years. Before you buy a bed sheet, you should be considering the material, weave, thread count, and cost of a bed sheet. If you’re able to, test the feel of a bed sheet before buying it to see if it feels good to you.

How To Choose The Best Bed Sheets

The best bed sheets are the ones you feel the most comfortable in. Everyone has different sleeping preferences, so your ideal bed sheet may be very different from someone else’s. There are many types of bed sheets, and all of them feel and perform differently.

Step 1: Understanding Thread Count

Is thread count important? Thread count is important to a certain extent. It measures the amount of fabric per square inch in fabric. You dont want a bed sheet that is rough. But you dont need to spend a crawy amount of money on high threadcount sheets to feel comfortable.  

Here are thread counts for common sheets:

Bamboo: Bamboo sheets typically do not have a standard thread count. Bamboo material is naturally soft and lightweight. So the thread count if provided can be deceiving. 

Flannel: Measured by GSM, Flannel sheets tend to be less breathable and are in the 170+ GSM range.

Tencel: Around the 300+ thread count

Satin: 200-300 thread count

Linen: 80-140 thread count

Step 2: Consider What's The Best Quality Material For A Bed Sheet?

The fabric your sheets are made out of is the biggest factor in how they feel and how breathable they are. The best quality material for a bed sheet highly depends on your sleeping preferences. Whether you want cool, warm, crisp, or soft sheets, there’s a bed sheet material that will meet your desired feel and comfort level. 

Bed sheets come in a number of different fabrics, all of which have different feels and properties. Let’s break them down.

• Bamboo based sheets are usually extremely soft, silky and stretchy
• Egyptian cotton sheets are warm and soft.
• Linen sheets are breathable and crisp. 
• Satin sheets are smooth and silky.
• Flannel sheets are very fuzzy and cozy.
• Tencel sheets are usually silky and smooth

Purple bed sheet are largely made of Rayon from bamboo viscose.  They offer maximum stretch and a smooth feel. While being breathable to keep you cool all night long.

Bamboo

Bamboo sheets are typically soft, silky and stretchy vs traditional cotton sheets. They can also be more breathable, which means you wont trap as much heat in your mattress. They tend to saty cool regardless of the season

Compare bamboo vs cotten sheets

Flannel

Flannel sheets are very warm, which is perfect for people who like feeling cozy when sleeping. They’re usually made of 100% cotton woven in a medium-to-heavy weight fabric.

These sheets feel fuzzy and soft because of the napped finish that they have on one or both sides. This also means that flannel sheets are good at trapping your body heat, keeping you warm on even the coldest winter night.

Tencel

Tencel sheets are soft, cool, and breathable sheets made using sustainable eco-friendly processes. Tencel is made from the wood pulp of Eucalyptus trees, which is then processed into fibers suitable for weaving into sheets. The process of making Tencel fabric leaves almost zero waste products, making it a popular option for environmentally conscious buyers.

Tencel fabric is also very absorbent and wicks moisture from your skin. The way Tencel sheets are made also keeps dust mites from burrowing their way into your sheets, making them great sheets for allergy sufferers.

Satin

Satin sheets are known for their incredibly soft and warm feel and silky-smooth finish. This luxury fabric is made from very thin synthetic fibers woven tightly together, resulting in a high thread count. Because of the fine threads used in a satin sheet, this type of fabric can be very delicate.

Satin sheets require great care in washing and maintenance if you intend to use them for a long time. Unless otherwise indicated, avoid machine-washing and frequently washing satin sheets. Most satin fabrics are strictly hand-wash or dry-clean only.

Linen

Linen sheets are made of a breathable fabric that’s incredibly durable while retaining a high level of comfort. While the term “linen” is commonly used to mean bed sheets in general, especially in the hospitality industry, linen fabrics are specifically made from fibers extracted from flax.

You can find linen sheets either as 100% pure linen fabric or in a blend with cotton. Either way, linen sheets provide great airflow and dry quickly, which makes them great for sweaty sleepers.

You may enjoy our guide on Choosing the softest bed sheets.

Step 3: Understanding Bed Sheet Weave Types

The type and pattern of a bed sheet weave play a big part in how a sheet feels and how long it lasts. The weave of your bed sheet determines its texture and resistance to wrinkles. Depending on how tightly or loosely woven your sheets are, they can have a very very different feel when you lie on them. The pattern of the horizontal and vertical threads also contributes to the overall sensation of the sheet. 

There are a few types of weave styles you can pick from when choosing a bed sheet.

Combed Cotton

Combed cotton is a type of weave where the natural fibers are combed with a fine-toothed brush before they’re spun. This removes the shorter fibers while straightening and aligning the longer fibers, resulting in a stronger, softer cotton sheet that feels warm and smooth.

Percale

Percale sheets have a simple pattern but are woven very tightly. The percale weave has one thread crossed over and one thread crossed under. This results in a very durable fabric that’s resistant to pilling, giving it high longevity. These sheets feel cool and crisp – perfect for hot weather.

Sateen

Sateen sheets are different from both satin and the material called sateen, as many different materials can be woven into sateen sheets. This kind of fabric is woven with a pattern of three yards over and one yard under. This pattern creates a silky smooth texture without having to use actual silk.

Step 4: Consider Your Sleeping Needs

To choose the perfect bed sheet, you have to understand your ideal sleeping conditions and preferences. Do you like being enveloped in a warm ball of coziness or do you want to feel the cool night’s breeze on your skin? Do you like to feel the fuzzy softness of flannel or the silky smoothness of satin?

Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you decide what the best bed sheet for you can be.

Hot Sleeper

If you wake up with your sheets wet with sweat, you may need cooling sheets. Hot sleepers may want to pick sheets that are breathable and allow air to flow freely. You’ll find that percale, linen, or Tencel sheets will keep you cool through the night.

Cold Sleeper

If you can’t sleep without a blanket even in the summer, then you’ll need sheets that trap your body heat and keep you warm even in the winter months. Cold sleepers may want to look for thick sheets that can act as insulators. Flannel, satin, and combed cotton sheets are great for keeping you cozy and toasty.

Texture

Pay extra attention to the texture that your skin prefers. If you crave a smooth and soft feel, satin and silk sheets are a great choice. If you like crisp, cool sheets, then percale and Tencel will give you that firm but breathable texture. If you want a fuzzy set of bed sheets, then flannel will give you that snug and cozy feeling.

Step 5: Deciding The Right Sheet Size

Much like Goldilocks, you don’t want your sheets to be too big or too small – you want them just right. Bed sheets mostly conform to standard mattress sizes, but you’ll want to measure the depth of your mattress just to be sure that your sheets can be comfortably tucked into the bottom.

Most mattresses are between 8 and 14 inches deep. Here’s a breakdown of mattress sizes and their measurements:

• Twin-size: 38 x 75 inches
• Twin XL-size: 38 x 80 inches
• Full-size: 54 x 75 inches
• Queen-size: 60 x 80 inches
• King-size: 76 x 80 inches
• California king-size: 72 x 84 inches

Still unsure? Check out our guide on bed sheet sizes

Step 6: Match With Your Bedding

While comfort and durability are the major factors you should consider when choosing a bed sheet, you should also think about how your bedding’s aesthetic matches your sheets.

Color-coordinating your sheets and other bedding items is easier when you buy them in a set. Luckily, Purple has matching sheet sets that come in calming colors to match most bedroom aesthetics.

Additional Factors To Consider While Selecting A Bed Sheet

There are a lot of things you need to keep in mind before committing to a bed sheet. If you want to pick the perfect bed sheet for you, take these factors into consideration.

Depth Of Your Mattress

While most bed sheets conform to the standard mattress size conventions, not all mattresses are the same depth. You should measure your mattress from top to bottom to get a bed sheet that can fit snugly under your mattress. There are three main categories for mattress depth:

• Standard: 7 to 12 inches deep
• Deep: 13 to 17 inches deep
• Extra deep: 18 to 25 inches deep

Technology

Some bed sheet manufacturers integrate new technologies into their sheets to keep them warm, cool, dry, or stain-resistant. 

Allergies

Consider any allergies you may have and what bed sheets do not have the materials you are allergic to. 

Read our guide to learn more about what the best bed sheets for allergies are.

Getting rid of old sheets

Throwing the sheets in the trash can take years to degrade. Find local areas to donate and recycle your bed sheets. 

Learn more about ways to dispose of your bed sheets. 

Upgrade Your Sleep with Purple

Your mattress moves to adapt to your body, but normal sheets don't do the same.  That's why we created innovative sheets that stretch, allowing you to experience the full comfort of your mattress.  

How To Choose Bed Sheets FAQs

Can you use full sheets on a queen bed?

You can’t use full sheets on a queen bed. While they may be the same length, full-size sheets are narrower than a queen. You can technically use a flat full sheet on a queen bed, but fitted sheets won’t fit at all.

Why do bed sheets randomly rip?

Bed sheets can randomly rip if they’re made of a lower-quality material or if you’re not washing or drying them properly. They can also rip if they suffer repeated abrasion while sleeping due to rough heels or sharp nails. Buy sheets made of high-quality materials and follow the washing instructions carefully to prolong the lifespan of your bed sheets.

What is the difference between a bed sheet and a bedspread?

The difference between a bed sheet and a bedspread is that a bed sheet goes directly on top of the mattress, while a bedspread covers the entire bed and lies on top of the bed sheet.