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Cotton is by far the most popular choice for sheet material thanks to its breathability, comfort, and durability. This natural fiber that can either be light and airy or dense and warming depending on how it's weaved, making it an excellent choice for both hot and cold sleepers. It's easy to clean and maintain with various options at different price points.
To find the best cotton sheets for this guide, we only considered products made from 100% cotton. Each pick comes from our tested guide to the best sheets, where we slept on 21 sets of sheets for several months to determine our top picks.
The types of cotton, weave, and thread count can all make a big difference in selecting the best cotton sheets for your bed, but ultimately, it all comes down to personal preference. Knowing whether you like the feel of percale (crisp and matte) or sateen (smooth and silky) is a good place to start when shopping for cotton sheets. We think most sleepers will enjoy the cool, crisp feel of L.L.Bean's Percale Sheet Set, but if you want a luxurious silky feel and don't mind sheets that sleep a little hot, Brooklinen's Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set is also a great buy.
Our top picks for cotton sheets
Best percale: L.L.Bean Percale Sheet Set (Queen) - See at L.L.Bean
Best sateen: Brooklinen Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set - See at Brooklinen
Best budget: Threshold Solid Performance Sheet Set (Queen) - See at Target
Best hotel: H by Frette Classic Sheet Set (Queen) - See at Amazon
Best flannel: L.L.Bean Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheets (Queen) - See at L.L.Bean
Best deep pocket: Cuddledown 400-Thread Count Sateen Sheet Set (Queen) - See at Cuddledown
Best percale
The L.L.Bean percale sheets feel amazing on your skin — simultaneously light, crisp, and soft — and prove that quality materials are more important than thread count.
- High-quality construction
- Very soft and comfortable
- Top and bottom side labels
- Accessible price
- Not available in Twin XL
- Fitted sheet may be loose on thinner mattresses
L.L.Bean's Percale Sheet Set not only nabs our best percale pick, but it won the best overall spot in our best sheets guide. Percale features a one-under, one-over pattern known for its crisp, cool, and smooth feel. Percale fabric is typically made from 100% cotton and has 200 to 400 threads per square inch, contributing to its durability and smooth texture. The versatility of percale makes it the perfect bedding for year-round use, especially for those who prefer a hotel-like feel or run hot at night.
Made of Pima cotton, a type of high-quality cotton with extra-long-staple fibers, these L.L.Bean sheets are lightweight, breathable, and crisp yet soft. Because extra-long-staple cotton is stronger than long-staple cotton, these sheets are notably durable, even with a lower 280 thread count. They stand out for being ultra-soft and comfortable compared to the other sheets we tested. Our tester also noted that they feature a strong construction that survived many washes with no loose threads or shrinkage. Making the bed is a breeze with the long and short sides labeled on the fitted sheet, and it easily fits up to a 15-inch mattress. The sheets come in nine light colors, including cream, pink clay, and sunlight, and feature classic hemstitched detailing.
Best sateen
If you take your sleep comfort seriously, the pampering touch and good looks of Brooklinen's Luxe Sheets will make you want to stay in bed longer. Plus, they get softer with wear.
- Very comfortable
- Labeled short and long sides
- Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certified
- Year long return period
- Several colors and patterns to choose from
- May sleep hot
- Limited edition colors sell out
No one does sateen sheets better than Brooklinen. Sateen features a weave pattern where three or four threads pass over one thread, resulting in a high thread count and smooth, silky finish. Whereas percale sheets feature a crisp, cool, and matte finish, sateen sheets are known for having a luxurious, drapey quality with a slight sheen. Sateen sheets may feel warmer because of their smooth, densely woven surface, while percale allows air to circulate, which can help regulate temperature during sleep. Cool sleepers will appreciate the warm, cocooning quality of sateen sheets.
We've tested, loved, and recommended Brooklinen's Luxe sateen sheets for over a decade now and have yet to find a brand that offers better quality for the price. We also love that you can buy only the pieces you need — for example, you can purchase only a fitted sheet if you prefer to sleep without a top sheet, and you can purchase extra pillow shams without buying a whole extra sheet set. There are also several nice touches: The short and long sides of the sheets are labeled to make putting them on the bed a breeze. They also come with a generous one-year trial period. Our one complaint is that, like most sateen sheets we've tried, Brooklinen's sleep a bit hot.
Read our full Brooklinen Luxe sateen sheet review.
Best budget
Target's affordable Threshold sheet set is soft and holds up over time so you won’t have to worry about pilling or shrinking.
- 100% cotton
- Available in 12 colors
- Affordable
- Great fit, with top and bottom labels
- Doesn't pill or shrink
- Smelled out of the packaging
- Traps oils and might require more frequent washes
- Wrinkles easily
With the highest thread count of all the sheets we tested, Target's Threshold Solid Performance Sheet Set is a solid pick for those looking for high-quality sheets on a budget. Don't let the ultra-affordable price tag fool you; these sheets have proven to be durable and long-lasting with the softness you would expect from 400-thread-count, 100% cotton sheets. Our tester particularly loved the great fit, too. Threshold's sheets were the easiest to put on and fit her 10-inch mattress the best, despite being designed for mattresses up to 18 inches deep. The extra stretch made application a breeze, yet there wasn't any excess material showing on top. They even feature top and bottom labels to speed up the bed-making process.
There are a few cons to these sheets that we noticed during testing. They feature a strong chemical smell right out of the packaging, so you'll want to run them through the wash before sleeping on them. Also, they may trap body oils more easily and feel greasy to the touch. Our tester did notice this problem subsides when the sheets are washed. Overall, these sheets provide an ultra-soft and comfortable sleep experience and are perfect for budget shoppers.
Best hotel
When you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars a night to sleep at a luxury hotel, H by Frette's smooth and luxurious sateen sheets will take you there instead.
- Luxury hotel-approved
- Quality materials
- Washes well
- Frette has a long manufacturing history
- Only available in white
Nothing says luxury quite like these 300-thread-count sateen sheets from H by Frette, Frette's consumer line of linens. Once the official maker of linens for the Italian royal family, Italian luxury brand Frette is featured in some of your favorite hotels, from the St. Regis to the Ritz Carlton. Frette uses 100% extra-long staple cotton, which makes these sheets incredibly soft and durable. Our tester noted a subtle gloss and silky feel that felt comfortable after various washes. Our only con is that the sheets are only offered in white, but if you're looking for a simple, clean, and fresh look, these sheets are our top pick.
Best flannel
L.L.Bean's Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheets are soft, cozy, and not so heavy as to be stifling. Importantly, they retain their feel and color after many washes, so you can sleep with them for many winters to come.
- Comes in several patterns and colors
- Comfortable and velvety feel
- Not too heavy
- Doesn't color-fade or pill over time
- Pillowcases are open-ended and can slide around
- Shed lint
- May not be warm enough in extreme cold
L.L.Bean, known for its flannel products, nabs another top spot with its Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheets. (These were also named the best overall pick in our best flannel sheets guide.) Although flannel can be made from various materials, including wool or synthetic fibers, it is most commonly associated with cotton. The process of creating flannel includes brushing the fabric to create a thick, soft, napped surface. The brushing helps trap air, making flannel ideal for retaining warmth for cold sleepers. Although flannel is an excellent insulator, the sheets are still breathable and comfortable for year-round use. In fact, we tested L.L.Bean's flannel sheets in the summer and can vouch they're still cool enough for warm weather.
L.L.Bean's flannel sheets weigh only five ounces per yard, making them thick but not overly thick or heavy. Our tester noted that although the sheets shed a lot of lint in the dryer, this decreases significantly with each subsequent wash and dry. Plus, the sheets didn't pill over time and stayed velvety smooth. Choose from an array of patterns and colors, including floral, striped, checkered, and solid hues.
Best deep pocket
A generous 20-inch pocket means these soft sateen sheets from Cuddledown should never slip off your mattress.
- Very deep pockets
- Soft
- Available in 26 colors
- Generous satisfaction guarentee
- May sleep too warm for some
These Cuddledown sheets claim to fit mattresses up to 21 inches thick. Of the 10+ deep-pocket sheets we tested, Cuddledown's was by far the deepest and one of the few that stayed on our tester's 16-inch mattress for a full week. The 400-thread-count sheets are made of long-staple cotton and feature a sateen weave that offers a soft feel and a bit of luster. Although they're not as crisp as percale for summer, they're still light and airy. After several washes, we noticed the sheets were still soft and hadn't started to pill, shrink, or fade.
A feature worth noting is Cuddledown's unconditional guarantee; if you're not satisfied, you can exchange or refund your bedding. We also love that the sheets are manufactured in the US and are Oeko-Tex-certified, meaning it has been tested for harmful substances and is safe for human use. Cuddledown's sheets are available in 26 colors and six sizes to guarantee the perfect fit for your bed.
What to look for in cotton sheets
When shopping for cotton sheets, there are several factors to consider to ensure you're getting the best quality.
Cotton type: The best cotton sheets are made from long-staple or extra-long-staple cotton, which is of higher quality than short-staple cotton and is known for its softness, durability, and smooth texture. Pima (also known by its trademark name, Supima) and Egyptian cotton are both extra-long staple cotton grown in different parts of the world. Pima cotton has a fiber length of at least 1.5 inches and is grown primarily in the US, while true Egyptian cotton is long-staple and handpicked in Egypt. (Look specifically for "long-staple cotton" on the tag to ensure you're actually getting high-quality Egyptian cotton sheets and not short-staple cotton sheets that just happen to be from Egypt.) Both are considered high-quality cotton known for exceptional softness and breathability.
Weave: Cotton sheets can be woven in various patterns, with percale and sateen being the most common. Percale is woven using a one-over-one or one-over-two weave pattern, offering a crisp, matte finish and a balanced, symmetrical fabric. Sateen is a heavier weave where three or four threads pass over one thread, providing a smooth, silky feel with a lustrous finish. Compared to airy percale, sateen is less breathable and may not be the best choice for hot sleepers. You can read more about the difference in our percale vs. sateen guide. There's also flannel, a thick, brushed cotton that's soft and heavy with insulating properties.
Thread count: Thread count refers to the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. Although a high thread count can indicate a smoother fabric, it doesn't necessarily make for better sheets. Cotton sheets with a thread count of 300 to 500 are often considered a good choice for comfort and durability, though you can find comfortable sheets at lower thread counts (our best percale pick has a thread count of 280, for example). Read more about the best thread count for sheets.
Certifications: Look for certifications such as the "Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)" and "Oeko-Tex Standard 100" to ensure that the sheets meet certain environmental and safety standards. Many of our picks for best cotton sheets have a Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certification, meaning the final product has been independently tested against more than 100 harmful substances and is considered harmless for human health.
Why we're the experts
- Kayla Kitts has 10+ years of experience writing about sheets and bedding for outlets such as HGTV, People, and The Travel Channel.
- She has tested dozens of sheets and authored several bedding guides, including our guide to the best bamboo sheets.
- To gather our top picks for this guide, we tested more than 20 sheets over the course of nine months. We washed them at least five times, dried them, and slept on them for at least one week straight to determine our top picks.
Cotton sheet FAQs
Which is better: pima or Egyptian cotton?
Both pima and Egyptian cotton are considered extra-long-staple cotton. The main difference between the two is their country of origin where the cotton is grown. Pima cotton is an extra-long-staple cotton that is typically grown in the US. True Egyptian cotton is an extra-long staple cotton handpicked in Egypt. Because they're unregulated terms, look for 100% long-staple or extra-long-staple when picking out the best cotton sheets, regardless of where it comes from.
Should you get 100% cotton sheets?
One-hundred percent cotton sheets are a popular choice for their natural breathability and comfort. Cotton sheets can help regulate body temperature at night, making them a good choice for hot sleepers or those in warm climates.
The best cotton sheets are made from long-staple or extra-long staple cotton varieties, and are known for their softness and comfort. They're also typically easy to care for and can be machine-washed and dried, making them a convenient pick.
A few things to keep in mind: 100% cotton sheets can wrinkle more easily compared to sheets made from synthetic blends, and they may feel a bit stiff when they're brand new. Typically, though, they will get softer after each wash.
Which is better: pima or Supima cotton?
Supima is a brand name for a type of pima cotton grown exclusively in the US under strict quality and certification standards. Since both Supima and pima cotton are extra-long-staple cotton grown primarily in the US, we think the average consumer will find them functionally the same in feel and durability.
What's the difference between percale and sateen?
Percale and sateen are two different types of weave patterns used in the construction of cotton sheets, each resulting in distinct textures and characteristics.
Percale is woven using a simple one-over-one or one-over-two pattern, creating a crisp, matte surface with a cool, freshly laundered cotton feel.
Sateen is woven using a pattern where three or four threads pass over one thread, creating a smooth, silky, and luxurious finish with a slightly warming effect.
Percale sheets are considered more durable and less prone to pilling than their sateen counterparts. Ultimately, the choice between percale and sateen comes down to personal preference.
What sheets do most hotels use?
Most hotels opt for 100% long-staple cotton sheets because of their combination of softness, breathability, and durability. Long-staple cotton sheets can reliably hold up to numerous washes, a requirement of hotel bedding. Egyptian cotton and Supima cotton are often used for their luxurious feel and quality. Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and Kimpton hotels use 300-thread-count cotton sheets from Frette, our best sateen pick.
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