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Weve been sleeping on our favorite set for years.
Credit: Southern Living/Katherine Fuller
Cotton is naturally soft, breathable, and moisture-wicking, making it particularly suited to a Southern climate.
To date, weve tested nearly 300 sets of cotton sheets both in our lab and in our homes.
This also means that there is room for air to flow underneath, allowing for more ventilation.
Credit: L.L. Bean
Its made from long-staple, U.S.-grown pima cotton that is prized for softness and durability.
In fact, they’ve only grown softer with time.
But for breathability, cotton percale sheets are unmatched, and these ones from L.L.
The L.L.Bean Pima Cotton Percale Sheets feel similar to a crisp dress shirt and are cool to the touch.Credit: Southern Living
Bean are the best weve tried.
Fortunately, they continued to grow softer with each wash. After six months of use, there were no changes in the quality of these sheets.
), then sateen cotton sheets are the way to go.
The 300-thread count means the sheets are not overly dense, so air can move through the fibers.
These sheets kept us cool in the Alabama heat and improved our sleep significantly.
We also appreciated the snug fit of the fitted sheet that never stretched out.
They aremade from cotton percale, so they are breathable and crisp.
Buttery soft is not how wed describe themthey feel almost as if theyve been line-dried in the sun.
After six months, the fitted sheet still hugs our mattress without sliding up the corners.
And weve found that even with regular use and washings, they maintain their crisp texture.
With a 220-thread count percale wave, these sheets are breathable and help to regulate our temperature.
They kept us cool in the hot Alabama summer and provided just enough insulation for the winter.
As with all percale sheets, these arent soft, although they grew less stiff with regular washings.
The fitted sheet held snugly to our deep mattress, even when we tossed and turned on it.
After six months of use, theres been no wear and tear.
Even the crochet trim looks good as newtheres been no pulling or shrinking, much to our surprise.
They have a crisp, cool feel that drapes gently, so theres room for air movement underneath.
We repeated this inspection after washing.
Credit: Walmart
Over the testing period, we evaluated each set based on quality, texture, durability, and breathability.
The quality of the cotton.
Look for cotton sheets withlong- or extra-long-staple fibers.
Credit: Southern Living / Henry Wortock
Longer fibers make for softer, more durable fabric.
By definition,percale sheetsuse a one-thread-over, one-thread-under pattern, whilesateenhas three or four yarns going over one.
Sateen sheets are best for anyone who sleeps cool or likes a smoother feel to their sheets.
They have a silky smooth finish that feels comfortable against the skin.
The sheets are extremely lightweight and have a crisp finish that only grew softer over time.
Questions and Answers
Is 100% cotton better for bed sheets?
How do you soften cotton sheets?
Always start bywashing new sheets.
Thus, you want to wash them to reduce your risk of irritation.
But chemical finishes aside, washing cotton sheets will help them to grow even softer.
Murphy recommends avoiding fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and bleaching agents.
“Over time the sheets naturally soften as the cotton linens are used,” she says.
Why Trust Southern Living
Melanie Fincheris an editor forSouthern Livingwho specializes in product reviews and shopping content.
She also consultedMarissa Murphyof Pioneer Linens in Palm Beach, Florida.
Credit: Serena & Lily
Credit: Southern Living / Katherine Fuller
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Credit: L.L.Bean
Credit: Southern Living / Kimberly Holland
In our lab tests we evaluated moisture management by adding water droplets to the fabric and noting how quickly they spread and evaporated on each sheet.Credit:Southern Living / Henry Wortock
