Sunday fabrics: Comparing look and feel

Four things to consider when choosing your bedding material

Our homes are places of refuge after a long day of work, and there’s nothing more relaxing than sinking into the comfort of your own sheets. But beyond the functional nature of bedding, many of us also use our beds as focal points in the bedroom. This means we want to be able to sleep soundly in our bed, then wake up and have sheets that look as great as they feel.

To help you choose the right sheets, we’ve put together some pointers on our materials and their key properties. Here are four things to look out for.

First, how do you like your bedding to feel? Handfeel is all about the fabric’s texture, drape, and its perceived coolness or warmth.

  • Linen is slightly coarse and nubby, providing a more natural and textural feel. Our linen sheets are also air-whipped to give a more consistent and softer handfeel without compromising the durability of the sheets.
  • Classic cotton has a dryer handfeel. It is crisp and cool to the touch.
  • Bamboo has the softest and silkiest handfeel of all three materials, providing ultimate comfort for those who enjoy a smoother fabric finish.

There is no right answer to the question “how often should I wash my sheets?” Ultimately, that’s up to you and how you sleep — if you sleep warm and without the A/C, you might need to wash your sheets more frequently than someone who sleeps cool and with the A/C on. In general, we recommend washing your bedding every two to three weeks.

  • Linen is the most durable of our bedding, easily holding up to multiple washes over the years. Its rougher handfeel also eventually softens with each wash over time. Tip: if you want your linen to soften more quickly, throw a tennis ball into the washing machine with your bedding. This will help to speed up the softening process without stressing fabric seams.
  • Bamboo is more delicate due to its silky texture. Less is more when it comes to taking care of your bamboo bedding.
  • Cotton is well-suited for those with pets or children, as its versatility and durability stand up to frequent washing!

Fabric breathability refers to the material’s ability to let moisture pass through. It impacts how warm or cool you feel when lying in bed. Do you prefer feeling cool or like being cocooned?

  • If you’re someone who gets warm easily, bamboo is a good option because of its moisture-wicking properties.
  • Conversely, cotton is the best who those who get cold easily — it’s weightier than bamboo and perfect for snuggling.
  • Linen is a good compromise between the two. Being temperature regulating, it’s suited for both humid nights and sleeping in an air-conditioned room. Those who have allergies, eczema, or sensitive skin also prefer linen, as it’s naturally hypoallergenic and wicks away moisture very quickly.

Although not an immediate consideration for most of us, the sheen of a fabric can greatly impact the look and feel of your bedroom. More rustic decorating styles tend to use fabrics that are more matte and textured; on the flipside, hotel-style bedrooms will likely use materials that are more lustrous.

  • Linen is completely matte, giving more of a rustic charm for a cosy, down-to-earth look. Although we always recommend making your bed, linen sheets look perfect even when rumpled.
  • Our bamboo bedding has a slight sheen to it, looking more polished and lustrous on your bed. It tends to lend a more elegant, luxe look to bedrooms, and can even have a brightening effect. Our bamboo sheets also have anti-wrinkle technology for a smoother finish that drapes well over your bed.
  • Cotton lies somewhere in the middle of the three fabrics. Often seen in hotels, cotton provides a more crisp, formal feel.

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