What kind of fabric is best for sheets?

Question

I bought $75 100% cotton sateen sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond, and after one wash the sateen finish had disappeared even though it said the sheets were machine washable. The sheets are also excessivley wrinkly and I have long hair, so any hair that falls out while I'm sleeping clings to the sheets even after washing. I have really long, thick hair, so there's a lot of hair collecting on the sheets and I have to individually pick them out (gross!). My other polyster-cotton blend sheets don't have the same problem, but I've heard that 100 percent cotton sheets are better (they're certainly more expensive). So what's the deal? Why am I paying more for sheets that hold up worse? Is there a type of cotton I should be looking for? Or should I just stick with the cotton-polyster blend? I don't want to spend a fortune on sheets that will end up having the same problem.

Answer 1

Did you save your receipt for the sheets? I'd write the company a polite letter of complaint. Maybe they'll reimburse you or give a new different type of sheet.

Cotton-polyster blend holds up fine. Get 'em at Target, KMart or Wal-Mart. Wait 'til they have a White Sale.

What NOT to buy: flannel sheets (you get real sweaty and they make a lot of lint in the dryer); and silk or satin sheets, because you slide off them and they are expensive to clean.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

100% natural fiber sheets will always be more expensive than polyester blends. Additionally, it's the polyester in the blend that helps keep wrinkling to a minimum and makes the sheets last longer, so in the end you just have to decide what's more important to you.

People with polyester sensitivities go for the natural fiber sheets. Also 100% natural fiber linens are more "green" than polyester as, once discarded, polyester doesn't break down like natural fibers will.

For softness, no matter what the fiber, you will get more softness the higher the thread count you get, but of course, as thread counts get higher, so do the prices. Try Overstock.com for these...they usually have some decent deals on them.

From the sound of it, you bought cotton sateen in an effort to get a more luxurious feel. Believe it or not, plain old t-shirt sheets will give you a very nice softness at a lower price (Julia Roberts swears by them) and I've used them before and they're great.

If you like the shinyness of the sateen, try Bed Bath and Beyond's Beech Sateen. They wrinkle pretty badly too, but the sheen doesn't wash away and they're insanely soft.

Sadly the best sheets I ever used were in Europe and I haven't been able to find them here. They were pure linen, didn't wrinkle much and had a luxurious feel and look.

For the hair problem, I would use an adhesive lint roller instead of picking each hair off. It'll go a lot faster and they have them right there at Bed Bath an Beyond

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What kind of fabric is best for sheets?
I bought $75 100% cotton sateen sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond, and after one wash the sateen finish had disappeared even though it said the sheets were machine washable. The sheets are also excessivley wrinkly and I have long hair, so any hair that falls out while I'm sleeping clings to the...

Answer 4

Best Material For Sheets

Answer 5

Thread count is very important in woven fabrics. The higher the thread count, the higher the cloth quality, and the longer they will last. It should be listed on the package when you buy sheets. We usually go for 300-400 thread count- they're more expensive, but are smoother, more comfortable and more durable than say, 180 to 250 count sheets.
100% cotton breathes better, since polyester is literally plastic threads.

Answer 6

Y'know what ...... there's really no "best" ... it's just a matter of what you like and whether you're willing to pay for a name brand. I use Gain because I use Gain detergent ... so the scent of the detergent and dryer sheet is the same. For whatever reason, this is VERY important to my husband. God forbid his scents should clash. YES, that was sarcasm dripping, there ........... But you can use the real cheapie dryer sheets (from Dollar Tree, Dollar General, whatever) if you aren't picky about the scent ... they all work about the same. Dryer sheets don't actually soften clothes as well as liquid fabric softener .... but the liquid can really gunk up the plumbing. You could use distilled white vinegar in the rinse for softening ... yes it works and NO the smell doesn't stick to the clothes! Dryer sheets are more for the elimination of static-electricity ... and the cheap ones work as well as the pricey ones for that.

Answer 7

I would go with pima cotton sheet or an egyptian cotton woven sheets, but if you want the sateen sheets that retain their sheen I would recommend a higher thread count. But try these Private Essential Stripe Wrinkle Free Collection from www.linensource.com....I love their sheets, they might be a little bit more pricey, but its definitely worth it.

Answer 8

Cotton is more comfortable to sleep on than polyester/cotton blends because of the way it breathes. Look for the highest thread count you can find or afford to get the best quality and best feeling sheets.

Answer 9

all cotton is cooler to sleep on but the poly cuts out the wrinkles, satin is horrid. cotton sateen always looses its sheen as soon as its washed, you need to starch and iron them to get that look again. if you want the very best, get egyptian cotton, as many threads per inch as you can find, it will be expensive, up to 500 dollars a set, but they last forever and are the smoothest sheets you will ever feel,

Answer 10

Linen is better than cotton. If you use cotton then long fiber cotton such as Egyptian or Sea Island is better than regular cotton. As for satin I have no opinion.