High-quality Egyptian cotton sheets can be as high as 700. On the other hand, bamboo sheets have a lower thread count usually within the range of 250 and 350. However, bamboo fibers are naturally softer, lightweight and more breathable than even the most expensive, high-thread count cotton.
Softness – bamboo is among the softest bedding fabrics you can choose from, and even with a lower thread count than Egyptian cotton, you'll enjoy silky sheets and duvet covers that make it easier than ever to quickly drift off into a comfortable slumber.
Comfort: Tie
Both bamboo and cotton sheets feel incredibly luxurious against the skin. Bamboo is typically a bit silkier and ever-so-slightly warmer than cotton sheets, while cotton is soft, familiar, and light.
While bamboo sheets tend to cost a bit more than most cotton sets, Egyptian cotton sheets are usually significantly more expensive than bamboo sets. With proper care, bamboo sheets are usually extremely durable. Bamboo sheets also tend to hold dye better, so the colors stay more vivid.
Cotton plants in Egypt grow in a unique climate that creates the perfect growing conditions, which result in super fine and long yarn. For many years, Egyptian cotton has been widely regarded as the best when it comes to softness and durability.
The fibers used in supima cotton are also finer than Egyptian cotton, making for an even softer feel that has a long-wearing cycle. Supima cotton is produced in the U.S. It was primarily produced in Texas in the early 1900s.
Pima cotton sheets are cheaper than Egyptian cotton sheets making them the most preferred and popular cotton type chosen.
Our pick for the softest bed sheets is the Lands' End 300 Thread Count Premium Supima Cotton Percale Sheet Set, which features Supima cotton in a smooth percale weave. Their cotton construction makes the sheets wonderfully soft, and they remain comfortably soft even after daily wear and regular washings.
Egyptian cotton and bamboo are both absorbent fibres that are comfortable to sleep on in hot weather. However, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Research and Technology, bamboo appears to have an edge over cotton in warm climates.
Quite often, bamboo sheets are exquisitely soft but will need a primary wash to allow for the sheets to become more breathable and smoother after being packaged. When you first open your new bamboo sheets, it's essential to wash them before putting them anywhere near your bed.
Believe it or not, bamboo sheets naturally get softer over time. This is due to the long thread fibres that make up bamboo sheets in contrast to the typical rough thread fibres commonly found in other bedding materials.
Fortunately, the quality of Egyptian cotton bedding means that it gets softer with every wash without every pilling, tearing, or becoming scratchy to the touch. Made with extra-long staple fibers, Egyptian cotton is at once highly durable and deliciously silky.
Bamboo cooling sheets are great if you're a hot sleeper, suffer from night sweats, or have hot flashes because of their breathability. The breathability of bamboo sheets can help regulate your sleeping temperature so you can rest easier.
Is bamboo the softest fabric? Yes, and it does so much more. It wicks sweat, is breathable, blocks UV rays, is soft, temperature regulating and is great for the environment.
Bamboo bedding has a phenomenal advantage over other types of bedding when it comes to comfort. Bedding made of viscose from bamboo is extremely soft and silky, much more so than traditional cotton.
They are super absorbent (four times more so than cotton), and with one soft pat of the towel, you're dry really quickly. They're also incredibly soft due to being made from 100% bamboo pile on cotton backing, which makes them a really delightful treat and very durable.
High-quality Turkish and Egyptian cotton produce the best, softest, and most absorbent towels. Whether you need them for yourself or your guest bathroom, cotton bath towels are multitaskers and ideal for everyday use.
The length of the fibre means that the cloth woven from it has fewer ends. This makes a softer fabric because there is a greater area of smoother fibre sides than tips. Bamboo fabric is therefore more comfortable as it has longer fibres, and short fibres are uncommon - almost half the index of cotton.
Conclusion. Most hotel bed sheets are high-quality cotton, though you'll occasionally find hotel bed sheets made from linen. Look for durable and soft cotton, like Egyptian and Supima, and keep up with cleaning your sheets and bed so your bedroom feels like a luxury hotel.
If you want to avoid pilling in the future, look for sheets made out of linen, silk, or long-staple cotton. Percale sheets are also great options, especially if you love that crisp and cool feel.
While sateen sheets are considered to be the softest, that typically comes with a larger price tag and a higher risk of pilling. Percale sheets may not have the silk finish associated with their sateen counterparts, but they are still extremely soft and have the added benefit of getting softer over time.
Pima cotton is among the softest and most delicate kinds of cotton in the world because of its extra-large staple fiber that exceeds the size of average cotton fiber. Almost all luxury brands prefer to use this cotton to facilitate their spinning process and produce a fabric that is even and easy to dye.
But while Egyptian and pima cotton share similar premium characteristics — and even have the same scientific name (gossypium barbadense) — their differences lie in where they come from. Pima cotton is primarily grown in the United States, and Egyptian cotton thrives in the hot, dry climate of the Nile River Valley.
Related Articles. Egyptian-cotton sheets, especially those with a high-thread count, are prized for durability and softness. These sheets get softer over time, but may not feel very soft when they are new and straight out of the package, because of chemicals embedded in the material during manufacturing.