Bamboo sheets are usually cooler than cotton because they're naturally breathable and wick moisture from your skin. Bamboo's structure allows for better air circulation, helping to regulate body temperature and keep you cooler. Cotton is also breathable but might not keep you as cool as bamboo will.
While it may be harder to come by, bamboo linen, also known as bast bamboo fiber, uses a chemical-free mechanical process that may appeal more to eco-conscious shoppers. However, the resulting fabric tends to be somewhat coarse and prone to wrinkling.
Yes, bamboo is a very breathable fabric. In most cases, you'll find that bamboo sheets keep you cooler throughout the night. Bamboo stays about 3 degrees cooler than cotton on average. It's breathable enough to allow your body heat to easily escape.
The best material I've found for night sweats are natural fibers like cotton and linen, particularly cotton percale, since it gently drapes over the body and allows for more air movement underneath, which in turn helps sweat to evaporate more quickly.
Breathability: Bamboo regulates temperature well; cotton keeps you cool but isn't as versatile. Durability: Bamboo retains its texture and colour over time, while cotton may wear more quickly. Feel: Bamboo feels silky and soft, while cotton has a classic, crisp texture.
Because bamboo sheets are delicate and soft, it's advised that you air dry them, to avoid damaging the fibres and maintain elasticity and colour. However, it is possible to machine dry bamboo sheets, so long as you choose a low heat and remove your bedding from the dryer as soon as the cycle is finished.
Recap: best sheets for hot sleepers
Bamboo sheets are breathable and will wick moisture away from your skin – best for hot sleepers in humid climates. Linen sheets are light and breathable – great for hot sleepers in dry heat. Cotton sheets are your versatile all-rounders – classics for a reason.
Instead, hotels focus on choosing bed sheets woven from single-ply and long-staple cotton, usually with a percale weave. A thread count of around 200+ for a percale weave or 300+ for a sateen weave feels suitably luxurious, and is often the weight that high-end hotels will use.
Percale Bed Sheets
Percale sheets are renowned for their excellent breathability, making them an ideal choice for hot weather sleeping. The tight weave structure of percale promotes airflow and moisture absorption, helping to keep you cool and comfortable throughout the night.
Like any other fabric, bamboo fabric has its drawbacks. Some notable disadvantage includes the potential for hazardous emissions, being prone to shrinkage, and high cost.
Bamboo sheets are usually cooler than cotton because they're naturally breathable and wick moisture from your skin. Bamboo's structure allows for better air circulation, helping to regulate body temperature and keep you cooler. Cotton is also breathable but might not keep you as cool as bamboo will.
Additionally, the tight weave of bamboo fabric acts as a barrier against dust mites, ensuring they have less access to their favourite food - our dead skin cells.
Percale cotton is lightweight and provides a lot of breathability for sleepers. Bamboo is already known for its moisture-wicking abilities, so combining it with this sheet style will provide you with a cooler sleep environment.
If your bamboo sheets are starting to fade, it's probably time for new bedding. Odors: Your sheets should never have an unpleasant odor. If your sheets still smell after washing and drying, it may indicate a mold or mildew issue you can't see.
Durability – Viscose from bamboo fabric is known for its durability. It is less likely to pill with use, especially if you take proper care of your bedding. Meanwhile, Egyptian cotton is also easy to take care of, much like regular cotton, but tends to wear out faster than bedding made of bamboo viscose.
Frette: The gold standard when it comes to luxurious hotel linens, Frette has been producing its famous Italian sheets for more than 160 years. You'll find these perfect linens lining the beds of the world's best hotel brands, including Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton.
Marriott Hotels designed a set of percale sheets made from a cotton blend for durability and incredible softness. Let's break down how those details can make not only your hotel room but your bedroom feel like a sanctuary.
Hotels use high-quality sheets that are crafted from premium materials like Egyptian cotton, microfiber, or bamboo. These sheets have a higher thread count and provide a soft and durable surface for you to sleep on, promote temperature regulation, and contribute to an overall sense of well-being during your sleep.
Cotton is one of the best cooling options because it's naturally lightweight and breathable. If you're going for cotton, we recommend sheets with a percale weave, like the Parachute Percale Sheet Set, as they tend to feel crisper and more breathable than those with a sateen weave.
Breathable bedding: We recommend 100% cotton sheets or 100% linen sheets to keep you cool at night if you suffer from night sweats or are a year-round hot sleeper. Cotton bed sheets and linen bed sheets are the best materials for breathable bedding as they are temperature regulating and sweat wicking.
What material is the best for cooling sheets? Generally, the best fabrics for host sleepers are cotton percale, linen and Tencel/lyocell, especially if they have added cooling technologies.
For most sleepers, the ideal thread count for bamboo bedding is between 250 and 350. That leaves plenty of room in the weave for your body heat to escape, which is perfect for hot sleepers.
Silk is known for its natural temperature-regulating properties, so it comes as no surprise that a silk set is one of our top picks. Lunya's washable silk makes for some of the best silk pajamas we've tried.