Because the weave is more dense, the fabric becomes less breathable and sleeps hotter. Best to stow away your favorite sateen sheets until the delightfully cool weather of fall, and opt for a looser weave for the summer months.
Most individuals choose to use sateen sheets year-round, but especially hot sleepers may find them too warm. Since they regulate temperatures well, percale sheets are good for all seasons. They're breathable enough to satisfy hot sleepers, but they can also help keep you warm on a cold night.
This gives them a soft texture with a slight sheen that many people find luxurious. Sateen sheets are fairly wrinkle-resistant and tend to drape nicely on the bed. However, some people find them too slippery. Compared to some other weaves, sateen sheets are not especially breathable and tend to retain heat.
The difference between Sateen and traditional cotton is the treatment of these fibers. In Sateen, the long cotton fibers are mercerized, meaning soaked in lye (sodium hydroxide) and then in an acid. This “seals” the fibers, making them more durable and longer lasting than untreated cotton.
Sateen is a 100% cotton fabric with a satin weave. Made of long-staple Egyptian cotton, the material is luxuriously drapey and smooth yet soft and durable. Sateen bedding isn't overly shiny, but it does have a subtle sheen, which adds to its elegance.
Sateen: Sateen fabrics are made from satin weave, which gives them that soft, luxurious, and silky exterior. They are soft and breathable, making them the perfect companion for a hot person. Silk helps ventilate the extra moisture you exude at night but does not make your skin dry or rough.
You may think because percale sheets have a tighter weave that they are also warmer. However, due to the less thick yard used, Percale sheets will give you a cooler sleep experience. Percale sheets are better for those who sleep hot or live in warmer climates and will give you a crisp, cool sleep year round.
Hotels opt for a percale weave over sateen as percale epitomizes the cool, crisp feeling typical of a luxury hotel suite. A percale weave is also naturally longer lasting as by definition, it's a tighter weave (one under, one over - in comparison, sateen is typically three over, one under).
Sateen Sheets 101
Made with 100% cotton, sateen sheets look and feel luxurious, with a heavier finish that produces more sheen than Made with 100% cotton fiber, sateen sheets look and feel luxurious, with a heavier finish that produces more sheen than matte.
Yes. New sateen sheets do have a gentle shine but that will disappear after washing. However, the fabric will actually become softer and more supple with use. To return some of the luster, remove from dryer while still slightly damp and iron on cotton setting.
Instead of a cool-crispness, sateen sheets offer a slick, silky smoothness. A sateen weave does produce a thicker, less breathable sheet than a percale weave does, making sateen sheets well-suited to the cooler months.
Several of the sleep experts I spoke to suggested linen sheets. According to Dr. Joshua Tal, a psychologist who specializes in sleep disorders, they are very breathable and “pick up cool air.” Oks says that since linen is made of a looser weave than, say, a cotton sheet with a high thread count, it traps less heat.
Linen is perfect for summer because it feels light on the skin and wicks away moisture even better than cotton. In our guide to the best linen sheets, we recommend the Cultiver Linen Sheets. This set is one of the softest we've tried and comes in the widest range of colors and prints.
Bedding made from bamboo, eucalyptus, linen, or even cotton with a percale finish has natural cooling properties that will help hot sleepers stay cool and everyone else sleep well during hot weather. Just as you may flip your pillow to the fresh side, these cooling bed sheets will feel crisp to the touch.
Hospitality sheets are almost always a blend of fabrics – most commonly a cotton/polyester blend. To help the sheet breathe better, cotton is blended with polyester. The tighter weave of polyester creates open pockets and gaps in the fabric – and creates a breathable fabric.
Although top sheets prevent your comforter from getting dirty, the widespread use of duvet covers has made them somewhat obsolete. Either way you choose to go, make sure your bedding is soft, comfortable, customized to your liking — and regularly washed.
They're also usually made of higher-quality materials, such as 100% cotton or Egyptian cotton. As a result, they're softer and more durable than your average bed sheet. So next time you're wondering what makes hotel sheets so special, remember it's not just the thread count: it's the quality of the craftsmanship.
Since this weave exposes more of the thread, sateen sheets tend to be smooth and lustrous. The sateen weave is also tighter than many alternatives, leading to higher average thread counts and a more substantial feel. To some sleepers, this feels cozier.
Percale: As mentioned above, a percale weave usually makes for a lightweight, airy, and cooling set of sheets. Most commonly seen in cotton bedding, the percale weave style is a pretty safe bet for hot sleepers. Sateen: Sateen, on the other hand, is almost like the counterpart to percale.
For people who get hot during sleep, choosing sheets made of bamboo, cotton, or linen — breathable fabrics that wick away moisture from the body and help maintain a comfortable temperature — can help.
Using too much detergent causes a build up to accumulate, contributing to that unwelcome stiffness in the fabric. It may help to put your sheets through an extra rinse cycle to remove detergent residue. Take your brand new sheets and pop them in the machine before use.
Natural fabrics, especially cotton, are a safe choice for people with moderate sweating. Some synthetic fabrics are better for people with heavy sweating. Bamboo sheets are also a good choice, despite the hype.
Sateen sheets stand out for their smooth feel and slight sheen, with some fabrics having a slippery or silky texture. Sateen bedding is ideal for those who prefer softness over crispness.