The Best Cotton Sheets
Want a good pair of cotton sheets that don’t cost a fortune? Everything you want to know can be found in our top picks for best cotton sheets.
May 9th, 2023 •
Cotton sheets can be challenging to buy based solely on the sheer volume of different ones available. Is it possible to get some of the best sheets that meet the criteria of healthy/eco-friendly, comfortable to sleep on, and affordable? Absolutely! We have researched the best cotton sheets that are non-toxic and chemical free, 400 thread count, soft and luxurious, and retail at a reasonable price point.
We have sorted through 100’s of options to bring you some strong contenders. Our top picks are all OEKO-TEX certified against harmful chemicals. They are all made from 100% long staple cotton, 400 thread count fabric that has been sateen woven for that extra soft feeling of the most luxurious sheets. To top it all off, these sheets are not expensive, and, in some cases, they are downright inexpensive. Check out our top four best cotton sheets below.
Our Top Picks for the Best Cotton Sheets
Saatva Organic Sateen Sheets
Saatva’s Organic Sateen cotton sheets strike the perfect balance between silky-smooth luxury and breathability, with a 300-thread count sateen weave that Saatva describes as ideal for achieving both softness and breathability. The sheets also sleep cool due to their natural fibers and balanced weave.
But comfort isn’t the only standout with Saatva sheets—the brand also guarantees that every step of their production process is organic, from the cotton fields to the manufacturing plant. The sheets are made from 100% GOTS-certified and Fair Trade-certified cotton, so you can sleep easy knowing they’re not harming you, the environment, or the communities that make them.
Fit shouldn’t be an issue—the sheets come in nine mattress sizes, with deep 16” pockets that fit most beds. You can even opt for queen and king upper-flex sheet sets to fit adjustable beds with separately elevating sides. This type of fabric is also super-easy to care for and gets softer with every wash—just launder the sheets in cold water and tumble dry low.
- Price: $175–$295
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king, queen upper-flex, king upper-flex
- Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 31 reviews
Pros:
- Silky-soft feel
- Eco-friendly
- Cooling
Cons:
- Wrinkle easily
- Pricey
- Limited colors
Brooklinen Luxe Core
Brooklinen’s Luxe Core sheet set is the brand’s best-selling sheet set and the winner of Good Housekeeping’s Best Overall Sheets to Buy in 2022. Crafted for a luxurious feel from 100% cotton, these 480 thread count sheets are buttery soft with an almost luminous finish.
While Brooklinen notes that these sheets are best for most sleepers, it also offers a percale sheet set with a thread count of 270, which might be more suitable for hot sleepers. While the Luxe Core sheet set is plenty breathable, it does sleep slightly warmer than the Classic Percale set. And though the sheets aren’t organic, both sets passed the Oeko-Tex certification, which shows they don’t contain harmful or toxic chemicals.
Machine-washable and dryable, the Luxe Core sheet set is easy to care for. Because Brooklinen doesn’t use any artificial wrinkle-reducing chemicals in its sheets, the company notes that “like any 100% cotton products, your sheets will naturally wrinkle”—and includes care instructions for minimizing wrinkles. Due to its sateen weave, your sheet set will both get softer with every wash and wrinkle less over time.
The Luxe Core sheet set is available in a wide array of colors and patterns. Brooklinen offers a generous 365-day return window, so you can try out its sheets without having to rush a return if they’re not right for you.
- Price: $159–$229
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
- Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 21,486 reviews
Pros:
- Free from harmful chemicals
- Easy to care for
- Lots of color options
Cons:
- Wrinkle easily
- Not as cool as the percale sheets
L.L. Bean Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set
If you love the feeling of crisp, cool sheets, you’ll likely love percale sheets. Percale sheets use a simpler weave with a lower thread count than sateen sheets, which makes them especially breathable. L.L. Bean has long been popular for its 280 thread count Pima cotton percale sheets, which are breathable, durable, and quite soft, given their construction.
L.L. Bean uses long-staple Supima cotton, a premium American-grown cotton known for its strength, softness, and color retention. While not organic, these sheets are free from harmful substances, per the Oeko-Tex certification.
You can machine-wash and -dry your L.L. Bean Pima Cotton Percale Sheets—and because of the strength of Supima cotton, you can even throw them in a hot wash every now and then without destroying them. The sheets have 15” deep pockets, so they’re easy to fit to most beds. They come in a variety of colors and patterns.
- Price: $129–$219
- Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, California king
- Rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars, 4,709 reviews
Pros:
- Crisp and cool
- Easy to care for
- Lots of color and pattern options
Cons:
- Not as soft as our previous two options
Parachute Home Brushed Cotton Sheet Set
Do you want both softness and breathability and feel like percale isn’t soft enough while sateen isn’t breathable enough? Parachute Home’s Brushed Cotton Sheet Set splits the difference between the two. Its percale-like, plain-weave Portugal cotton is brushed and garment-washed, which gives it a soft, T-shirt-like feel. In the brand’s words, the fabric feels cozy like flannel but without the heat-trapping insulation.
Parachute Home’s Brushed Cotton Sheet Set is available in seven colors, and you can buy it with or without a top sheet. If you don’t usually use your top sheet (or always end up with it kicked to the foot of your bed), you can save a good chunk of money by purchasing the set without one.
Crafted in Portugal, these buttery soft brushed sheets are made from 100% cotton and Oeko Tex-certified. You can machine-wash and -dry them, though Parachute Home notes that line drying extends the lifespan of your sheets. In addition, the company offers free returns for 60 days; you can return your sheet set either via mail or in-store at a Happy Return Location.
- Price: $269–$299 with top sheet, $169–189 without
- Sizes: Full, queen, king, California king
- Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, 11 reviews
Pros:
- Nice balance between high thread count and breathability
- Super-soft T-shirt feel
Cons:
- Pricey
Boll & Branch Hemmed Sheet Set
Boll & Branch is a leader in luxury bedding for a reason. Its hemmed sheet set features a deep 17” pocket, 7” hemline, and extra elastic banding, top-stitched for a secure fit. In addition, a four-over, one-under weave ensures that the 100% organic cotton fabric becomes softer with every wash.
While the brand is pricey, its customers believe the product is entirely worth the price—this sheet set gets a 4.8 out of 5 star rating after 11,598 reviews. Not only are the sheets comfortable, but the company produces them in an eco-friendly and socially conscious manner.
The Hemmed Sheet Set is 100% GOTS-certified organic, with no harmful chemicals used during manufacturing. In addition, Boll & Branch works with family-owned farms and can fully trace its materials.
To care for these sheets, machine-wash them on cold and tumble-dry on medium. The company notes that shrinkage is natural, so they intentionally size the sheets a bit large so that they’ll shrink to the perfect size over the first few wash and dry cycles. Boll & Branch offers a 30-day trial with free shipping and returns.
- Price: $228–$338
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, king with standard-size pillowcases, California king, split king
- Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars, 11,598 reviews
Pros:
- Deep pockets
- Made sustainably
- High-quality
Cons:
- Pricey
Silk & Snow Egyptian Cotton Sheets
Egyptian cotton sheets are often viewed as the pinnacle of luxury. Silk & Snow offers Egyptian cotton sheets with an eco-conscious and socially conscious bent without sacrificing softness or quality.
All Silk & Snow’s 100% Egyptian cotton products are manufactured in Portugal with a focus on supporting family-owned businesses dedicated to sustainability; the brand outlines the entire process on its website for transparency.
While these sheets aren’t organic, they’re free from harmful chemicals, as certified by Oeko-Tex. They have 15” pockets to fit almost any mattress, and they’re machine-washable and -dryable—though the company asks that you use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. Silk & Snow also offers a generous 100-night sleep trial and a 1-year warranty.
- Price: $110–$170
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
- Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 830 reviews
Pros:
- Easy to care for
- Excellent value
- Eco-friendly
Cons:
- Few color options
Avocado Organic Cotton Sheets
These 100% organic cotton sheets feature a sateen finish for superior softness and sheen. Additionally, you can choose between 400 and 600 thread counts—a lower thread count tends to be more breathable, while a higher thread count has a silkier feel.
Avocado’s Organic Cotton Sheets feature 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton from India, which has been sourced from family farms with 100% traceability. In addition, the sheets are Safe-certified, which means they’re free from toxic materials and no part of their manufacturing process is dangerous to humans or the environment.
Avocado offers a generous 100-night sleep trial and a 1-year warranty. This sheet set can be machine-washed and tumble-dried, and features a 16” pocket, suitable for most beds. A 20” pocket version is also available.
- Price: $109–$249*
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
- Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 447 reviews
Pros:
- High thread count options
- Soft and crisp
- Organic
- Easy to care for
Cons:
- Some shrinkage is possible
Why Cotton?
In the world of sheets there are many different fabrics, weaves, and finishes to choose from, and all of them have pros and cons. You can choose from silk, bamboo, microfiber, cotton, or polyester. Cotton has been a long-time favorite for a number of reasons which are detailed below.
Related: Polyester vs Cotton Sheets
- Comfort: Cotton is an extremely comfortable fabric that has a range of finishes and feels. Usually you can find just what you want when it comes to cotton. They can be a percale set with a low thread count for a crisp and cool feel, a soft sateen weave 400 thread count for all year round, or a thick warm flannel to wrap up in on cold nights. Cotton can meet the needs of every season and preference.
- Dry and Cool: Cotton has properties that make it breathable and a natural wicking action for moisture. These features keep the sleeper both cool and dry enhancing sleep for most people. Especially if you are bothered with night sweats or hot flashes, cotton is a likely choice to help keep you more comfortable.
- Natural Fiber: Cotton is a natural fiber. It is grown as a crop and not created in a lab. It can be grown with or without pesticides and comes in organic forms for very healthy and safe to breathe options. You don’t need to worry as much about the chemical content of the fabric or if it is going to cause health problems.
- Renewable Resource: As we all grow more and more concerned about the environment, the fact that cotton is an easily renewable resource is a factor in how some people shop. Buying cotton, especially cotton that is sustainably grown can be a bonus. Many manufacturers are labeling their products with eco-friendly designations. Read about the companies that produce cotton sheets and know if you are supporting ecological practices.
- Improves with Age: Cotton, like a fine wine, can improve with age. The fabric actually gets softer and more supple after repeated washings. This process is helped if you keep the chemical content low when washing. This means natural and mild detergents and skip the dryer sheets, use dryer balls instead.
- Hypoallergenic: Cotton is naturally hypoallergenic and great for allergy sufferers. It helps in attaining a really good night sleep and is always one of the top choices for people suffering from allergic reactions or skin related conditions like psoriasis or eczema.
- Care: Cotton is considered easy care. It can be washed and dried on a regular basis at home and requires very little special handling. It does however tend to wrinkle., and can benefit, like all cotton from being promptly taken out of the dryer and shaken or smoothed before putting it away or on the bed.
How to Choose the Best Cotton Sheets?
It helps to sort through a series of criteria so you can pick sheets that will work for you. Consider the following:
- Size: Check first thing if the manufacturer carries the size you need. Some companies don’t make the less common sizes like Twin XL or California king, and some companies only carry queen and king. If you have a less common bed size, like California king or short queen, check the size offerings before you fall in love with a sheet set that doesn’t come in the size you need.
- Price: You can spend $10 on a set of sheets or you can spend $1,000. Surprisingly, you can get good sheets at either price point or anywhere in between. Also be aware that more expensive does not mean better. If you are on a tight budget, consider one of our best budget sheets.
- Returns and Warranty: What if you don’t like the sheets? What if something goes wrong with them. Returns can be a big hassle, so know ahead how the company handles them. What is the warranty? Do you need to decide in the first 30 days, or do you have up to a year or more? Warranties vary so check the warranty and plan to use the sheets right away so you can see if they are going to work.
- Environmentally Friendly and Ethical: Something to consider is the entire context for how your sheets are made. From the raw materials and how they are grown (with or without pesticide), to how they are harvested (low paid migrant workers or fairly paid employees), to the chemicals used in processing and making the sheets. If you want to make sure your sheets come from an ethical employer, are made under fair working conditions, without chemicals that can cause health issues for you the customer as well as the workers in the chain of production, then read more about the companies producing the sheets.
- Certifications: To help guide your choice there are many different certifications that can apply to cotton sheets. Fair Trade, Vegan, GOTS, 1 % for the Planet, Fair Trade, Climate Beneficial, MADESAFE, and OEKO-TEX, to name a few. If you have a strong leaning towards a certain aspect of linen production, worker treatment, or chemical load, look at the various certifications that apply to the sheets you are considering.
Summary
Need a new set of sheets but low on funds? The best cotton sheets available in 2020 includes some great buys. Cotton sheets are considered the most popular material for bedding. They feel good on the skin, are easy to care for, wash up nicely, and get softer over time. Cotton sheets are durable, especially if they are high thread count like 400, and they last for years. Do your research and be sure to read the reviews or pick from one of our recommendations for best cotton sheets.
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