Written by Tony Klespis, Staff Writer
There are two common weave styles for sheets: percale and sateen. The biggest difference between these two styles is the way they feel. The best percale sheets tend to feel crisp and look matte on a bed. If this sounds like your ideal sheet, then you’re in luck.
I’ve personally tested hundreds of bedding products, and I compiled a list of the best percale sheets. I considered a dozen different sheet sets, but only five made the final cut. I’ll go over what makes these sheets stand out, from their features, color options, and more.
Our Top Picks for the Best Percale Sheets
- Brooklinen Classic Core Set – Editor’s Pick
- Tuft & Needle Percale Sheets – Best Cotton
- Parachute Percale – Best Egyptian Cotton
- Boll & Branch Hemmed Percale – Best Luxury
- American Blossom Linens Sheets – Best Percale Sheets made in the USA
How We Choose our Products
Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed hundreds of bed sheets using proprietary methodology and hands-on testing. When it came to creating the list of the best percale sheets, I paid close attention to durability and the quality of the materials. Almost all percale sheets are made with cotton, but there are different kinds of cotton available.
Be sure to check out the buyer’s guide after the list to learn more about what to consider when shopping for a set of percale sheets.
The Best Percale Sheets Video Review
Editor’s Pick- Brooklinen Classic Core Set
Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set
Brooklinen’s high-quality set of percale sheets are the brand’s classic sheet set. They feel soft and crisp at the same time, perfect for cotton lovers.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.50 / 5
Read Full ReviewOur Expert’s Take
If you want your sheets to feel like a freshly pressed cotton shirt, then look no further than Brooklinen’s Classic Core set.
These sheets are made from 100% long-staple cotton that has been OEKO-Tex certified, meaning no harmful chemicals went into the production of these sheets.
As this list suggests, they’re made with the percale weave, so they feel quite crisp. But this weave, in addition to cotton’s natural breathability, is a great option for hot sleepers. It should have plenty of room for air to flow through.
Brooklinen sells these sheets in a variety of color and design options, though some are only available for a limited time. Another thing I love: The fitted sheet has “long” and “short” labels to take the guesswork out of dressing your bed.
What We Love About the Brooklinen Classic Sheets
- They’re a breathable, lightweight set of sheets with room for airflow, so hot sleepers shouldn’t overheat.
- One of the things that sets Brooklinen apart from competitors is the amount of color and design options available. Some are only limited edition, so if you see something you like that could match your bedroom aesthetic, you should jump on them.
- The fitted sheet has “long” and “short” labels to help you out when dressing your bed.
What to Keep In Mind About the Brooklinen Classic Sheets
- While these sheets are great for hot sleepers due to to their breathability and lightweight feel, they might not be the best at retaining heat for those who get cold quickly or live in colder climates.
Read the full Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set review.
Best Cotton- Tuft & Needle Percale Sheets
Tuft & Needle Percale Sheet Set
The Tuft & Needle Percale sheets are some of the softest, lightest cotton sheets on the market. These sheets also have a crisp finish and fit snug against the mattress.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.40 / 5
Read Full ReviewOur Expert’s Take
Supima cotton is a more durable, softer version of cotton, and it’s grown here in the United States. Tuft & Needle uses this type of cotton in its percale sheets.
These sheets have an OEKO-Tex certification, which means no harmful chemicals or toxins went into the production of these sheets. This makes them a good eco-friendly option.
They have a 100-night sleep trial and if you keep them, you get a two-year limited warranty. Thanks to Supima cotton’s durability, they should last at least that long!
Tuft & Needle also sells this set in a variety of colors, so you’re not stuck with white or other neutral shades.
What We Love About the Tuft & Needle Percale Sheets
- Supima cotton is a long-lasting material, and the percale weave makes it even more durable. These sheets should last you a while!
- Tuft & Needle sells these sheets in a variety of neutral colors.
- While most percale sheets feel like a crisp, ironed button-down shirt, these sheets feel a bit softer thanks to the Supima cotton.
What to Keep In Mind About the Tuft & Needle Percale Sheets
- While cotton is very breathable on its own, these sheets might not feel as lightweight as other cotton sheets, nor do they feature any specific cooling features. This means they may not work best for extremely hot sleepers.
Read the full Tuft & Needle Percale sheets review.
Best Egyptian Cotton- Parachute Percale
Parachute Percale Sheet Set
The Parachute Percale sheets are some of the softest cotton sheets on the market. They also are crisp and light, providing a durable and cool sleeping experience for many nights to come.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.40 / 5
Read Full ReviewOur Expert’s Take
Like its name suggests, Egyptian cotton is grown in Egypt, and it can be spun into thinner threads. Sheets made with Egyptian cotton are often much softer and more durable than those made with traditional cotton.
Parachute sources this cotton for its percale sheets, and these sheets do feel much softer than other cotton percale sheets on this list. But they still feel crisp because of the percale weave.
Parachute sells these sheets in a variety of neutral shades. And you don’t have to worry about corners popping up — the fitted sheet can fit mattresses up to 16” tall.
What We Love About the Parachute Percale Sheets
- These sheets are made with Egyptian cotton, which is softer and more durable than traditional cotton.
- There are a variety of neutral shades to pick from.
- These sheets have deep pockets and can fit around tall mattresses. If you toss and turn during the night like I do, the fitted sheet shouldn’t need readjusting in the morning.
What to Keep In Mind About the Parachute Percale Sheets
- At full price, a queen-size set of these sheets costs around $270. While Parachute does offer discounts and financing, these sheets might not be the most budget-friendly.
Read the full Parachute Percale sheets review.
Best Luxury- Boll & Branch Hemmed Percale
Boll & Branch Signature Hemmed Sheet Set
The Boll and Branch sheets combine a crisp, light feel with the softness of high-quality cotton. These are some of the best cotton sheets on the market.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.80 / 5
Read Full ReviewOur Expert’s Take
Sometimes you get to a point where you just want to pay for luxury. The Boll & Branch percale hemmed sheet set is definitely a luxurious set of sheets. Boll & Branch uses long-staple cotton threads, which are longer and more durable than traditional cotton threads.
The company uses a proprietary cooling percale weave to make its sheets feel crisp and breathable. Also, Boll & Branch fairly and ethically sources the cotton for these sheets. It’s grown without herbicides or pesticides, and is fairly eco-friendly, too.
Hot sleepers should enjoy the Boll & Branch percale sheets because of the cooling weave used to construct them. Plus, with cotton’s natural breathability, these sheets won’t trap heat.
What We Love About the Boll & Branch Hemmed Percale Sheets
- They’re a luxury pick! With good care, they should last at least the duration of their one-year warranty, if not longer.
- There are several color and pattern options available.
- Boll & Branch uses certified organic cotton. This means that the cotton is grown in safe, responsible ways and is sustainably sourced.
What to Keep In Mind About the Boll & Branch Hemmed Percale Sheets
- This is my most luxury pick, so with that comes a luxury price tag. At full price, these sheets cost about $280.
Read the full Boll and Branch Hemmed Percale sheets review.
Best Percale Sheets Made in the USA- American Blossom Linens Sheets
American Blossom Linens Organic Cotton Sheets
These sheets are made from 100% USA Organic Cotton. Environmentally friendly, they’re free of chemicals, dyes, and will only get softer and more comfortable the more you use them.
Mattress Clarity Score
4.90 / 5
Read Full ReviewOur Expert’s Take
Residents of the United States, listen up! You can rest easy knowing you have a product that’s made right where you live. American Blossom Linens produces its sheets in Thomaston, GA.
The company uses 100% organic West Texas cotton to make its sheets. American Blossom found that some companies artificially inflate thread counts, so these sheets feature a custom thread count of 180. This is on the lower end, but that doesn’t mean these sheets are low quality! If anything, it makes them super breathable.
These are an organic set of sheets, and American Blossom avoids using dyes, which means only white or natural color options are available.
What We Love About the American Blossom Linens Classic Sheets
- American Blossom uses 100% organic cotton grown right here in the US — perfect for those looking to shop domestically.
- The sheets have a lightweight feel to them, and with a lower thread count, they have a good amount of breathability. This makes them a good choice for hot sleepers.
- American Blossom offers a “Happiness Guarantee,” which means you have up to two years to make return or exchange decisions. This is much longer than what most companies offer.
What to Keep In Mind About the American Blossom Linens Classic Sheets
- These sheets feel very crisp at first. And while they are intended to get softer with washing, it might take multiple washes for them to finally get softer and smoother.
Read the full American Blossom Linens sheets review.
What are Percale Sheets?
Percale refers to the type of weave used to construct a set of sheets. This is one of two weave styles, the other being sateen.
Also known as the “plain weave,” percale sheets look matte and feel crisp. They don’t feel as soft as sheets with the sateen weave, but they are often designed to get softer the more you use and wash them.
This is a tighter weave, but despite that, these sheets are great for hot sleepers because they’re very breathable. And this tighter weave makes them durable and resistant to pilling.
What to consider when looking for percale sheets?
Here are some key considerations to keep in mind when shopping for percale sheets.
Feel
This weave style leaves sheets feeling very crisp. The best way to describe it is like a fresh pressed button-up shirt. They don’t have a sheen to them, so they’ll look matte on your bed.
Thread Count
Percale sheets tend to have lower thread counts than sateen weave sheets. Most of the time, you’ll see percale sheets with thread counts that range from 200 to 300, if the company decides to list a thread count at all.
Thread count isn’t always an indicator of high-quality sheets. Marketing might have you believe that high-thread counts mean good quality, but that’s not always the case. Percale sheets are great for hot sleepers because of their breathability, and that is partly because they have lower thread counts.
Care
The good news is that percale sheets have easy care instructions. All the sheets on this list are machine-washable. Instructions will vary, so be sure to read through them thoroughly before throwing them in the wash.
While percale sheets feel crisp at first, they get softer the more you wash them.
Durability
The percale weave is a fairly tight knit weave style. Because of this, percale sheets are more durable than sateen sheets. With good care, all the sheets on this list should last around two years, and the warranties reflect that.
Because it’s a tighter weave style, percale sheets are not prone to pilling as much as sateen sheets are. However, the trade off is that they tend to wrinkle more than sateen sheets.
Breathability
As I’ve mentioned, percale sheets are very breathable. Sateen weave sheets tend to trap heat more, so if you’re prone to overheating, look at a percale weave sheet.
These types of sheets are also more lightweight than sateen sheets. This makes them great for summer months, but still are a good option for year-round use if you live in warmer climates.
Materials
The most common material you’ll see in percale sheets is cotton. In fact, all the sheets on this list are made of cotton. Materials like rayon from bamboo, bamboo viscose, or microfibers can be constructed into this weave, but it’s less common.
Pros & Cons to Percale Sheets
Here’s a handy chart to briefly describe the pros and cons of percale sheets.
| Pros | Cons |
| Breathable and good for hot sleepers | Not the best for year-round use in colder climates |
| Durable and resistent to pilling | Wrinkle easily |
| Get softer over time | Not as soft as sateen weave sheets |
Summary
| Sheets | Best For |
| Brooklinen Classic Core Set | Editor’s Pick |
| Tuft & Needle Percale Sheets | Best Cotton Percale Sheets |
| Parachute Percale | Best Egyptian Cotton Percale Sheets |
| Boll & Branch Hemmed Percale | Best Luxury Percale Sheets |
| American Blossom Linens Sheets | Best Percale Sheets made in the USA |
The Best Percale Sheets FAQs
Are percale sheets better than sateen?
Truth be told, there are pros and cons to both weave styles. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. It boils down to personal preference!
But, if you’re a hot sleeper who likes crisp feeling cotton sheets, then percale sheets are the way to go. These are also more durable and don’t pill as easily as sateen sheets do.
Be sure to read more about the difference between percale vs sateen sheets with our full guide.
Are percale sheets soft?
Not right out of the box. Percale sheets tend to feel very crisp right out of the box. This might not feel the softest to some. The best way to describe the feeling of percale sheets is like a fresh pressed button-up shirt. However, most percale sheets are designed to feel much softer the more you use and wash them.
Are percale sheets good for hot sleepers?
Yes! Percale sheets are known for their breathability. This is because they’re often made from cotton, which has some natural breathability on its own. And with percale sheets having lower thread counts, air can flow through very easily. And they’re often more lightweight than sateen sheets, so they won’t trap heat either.
