Bamboo vs Cotton Sheets (2024)

Published: May 6, 2024

The choice between bamboo sheets vs cotton sheets can be a hard one.

Cotton is a common favourite with its often-affordable price tag and familiar, breathable feel. Cooling bamboo sheets, on the other hand, can sometimes be pricier but offer a silky touch, paired with eco-friendly manufacturing you can feel good about.

In this guide, we’ll compare these bedding options across various categories and break down the differences between cotton and bamboo bed sheets. Together we’ll find the perfect fit for your sleep experience.

 

Breakdown: Bamboo vs. Cotton Sheets

Read how bamboo sheets and cotton sheets compare:

 

Bamboo Sheets

Bamboo bedding is crafted from bamboo plant fibres. The extracted fibres are also used to make materials like rayon, modal, and lyocell.

Bamboo fabrics are praised for their comfort and known for sustainability, despite some chemical use in production. That’s because bamboo plants tend to grow quickly, and they need less water and fertilizer than cotton.

Bamboo sheets in Canada come in several different weave options:

• Percale-weave bamboo sheets have a simple one-thread-over, one-thread-under pattern that creates a crisp, lightweight fabric. This design is good for airflow if you overheat while you sleep at night. But beware, percale sheets can wrinkle quite easily.
• Sateen bamboo sheets follow a one-thread-under, three-to-four-threads-over pattern. This weave is known for its silky feel and subtle sheen. Sateen naturally evades wrinkles, giving your bed a smooth, elegant appearance. However, it might retain more heat, and it’s prone to snagging and pilling (small knots in the weave).
• Twill-weave bamboo sheets use parallel ribs in a diagonal pattern, like denim. These may not be as smooth as other weaves, but they’re very durable.

But are bamboo sheets good for your needs? If you’re sensitive to touch or looking for a soft, luxurious feel, then bamboo cooling sheets are absolutely for you.

Here are the pros and cons of bamboo sheets:

 

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Cotton Sheets

Cotton bedding is woven from cotton plant fibres, which can come from different types of cotton plants. Cotton demands more water than bamboo during growth, which makes it less sustainable. However, organic cotton is becoming more accessible as a green alternative.

Cotton is a classic bedding choice with many types to choose from. Pima cotton, Egyptian cotton, and upland cotton all offer different softness and durability at different price points—and those are just a few of the cotton types out there.

But like bamboo sheets, it’s more the weave that helps determine how your bedding feels against your body while you sleep.

• Percale-weave cotton sheets use a one-thread-over, one-thread-under pattern. This creates a breathable and moisture-wicking design suitable for warm sleepers.
• Sateen-weave cotton sheets use a one-thread-under, three-to-four-threads-over pattern that feels silky and has a subtle sheen. This type of sheet tends to retain more heat. You might also notice pilling in the fabric over time.
• Twill cotton sheets look like denim, with parallel ribs in a diagonal pattern. This type of cotton bedsheet is very durable, though it lacks the softness of other options.
• Jersey cotton sheets, similar to a favourite T-shirt, bring a stretchy and cozy feel to your sheets when you sleep.

Cotton sheets can be a bit warmer to sleep in than bamboo sheets. If you sleep hot, you should consider a mattress with cooling features like Octave. It comes with a CryoFusion™ cooling nanofibre cover, copper-infused memory foam treated with PolarMAX® phase-change material for temperature balance, and multi-zone support foam with air channels for breathability and temperature control. (Check out our guide to the best cooling mattresses while you’re at it.)

Here are the pros and cons of cotton sheets:

 

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Should you buy bamboo or cotton sheets?

Which is best for your needs: bamboo bed sheets vs cotton sheets? Both fabrics come in plenty of weaves and price ranges, but each has pros and cons. In the end, it all comes down to preference.

Use this table to pick the type of bedsheet that best matches your needs: