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Buying the best pillows and organic mattresses can be a good start to getting quality sleep, but the sheets you choose also play a key role. Luxury sheets are not only known for their indulgent texture, but they also offer benefits like breathability, temperature regulation, durability and a great fit for your mattress. But finding the best luxury sheets, especially when you’re shopping online, can be tricky. We asked bedding and textile experts about the most important factors when buying luxury sheets, including material, craftsmanship and thread count. Read on for our top picks to help you find the best luxury sheets.
The Embroidered Sateen Sheet Set is crafted from organic long-staple cotton, giving it a soft, breathable feel. The deep pockets can accommodate mattresses up to 16 inches high, and the satin weave means the sheets have a subtle luster. The trim is hand-finished and embroidered, and the sheets are also backed by a one-year limited warranty. Shopping tip: Saatva is one of the best places to buy bedding, whether you’re looking for the best duvet covers or the best pillows.
Organic long-staple cotton makes these sheets soft and breathable, and the fitted sheet fits mattresses up to 16 inches high.
This sheet set is crafted with hand-picked, certified, extra-long staple Giza Egyptian cotton, which gives it a soft and breathable feel. The fitted sheet has extra-deep pockets for mattresses up to 18 inches high, and the set is available in many sizes, including Twin XL, so it’s ideal for many beds and mattresses.
Crafted from Giza Egyptian cotton, this sheet set is soft and breathable, plus it fits mattresses up to 18 inches, so it’s ideal for tall mattresses or mattresses with mattress toppers.
The Luxe Sateen Core Set is crafted with long-staple cotton. Its sateen weave makes the sheets warmer and soft, so they’re suitable for year-round use. This set is available in many sizes, including Twin XL, as well as 18 colors, including several patterns for a distinctive look.
Long-staple cotton and a sateen weave mean these sheets are soft and warmer, plus they’re available in many colors and several patterns so you can choose the look that matches your style.
Organic cotton and a percale weave make these sheets from Brooklinen crisp, cool, and breathable—ideal for hot sleepers. (And if you tend to sleep very hot, look into upgrading to one of the best cooling mattresses.) They’re garment-washed to make them extra soft, too. This set includes your standard fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases, plus two extra pillowcases and a duvet cover.
Long-staple organic percale means these sheets are crisp, lightweight, and cool, so this set is ideal for hot sleepers.
The Boll & Branch Percale Hemmed Sheet Set is crafted with GOTS-Certified long-staple organic cotton. The percale weave is naturally cooling, ideal for hot sleepers. With a 17-inch pocket and elastic banding along the entire edge, the fitted sheet is designed for a secure fit. This set is available in various sizes, including Twin XL, as well as six colors and three patterns.
Long-staple organic cotton in a percale weave makes for a comfortable, cooling sheet that’s ideal for hot sleepers.
This luxury sheet set is crafted from bamboo, a surprisingly soft and cool material. (For more about this material, read our guide to bamboo vs. cotton sheets.) The sateen weave is durable and silky, and the sheets are naturally moisture-wicking and breathable for comfort. The fitted sheet features corner bands for a secure hold, and the set is available in many sizes, including the less common Twin XL and Split King.
Bamboo is naturally moisture-wicking and breathable, and a sateen weave helps create softness and durability, making these our pick for the best bamboo sheets.
The Nile Egyptian Cotton Sheet Set features a percale weave, which creates a crisp, matte finish. With its natural cooling properties, these sheets are ideal for hot climates and warm sleepers. The set is crafted in Portugal, and the flat sheet and pillowcases feature corded details. The sheets are available in five color options, as well as a full range of sizes.
A percale weave gives these Egyptian cotton sheets a crisp, matte finish plus natural cooling properties, so they’re suitable for use in warm weather.
The Soprano Sateen Sheet Set is crafted with extra-long staple cotton for a soft finish. The sheets are warm, ideal for use in cold climates, and are made in Portugal. Details like the ability to fit up to a 21-inch mattress and satin stitch embroidery on the flat sheet and pillowcases differentiate these sheets from other options. There’s even the option to add a monogram.
These sheets are soft and warm, available in a full range of sizes, and can even fit up to a 21-inch mattress and topper.
The Washed Linen Core Sheet Set is made from European flax, and its light, airy weave makes it soft and cool. The set is individually garment dyed for quality and consistent results, and is available in 13 solid colors and patterns. The fitted sheet can accommodate mattresses up to 16 inches in height, making this a versatile set.
The light and airy weave of this set is ideal for warm weather, and the fitted sheet has deep pockets for mattresses up to 16 inches high, making this our pick for the best linen bed sheets.
The Classic Percale Core Sheet Set from Brooklinen is crafted from long-staple cotton for a breathable, soft sheet ideal for warm climates and hot sleepers. This set includes several helpful features, including deep pockets to fit a 16-inch mattress and “long” and “short” tags to help you orient the sheets for easier bed making. The set is available in 16 colors, including several eye-catching patterns.
A percale weave makes this sheet set soft, lightweight and breathable, so it’s ideal for warm climates and hot sleepers and is our pick for the best cooling sheets.
The Reserve Sheet Set from Boll & Branch is crafted from GOTS Certified long-staple organic cotton. Those fibers are slowly spun into fine threads, and the threads are finished by being passed through a gas flame to create a silky soft feel. These sheets feature beautiful details, including mitered corners and French seams on the flat sheet and pillowcases. Embroidered options are also available.
Long-staple organic cotton is slowly spun into fine threads, then flame finished to give these sheets a silky soft feel.
With its 17-inch pocket, the fitted sheet in the Signature Sheet Set from Boll & Branch can fit even tall mattresses or mattresses and mattress toppers. It’s top-stitched and features elastic around its entire edge to help ensure a secure fit. Organic cotton is soft and breathable, and you can even choose from 28 colors and patterns for the style that best suits your bedroom.
These sheets feature a 17-inch deep pocket for even the tallest mattress, and organic cotton makes them soft, breathable and comfortable.
Long-staple Supima cotton and a percale weave make these sheets from The Company Store (one of our picks for the best down comforters) crisp, light, soft and breathable, similar to the luxury sheets you would find at a hotel. The set offers plenty of customization options, with the ability to add on elements like a duvet cover and sham. You can choose from 14-, 16-, and 18-inch pocket options to fit your mattress, and can even customize the set with a monogram, ideal for gifting.
Supima cotton and a percale weave make these sheets crisp, light, breathable and soft, so they feel like the luxury sheets that are commonly used at hotels.
It’s important to consider several factors when buying luxury sheets. I asked bedding and textile experts about which are most important.
Erika Cellupica, Brand Manager at Fine Linen and Bath, explains that luxury sheets can be made of many different materials, including cotton, cotton, blend, bamboo, wood fiber, and silk. “Choosing the best luxury sheet comes down to personal preference,” she says. “For example, silk has a luxurious feel and is hypoallergenic and gentle on skin. Depending on the weave, bamboo and wood fiber sheets can feel more like cotton or silkier; they are also often sustainably harvested.”
The quality of the material used has a tremendous impact on the sheet quality. “Not all cotton is created equal,” explains Cellupica. “There are vast differences in the quality of the cotton grown in different regions of the world.” She notes that since Egypt’s unique geographic and climate conditions make the cotton fibers longer, stronger, and more durable, Egyptian cotton is widely regarded as being the best cotton on Earth. “A beautiful feature about Egyptian cotton is that the fabric grows softer with age and use,” she says.
“You will also see the phrase Giza cotton, a special variety of Egyptian cotton that is the best of the best,” says Cellupica. Giza cotton is grown in the Nile River and then harvested by hand. Today, many manufacturers refer to Giza cotton as being long-staple or extra-long staple cotton. “Extra-long-staple cotton is distinguished by added length and uniformity, very few irregularities, and incredible smoothness,” says Cellupica. “With Giza cotton sheets, the quality of the cotton means just as much—sometimes more—to the value of the sheets than the typical measure of thread count.”
Pima cotton, sold under the brand name Supima, is another high-quality cotton. “This cotton is American-grown extra-long-staple cotton that is soft, strong, and durable,” Cellupica explains. (For more about this type of material, read our guide on what’s the best thread count for sheets and our round up of the best cotton sheets.)
Cellupica explains that while higher thread count has become synonymous with higher quality cotton fabric, thread count can be deceptive. Thread count is the number of threads per square inch in a given fabric, and is calculated by adding the horizontal threads to the vertical threads. “However, the quality of the yarn used is far more important than the density of the weave,” says Cellupica. “Lower thread count sheets made of high-quality cotton will be much more comfortable (and valuable) than higher thread-count sheets made from inferior cotton.”
Juan Quintero, a Hastens Sleep Expert and Owner of Hastens Miami, notes that thread count is a double-edged sword when it comes to evaluating luxury sheet quality. “Too high of a thread count will block the hot air from escaping through the sheets,” he says, which can contribute to sweating. “We think sheets and linens should have the highest quality cotton or flax with an average thread count of 600. Try to avoid linens with super high thread count to avoid getting hot,” he recommends.
Susanne Martinez, Vice President of Product Development at SFERRA, explains the feel of the sheet is most important. “This is such a personal preference, and there are certainly many options,” she says. “Sheets can feel crisp, matte, substantial, silken, or even textured. The feel is derivative of the construction — a percale weave will give you that crisp, matte feel while a sateen weave results in a silkier, shinier fabric.”
Martinez notes the weight of a sheet is also important, and again, it’s a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer to switch out their sheets seasonally. “An airier and cooling sheet, like percale, may be a better choice for spring and summer with something a bit softer and more substantial for fall and winter, like sateen,” she says.
Cellupica notes that while terms like “organic cotton” and “organic bedding” are common in marketing, it’s important to look for an independent certification before believing those claims. Independent certifications include Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or OEKO-TEX. “Seeing these logos and labels means the manufacturer has paid to have the fabric tested, reviewed, and independently assessed for content and safety,” she says. “This is a rigorous, extensive process that will add to the price of any luxury bedding.” For more information on OEKO-TEX or GOTS certifications, read our guide to the best organic sheets.
Craftsmanship also impacts the quality of luxury sheets. “European luxury bedding is not mass-produced, and most of it is crafted in small factories across Italy, Portugal, and France by textile artisans whose families have mastered this skill over generations,” says Cellupica. “You can see the caliber of workmanship in the details of these pieces; look for things such as a delicate hemstitch, hand-sewn embroidery and custom sizes,” she recommends.
As you shop, you will find luxury sheets available for $20, while others are much more expensive. “The truth,” says Cellupica, “is you will not get luxury sheets for $20.” When you consider factors such as the importance of quality material, craftsmanship, and independent certification, it’s easy to see why true luxury products can be so much more expensive.
When choosing the best luxury sheets, I focused on the material used. I looked for quality materials, including long-staple cotton, Egyptian cotton and bamboo. Rather than focusing heavily on thread count, I looked for material certification and manufacturing processes that validated and maximized the sheets’ quality. I also looked for products backed by OEKO-TEX Standard 100 to confirm they’re free of harmful chemicals.
I considered other factors that impact luxury sheets’ performance, features like deep pockets on fitted sheets, available sizes and colors, designs to help keep fitted sheets in place, and extra details like monogramming and finishing details.
“Without question, the two most important factors that make luxury bed linens expensive — and differentiate them from regular bedding — are the quality of the fabric and the craftsmanship,” Cellupica says. “This applies to any sheet, whether it’s made from cotton, silk, or natural fibers such as bamboo.”
“Anything that can enhance your sleep will be worth the price,” says Quintero. “ A good quality mattress comes first. Good quality linens come next.” Cellupica notes that while high-quality luxury sheets can be an investment, they offer distinct benefits. “High-quality bed linens are made to last years or even generations,” she says. “So if you ask us, the purchase of luxury heirloom linen is worth it.”
“The most luxurious thread count for sheets is the highest thread count you can afford in sheets made from high-quality cotton,” says Cellupica. “Do not sacrifice the quality of cotton for a thread count number.”
Thomas Lee Sheets reports that hotels often use cotton sheets, and they tend to choose a percale sheet for its durability, comfort, breathability and softness. According to Rebecca Udall, a percale weave over sateen will help recreate the cool, crisp feeling of luxury hotel sheets. A percale weave is a tighter weave, so it tends to be more durable, too. When looking for sheets like those found in top hotels, buying the best percale sheets you can find should create a similar feel.
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