Percale vs Sateen Sheets – What to Consider and How to Choose

Percale vs Sateen Sheets – What to Consider and How to Choose

People spend about a third of their day in bed. A great way to recuperate from a hectic schedule and stress is to get a nice rest in bed. Having the right set of bed sheets can make a world of difference. Bedding plays a role that impacts sleep. Since people have different needs and preferences, one perfect set may not meet another one’s needs. Besides fabric materials, the weaving style is another popular factor that people use to select bed sheets. Weaving style affects the feel and breathability. One style is not necessarily better than the other. Percale and sateen weave are two of the most popular weave. Sateen has a reputation as the better choice due to its common association with high thread-count (such as 1000 thread count). In reality, high-quality cotton sheets are available in thread counts in the 400s. Ultimately, it comes down to several factors. To help users make their choice based on their personal preferences, this article examines these factors for percale vs sateen.

Weaving Style and Feel of the Fabric

Percale is the most common bed sheet weave. It is a crisscross one-thread-over-one-thread-under tight weave. The basket weave feels light and crisp which is similar to men’s dress shirts with a relatively matte appearance.

On the other hand, sateen is a satin weave that follows a pattern with four threads over and one thread under. As a result, it feels silky smooth, and luxuriously soft. While some compare it to the feel of silk clothing, they are not overly delicate. Sateen bed sheets are typically thicker and more tightly woven than percale sheets.

Breathability

Percale’s basket weave provides excellent air permeability. Consequently, percale sheets are very breathable. They have better breathability than sateen. This is why percale sheets are ideal for warmer seasons, summer months, or hot sleepers.

In contrast, sateen fabrics’ four-threads-over-and-one-under weave traps more heat. This characteristic is why sateen sheets are great for cooler seasons or cold sleepers. Sateen sheets feel soft that some are mesmerized by the feel without realizing they are hotter.

However, users in regions with both hot and cold seasons find it convenient to have both percale and sateen weave sheets.

Durability

Percale weave bed sheets are quite durable. However, percale weave’s softness is not compromised by the weaving structure that provides such durability. Rather, percale beddings are generally soft when new, and they get even softer with each wash. Overall, percale’s one-thread-over-one-thread understructure is stronger for most thread counts. This is the reason percale is used in commercial applications such as hotels.

A sateen weave is a pattern with four threads over and one thread under. This structure is inherently weaker than the percale structure. A strong sheet has better thread cohesion. Such sheet, therefore, wears better. If an identical type of cotton fibers is used, sateen sheets typically require a higher thread count to reach a similar level of thread cohesion of percale sheets. Sateen sheets are generally very soft and smooth when they are new. However, pills or snags could emerge as the sheets age. The sheen from new sheets may eventually fade.

Ease of Care

Ease of care is an important consideration as one should wash bed sheets regularly. Most sheets can be clean in a washer and dryer; other sheets made with delicate fibers may require special attention to retain their performance.

In general, while percale fabrics are durable, lightweight, and breathable, it is prone to wrinkles. This characteristic may require extra attention during washing and drying. Afterward, percale sheets may require ironing to remove the wrinkles. Contrary to percale, sateen sheets are somewhat wrinkle resistant.

Percale vs Sateen – Comparison Summary

Item	Percale	Sateen
Weaving Style	Percale is a crisscross one-thread-over-one-thread-under weave.	Sateen is a satin weave that follows a pattern with four threads over and one thread under.
Feel	The basket weave feels light and crisp cool which is similar to men’s dress shirts with a relatively matte finish appearance.	The weave pattern feels silky smooth and luxuriously soft. Some compare it to the feel of silk clothing with a sheen finish.
Breathability	Percale’s basket weave is very breathable. They have better breathability than sateen. They are ideal for warmer seasons or hot sleepers.	Sateen’s weave traps more heat. They are not as breathable as percale. They are great for cooler climates or cold sleepers.
Durability	Percale is strong and quite durable for most thread counts. They are generally soft when new, and they get even softer with each wash. This is the reason percale is used in hotels.	Sateen’s weave structure is inherently weaker than the percale structure. Pilling or snags could emerge as the sheets age. The sheen from new sheets may eventually fade.
Ease of Care	Most percale sheets can be machine washed and dried. However, they’re prone to wrinkles that may require ironing.	Most sateen sheets are machine washable and dried. Sateen sheets are somewhat wrinkle-resistant.

Conclusion

The answer to the percale vs sateen question is not straightforward. Instead, personal preference plays a key role in deciding what the better choice is.

Choose percale sheet sets if the following are more important.

• Prefers a light and crisp feel
• Hot sleepers that need cool sheets
• Prefers durable sheets

Choose sateen sheet sets if the following are more important.

• Prefers a smooth and silky feel
• Prefers cozy sheets
• Prefers wrinkle-free sheets and dislikes ironing

Since sateen bed sheets typically require high thread count, they require more fibers to make. As a result, sateen sheets are more expensive. The combination of higher thread-count numbers and higher prices creates the myth that sateen is better than percale. Users that love silky feel without temperature issues will easily become supporters of sateen sheets.

However, hot sleepers that have used both the sateen and percale sheets will understand the significance of breathability. These users can only reach optimal sleep with lower body temperature. Consequently, they will likely choose percale over sateen.

On the other hand, for couples who have opposite needs, what works for one person may not work for the other person. A solution may be to use percale sheets but use layers of blankets and pajamas.

Once you have made your decision, check out our picks on best percale sheets and sateen sheets.

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