Mattress Forum

My guess is they are just playing with different weave types...so maybe you are choosing from percale or sateen (percale would breathe slightly better, sateen would have a smoother surface).  Not sure what the 3rd option would be...twill?  or perhaps this is some kind of chemical treatmant?  sounds bizarre.

Re: the "Cool" sheets.  I don't know what they did to them to make them feel cool, all I know is they really did feel cool when I felt the material in the store. I'm no dummy when it comes to sheets, I've tried and own many types so I know what different ones feel like.  I never felt any before that were as cool as these...but that's just feeling with one's hand.  Sleeping could be entirely different and they might trap body heat. Although I've got some high thread count 100% cotton sheets (from Lands end) that don't trap heat anymore than the lower thread count sheets.  *shrug* I don't know.  It's not a big deal. One of these days when I feel like blowing money, I'll buy a set of these and try them.  I'm not having heat issues now anyway since I removed all my useless expensive toppers!!!  But these cool feeling sheets might be a nice extravagance in summer...

 Right now I am using Italian made Bellino 200TC long staple egyptian cotton Hotel sheets.  I got  a good deal on these on ebay (they are pretty expensive otherwise).  They are pretty nice, and seem fairly breathable.  Initially I was worried about too low of a thread count (comfort wise), but I have come to realize that the length and weave of the cotton are more important.

They are similiar to the Frette Hotel sheet collection, which I used before these.

Budgy, or anone else, any other recommendation in all cotton breathable sheets?   I know you like linen as well, which I might try some day.

I buy my sheets from Lands End and I've got a few different types and I love them all, quite frankly. I always go w/ 100% cotton (of course), I have some sateen and some "regular"..(I always get the ones in the Overstock section; they're quite a bit cheaper).  I think though that my favorites are the percales, of which I only own one set atm. TC is probably 200.  I like the slightly "rough" feel, crisp and slightly cool. 

I'm a bit of a sheet addict lol..I love new sheets, and never need more but can't help buying more whenever I"m messing around in Lands End on line.  The Cool sheets at sleepy's are the only ones in a store I've ever been tempted by.

Hey sandman, why don't you try the Cool sheets and bring back a report?  : )))

Nice try!  I am pretty happy with my Bellino sheets.  I see no explanation why these sheets are cooler than anything else.

I am always keeping my eyes open though for a replacement for when mine wear out.  My one complaint would be that they could be cut a bit a bit deeper.  I think european mattresses tend to be thinner, so the european made sheets are not always as deep.

Hemp sheets or hemp blended with ramie would probably be quite breathable and refreshing as well.  Although compared to a high quality fine linen would feel rather course and not as luxurious.

I guess I am really trying to find out if you recommend a particular brand/maker of high quality good value cotton sheets. There are so many out there that it is really hard to figure what is good and what isn't.  There seems to have been a race to get the highest TC which I don't find to be a very good indicator of quality (and breathability). 

I tend to look for long staple, lower  thread count (by today's standards).  Maybe there is not that much of a difference once those criteria are met?  My best success has been with the italian makers that seem to use that approach.

when I bought my BR from sleepy's i was supposed to get a set of their Bliss or Serenity Outlast (I forget which one) for free. The ones I got when mattress was delivered were neither, they were some cheap cotton knock-off...I didn't feel like making a fuss about it at the time.  Probably should have just so I could try the other ones, but I know at the store when I felt the fabric of what i was offered, I was not impressed. It was not 100% cotton and I'm skeptical of claims of breathability.
 

value is pretty subjective....there is no way to produce high quality long staple cotton sheets on the cheap regardless of thread count. 

I carry St. Geneve (guys that make Dormeir mattress pads) and they are fantastic.  Although with anything they have some "entry level" stuff and also some extremely high end.  They do just about every type of fabric you can imagine.  Pricing from moderate to extreme high end.  They have some striped fabrics that are very reasonably priced, My Favourite Sheet Set (thats what its called, not my personal favourite), sells for a reasonable price and is a long staple cotton loomed in Israel.  Allegro is another stripe that is VERY well priced for what it is, 300TC Giza 70 Egyptian cotton loomed in Italy.  They also do a hotel sheet called imperial hotel, its a 205TC Giza 70 loomed in Germany.  Capri fabrics are a little bit pricer than the latter ones mentioned, they are a solid 300TC giza 70 loomed in italy available in 98 different colours.

Other high quaity bedding companies worth checking out:

Sferra, large selection in high quality egyptian cottons, pricing from moderate to very high as well.

SDH, biggest selection of high end organic bedding I have found to date, everything seems to be similar to St. Geneve in that they import what is likely to be the tops of whatever they can find.

Schlossberg, really old bedding maker from switzerland I believe....nice stuff...to me seemed a little over priced for most of their patterns since I believe everything they do is a print, not a yarn dyed weave.

Matouk, nothing crazy high end that I know of, although they have some very well priced simple percale and sateen sheet sets that are supposed to be very high quality)