The quality of your sleep matters. And often the quality of your sleep – once you’ve got the right bed frame – depends on the quality of your sheets.
But in the dilemma of microfiber sheets vs cotton sheets, which ones should you choose to make your sleep as good as it can be?
The Big Advantages Of Cotton Sheets
Cotton is the classic fiber for bed sheets and for good reason too.
It’s been used for generations and it’s comfortable and familiar but what are the big advantages of cotton sheets over microfiber ones?
Well we think it boils down to three things:
- They’re soothing. As long as you get the right thread count, it’s very unusual for someone’s skin to react badly to cotton. In fact, many people with eczema or psoriasis find that using cotton bed sheets makes their condition recede or even go away completely. The surface of cotton is also very smooth and it’s nice to slip beneath cotton sheets.
- They remove moisture from your body. Cotton acts as a natural wick for moisture that means when you’re sleeping in a warm room, when you sweat, instead of the sweat clinging to you, the sheets draw it away from you. Thus, you get a nice dry night’s sleep and don’t wake up half way through the night in a moist pool.
- They’re very durable. Cotton is surprisingly hard-wearing given the soothing properties of the fabric and though it will thin across the course of a lifetime of use, it doesn’t break easily. It’s also worth noting that you can recycle cotton sheets for other purposes when they do disintegrate too.
The Big Advantages Of Microfiber Sheets
Microfiber is the new kid on the block and it’s made from a combination of polyester and silky fabric.
The exact composition of any microfiber sheet can only be told by looking at the labeling as the materials used may vary dramatically.
We’d say that there are also three big advantages to using microfiber sheets when compared to cotton too and they are:
- They’re soft, so soft. Even the cheapest of microfiber sheets will be incredibly soft to the touch and it’s possible that this too can help with some types of skin irritation. They don’t have the moisture wicking properties of cotton but they are amazingly soft and if you live in a cooler climate this might be the deciding factor between the two types of sheet.
- They require almost no care. You don’t need to spend very much time caring for your microfiber sheets, they can always be machine washed and dried. You don’t need to buy any kind of specialist detergents and it’s completely unnecessary to use a fabric softener on microfiber sheets, they’re always soft anyway. If you lead a busy life, this may be a big deal to you.
- They are reasonably long lasting. OK, they won’t last as long as cotton – if longevity is the most important aspect for you, microfiber isn’t the top choice but they are reasonably hardy. You can expect a quality set of microfiber sheets to last for several years though lower quality items may rip after just a few months.
Final Thoughts On Sheets
When it comes down to it, there’s no clear winner in the battle of microfiber sheets vs cotton sheets.
The ones you opt for should be based on which one suits your needs best.
Of course, if you’re looking for amazing sheets we can recommend both Brooklinen’s and Boll & Branch’s offerings, we’ve tested them and they’re great.
