“The percale weave is a basic over-under weave,” says Anna Brakefield, co-founder of Red Land Cotton. “It’s woven tightly but the nature of the over-under is going to allow for more airflow.” She adds that other weave styles, such as a sateen finish, do not allow for as much airflow because there are more fibers on the top of the weave, which also results in a higher thread count.
We researched and tested percale sheets from all the top brands, evaluating quality, texture, breathability, and value. Our best overall pick, the Parachute Percale Venice Set, is made from durable Egyptian cotton that feels cool to the touch, looks crisp, and gets softer with each wash.
These breathable sheets will keep you cool if you get toasty at night. The percale fabric is 100 percent long-staple Egyptian cotton—widely regarded as the best cotton available. You can feel their cooling capability right out of the wash, and the cotton material helps wick away sweat while still feeling soft and luxurious on your skin. As our tester noted, “Like all of the best percale sheets, this set has a crisp and cool feel—and that’s not just marketing speak. These sheets actually feel cool to the touch, and they stay crisp and clean after multiple nights of sleep.”
The sheet set comes with two pillowcases, a fitted sheet, a duvet cover, and an optional top sheet. You can select from various sizes and colors, including sand, light gray, and moss green. While this option is more expensive than others, the high quality justifies the splurge.
Price at time of publish: $279 for a Twin set
The soft, sumptuous feel of these percale sheets is what sets them apart from the rest. They offer a luxury-like sleep experience, and they do run a bit more expensive than other cotton sets. But you can truly feel the difference. Our tester noted that while other sheets felt very papery and stiff, these felt were standouts for their cozy and smooth nature–and the texture gets even better after every wash.
However, a set of these sheets does cost a bit more than other options. Additionally, if you’re a particularly hot sleeper–or worried about keeping cool on especially warm nights–these percale sheets are breathable and comfortable, but not the most cooling choice.
Price at time of publish: $115 for a Twin set
The 100 percent organic cotton sheets are GOTS, Fair Trade Standard, and Made Safe certified, so they’ve met rigorous standards during the harvesting and manufacturing process. The sheets have a cool and super-smooth percale weave, and they come in muted green and blue shades, along with crisp, classic white.
Our tester loved how these sheets felt high-quality, while remaining breathable throughout the night: “Every night, I look forward to slipping into bed knowing that these sheets are on my mattress. I’m obsessed with the crisp, matte feel, and I don’t think I woke up overheated at all since I got these.” Though she found them to be not necessarily silky, the sheets felt natural and comfortable. However, she also noticed that the sheets were heavier than competitors and showed slight shrinkage after washing them.
Price at time of publish: $168 for a Twin set
For our tester, the standout detail of these percale sheets was the crisp, cool, and smooth feel. Even after laying atop the sheets for five minutes, they remained cool; only the fitted sheet warmed slightly. The airy percale weave helps allow for airflow, giving hot sleepers the relief they need. As an added bonus, you can rest easy knowing these sheets are GOTS certified, meaning they meet strict social and environmental standards.
These sheets, which come in an array of sizes and color choices, work with mattresses up to 16 inches deep. However, our tester noted that after washing, they can shrink some–though it shouldn’t make enough of a difference to alter their fit on your mattress. Additionally, while the available hues range from light to dark, our tester found that the sheets’ color can fade with washing and wear, making them more muted.
Price at time of publish: $119 for a Twin set
Available with a simple yet elegant double row of satin stitching around the cuff of the flat sheet, this Egyptian sheet set adds a classy touch to your bedroom and is a great choice for quality sheeting. Each piece is available a la carte, allowing you to build your ultimate bedding set from standard selections like a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and pillowcases.
Price at time of publish: $141 for twin with only flat sheet
According to our tester, the pima cotton felt soft and smooth to the touch. She noted that the sheets hugged her body perfectly yet slid comfortably when she tossed and turned, without bunching. And though they’re lightweight, after a few washes, she reported no pilling or roughness to the fabric.
This sheet set comes with a flat sheet, a fitted sheet with a 15-inch pocket, and two pillowcases, and you can choose from a variety of colors. The fabric is made from 100 percent long-staple cotton, providing a smooth feel and long-lasting durability. These are great sheets for a great price—breathable, soft, comfortable, and durable. However, keep in mind that they can have a bit of a synthetic feel initially; a run through the wash should soften them up.
Price at time of publish: $119
This set comes with a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases, and you can choose from nine colors and queen or king sizes. The sheets are made from 100 percent cotton woven into a 300 thread count percale fabric for a crisp, breathable feel.
Price at time of publish: $85 for a Queen set
Each sheet set one fitted sheet and two pillowcases, but you can add in an optional flat sheet if you’d like. Additionally, these percale sheets carry an OKEO-TEK Standard 100 certification, meaning they’re free of harmful chemical and substances for those who prefer organic, environmentally-minded goods. And they’re meant to be used; Riley recommends washing and sleeping on them regularly, as these sheets get better with wear.
However, our tester did note that while these sheets grow softer and more comfy with every wash, you may also experience some slight shrinkage. Additionally, loose threads can appear after washing.
Price at time of publish: $120 for a Twin set
What to Look for in Percale Sheets
Thread Count
Thread count simply means the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in a square inch of fabric. Percale is a tightly woven fabric, so thread counts for percale sheets tend to be on the higher end, ranging from around 250 to 500. Our testers noticed that a higher thread count signifies a softer sheet, but keep in mind that percale sheets with a super high thread count will be less breathable than those on the lower end of the range.
Type of Cotton
Percale sheets should always feel cool and crisp, which our testers can confirm, but the type of cotton they’re made from can have an impact on how breathable they are, as well as how affordable they are. Premium percale sheets are made from long-staple cotton. “When we talk about long-staple—it really just means that the length of the fiber is long enough to meet the spec that is long staple (1 and 1/4 inches),” says Brakefield. “We’re also looking at strength or how much weight can be put on it [the fiber] before it breaks.” She adds that staple length of cotton, the longest available, is always going to be preferential when constructing a strong set of sheets and purchasing a finished product. Sheets made from long-staple cotton will fray less, feel softer, and even wrinkle less. They also will be more expensive, but you can rest assured they’ll last longer. Our top pick, the Parachute Percale Venice Sheet Set, is made of 100 percent Egyptian cotton and scored high marks for breathability and comfort in testing.
Certifications
There are two main certifications to look out for when shopping for percale sheets: OEKO-TEX and GOTS. OEKO-TEX certification means that sheets meet the strict environmental, social, and health standards established by a global team of scientists and independent testing facilities. If sheets are OEKO-TEX certified, you can be sure they were responsibly manufactured and are free of harmful chemicals. GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. While some sheets may be labeled as “organic”, that may just mean they were made with a certain percentage of organically-grown cotton. GOTS is the certification to look for if you’re interested in buying sheets made with 100 percent organic cotton, and without the use of harmful chemicals or dyes.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was edited and researched by Cristina Sanza, a lifestyle writer specializing in home products and organization hacks. To keep our product picks current, she reads customer reviews, third-party articles, and brand websites. She owns and loves the Snowe Percale Sheet Set, which is soft, crisp, and breathable. To make this list, she considered each style’s wrinkle-resistance and cost, as well as a person’s temperature needs. Emma Phelps, an Updates Writer for The Spruce, also offered additional support for this roundup by speaking to Anna Brakefield, the co-founder of Red Land Cotton, a family owned and operated bedding business. Brakefield offers a unique, expert perspective on bedding by having previous professional experience in marketing and branding, and working on her family’s North Alabama cotton farm, which supplies all of the fibers for Red Land Cotton’s bedding.
