Your sheets play a huge role in how well or poorly you sleep. While quality is an obvious factor, the sheets you choose should be compatible with the climate, fabric preferences, and sleeping habits.
Cotton percale sheets are surging in popularity for their crisp and cool feel, high breathability, and easy-care qualities.
In this blog, we explain what percale is, its history, and why these sheets will have you waking up fresh as a daisy every day.
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What is Percale?
What’s it about the crisp, comfy sheets in high-end hotels that make catching up on those zzzs so easy?
Well, more often than not, those sheets are made from high-quality cotton percale. Percale is not a fabric on its own but rather a type of weave.
It’s a plain weave made with the basic one yarn under and one yarn over pattern. This makes the final fabric very fine and airy.
While most percale sheets are made from long-staple cotton, you can also find this weave in bamboo viscose and blended textiles that combine cotton with polyester or rayon.
Percale’s tight-knit makes the sheets durable with a crisp feel and flat finish. A typical percale sheet would have a thread count of at least 180, going up to as high or even higher than 400.
But it is their excellent breathability that has made percale sheets a favorite among sleepers who struggle with night sweats or live in places with a warm climate.
A History Lesson on Percale
The word “percale” is derived from “pargālah,” which is Persian for rag. However, percale’s origins can be traced to 17th and 18th century India.
This cotton-based fabric from India was woven on looms and found a huge market in France because of its fine weave and superior quality.
In France, this tightly woven fabric came to be known as “Moris” or “Mauris.” After being imported from India in the 17th and 18th centuries, percale began being manufactured in France.
Another version links percale to ancient Persia (modern-day Iran), where it became a replacement for silk after the latter became more inaccessible. This version fits with Percale’s Persian etymology better.
Characteristics of High-Quality Cotton Percale Sheets
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Crisp texture: The texture of percale sheets can best be described as similar to an ironed button-down shirt. They’re crisp and flat with a matte finish.
The crisp texture is due to the tight weave that results in a very fine fabric with small holes. Premium percale sheets with high thread count feel smooth and luxe.
While percale sheets aren’t as soft as sateen sheets, they get softer and smoother with every wash.
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Cool and airy: Percale weave, together with the airy cotton fabric, makes a great choice for summer or those who tend to sleep hot. The material is highly breathable thanks to its tight 1:1 weave and fewer threads in each square inch.
This allows air to pass through and heat to dissipate easily. Because it doesn’t trap heat and is lightweight and breathable, percale bedding can be a huge help in keeping night sweats at bay.
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Durable: Percale’s numerous benefits far outweigh its vulnerability to wrinkles. Long cotton fibers are locked in closer, and a denser crisscross weave reduces friction.
This makes percale sheets highly durable, resilient, and resistant to pilling. A set of high-quality percale cotton sheets will last you a long time and get softer with each wash.
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Easy Care: Caring for percale sheets is a hassle-free affair. For starters, they can be washed at home. Plus, their tight weave keeps fibers intact even after frequent washing.
However, a little care can go a long way in keeping your sheets in pristine condition for a long time.
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Comfort: Percale sheets are a popular choice of bedding at boutique hotels for a good reason. They’re lightweight and breathable, with a crisp, luxe feel.
The tighter grid pattern results in a fabric that has a smooth surface with a matte feel. It all makes for a cool, airy, and comfy sleep experience.
- Timeless aesthetics: While they may not have the dazzling sheen of sateen, percale sheets offer a refined aesthetic that blends seamlessly with most decor styles. It also has a more structured drape than sateen and flannel.
Type of Percale Sheets
While most percale sheets are made from cotton, there are plenty of fabrics that use its distinctive weaving process. Here are the most common variations of percale sheets you’ll come across during bed linen shopping.
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Cotton Percale Sheets: If you’re on a quest for percale sheets, chances are they’ll be pure cotton-based. The long cotton fibers are knit in the traditional crisscross pattern to create a highly breathable fabric.
If you want premium percale sheets and don’t mind the splurge, then consider Egyptian or Pima cotton percale sheets.
Both Egyptian and Pima cotton are made from extra-long staple cotton fibers measuring about 2 inches in length. The long fibers, together with a high thread count, make these sheets smooth with long-lasting durability.
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Organic Cotton Percale Sheets: If you want percale sheets that are not only durable but also planet-friendly, you can’t go wrong with organic cotton percale bedding.
This type of cotton is produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or genetic engineering. The processing, too, is free of harsh chemicals, dyes, and bleaches. This makes organic cotton bedding hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin.
Simply put, organic cotton percale sheets offer all the benefits of regular cotton percale sheets - breathability, durability, pilling resistance, and more without harming the planet.
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Blended Percale Sheets: These sheets are made by combining cotton fibers with synthetic fibers like polyester or rayon. Unlike pure cotton, blended percale sheets boast a silky smooth texture and high wrinkle resistance.
They might even be a bit easier on your pockets. However, since they contain synthetic fibers, these sheets aren’t good for the environment.
Is Percale Bedding Environmentally Friendly?
Not all percale bedding is eco-friendly. This is because percale is a type of weave that can be made using various fibers, including synthetic ones.
You may think that being plant-based and natural might make any cotton percale sheet environmentally friendly, but that’s not the case. Regular cotton is grown with fertilizers, pesticides, and methods that require large amounts of water and energy.
Organic cotton, on the other hand, is free of synthetic pesticides and toxic chemicals and grown using traditional, water-conserving methods.
Our organic percale sheets are made from 100% sustainably sourced cotton. Available in a range of sizes from twin to California King and calming color, these impeccably crafted organic cotton sheets are everything you need to turn your room into a blissful sleep sanctuary.
Explore our all-in-one percale bedding sets that contain one flat sheet, one fitted sheet, and percale pillow covers for a sound and restful sleep, night after night.
From sourcing materials to the manufacturing of our bedding, each step is free of harsh chemicals, dyes, or bleaches. With our percale sheets, it’s blissful comfort night after night without the guilt of hurting the planet.
Care Tips to Make Your Percale Sheets Last Longer
Percale sheets arrive crisp, usually getting smoother and softer with each wash. You may have questions like how to wash percale sheets? how to soften percale sheets? You can simply prolong their life by following tips:
- Machine wash them on a gentle cycle with preferably a mild, natural laundry detergent to keep the natural cotton fibers intact.
- Use cold water to avoid shrinkage, fading, and diminishing the overall quality.
- Say no to bleach or fabric softeners. These are usually chock full of chemicals that can damage the fibers of your sheets.
- Excessive heat can damage the long cotton fibers that your percale sheets are made of. That’s why air drying or hang drying is the best option for drying percale sheets. If you must use a dryer, then opt for the lowest possible heat setting.
- Cotton percale sheets are prone to wrinkling. So, give them a good shake before placing the washed sheets in the dryer and remove them from the dryer as soon as they’re dry.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re looking to improve your sleep quality or shopping for a new set of sheets for the guest bedroom, percale sheets will not disappoint.
Durability, comfort, style, breathability - cotton percale sheets ace every factor that matters when shopping for bedding.