About Cotton Percale & Sateen Bed Linens
Cotton bed linens; duvet covers, sheets, pillow cases, etc. are breathable, comfortable and relatively easy to care for. Cotton bed linens are predominantly available in two different "weaves", Percale or Sateen. Each fabric has a distinct feel, imparted by the weave that is used to make the fabric.
Cotton Percale
Cotton Percale is a "plain weave" fabric (like Batiste), woven using a one-over, one-under weaving pattern. The finest Percale bed linens are characterized as crisp yet soft, with a matte finish.
Percale is lighter than a Sateen weave, making Percale sheets & duvet covers a great choice for warm sleepers, warmer climates or summer time use. Percale bed linens are easy to care for and are less prone to pilling than Sateen weaves.
Cotton Sateen
Cotton Sateen fabric has a silkier feel compared to Percale, with a lustrous finish, or sheen, due to the weave which places more threads on the surface of the fabric, usually in a four- over, one-under weaving pattern.
Sateens are generally heavier and warmer than Percale. The finest Sateens are characterized by a luxurious drape and a sumptuous silk-like body and luster. Sateens do require a bit more care than the Percale. Sateens can be more prone to pilling and must be ironed after washing to retain their luster.
Our Favorite Percale Bed Linen Choices
Sferra Grande Hotel Percale: 200 thread count Egyptian cotton, tailored in double rows of satin stitching. A little heavier than our finer Percales, but this bed linen is made to last through heavy use and countless washings.
St. Geneve Venice Percale: 200 thread count Italian woven Giza Egyptian cotton in a range of solid colors.
St. Geneve Nico Organic Cotton Percale: 240 thread count GOTS certified organic cotton. Bleach and dye free. Woven in Germany.
Sferra Celeste Percale: Egyptian cotton percale, woven in Italy. Celeste is our most popular percale. It's light in weight, with a chamois-like softness that only gets better wash after wash.
Sferra Giza 45 Percale: The lightest, softest, finest Percale bed linen in the world. About Sferra Giza 45® bed linens.
Our Favorite Sateen Bed Linen Choices
St. Geneve Capri Sateen: 300 thread count Giza Egyptian cotton, in 90+ color choices!
Schlossberg Satin Noblesse - A superior quality sateen, made in Switzerland. Available in a range of luxurious solid colors.
Sferra Giotto Sateen: A classic Sateen with a rich drape and silken hand. These Italian woven Egyptian cotton bed linens exemplify simple elegance in every detail.
Schlossberg Jacquard Sateen: A beautiful Sateen Jacquard fabric, woven in four different elegant designs.
Sferra Giza 45 Sateen: With its silky drape and luscious hand, this Sateen bed linen is without equal.