Which bed linen fabric is right for me?

Search for bed linen and you’ll come across lots of jargon. But what exactly is a percale weave? And what are the benefits of Tencel? And which fabric works for summer vs. winter?

We’ve summarised some key terms in this blog post for you:

Percale bed linen

Percale is a particularly dense weave in which horizonal and vertical threads are woven on top of one another in a regular and symmetrical way. The result is a particularly durable fabric that feels slightly cooling. This makes percale fabrics  popular in summer although it works well throughout the year. Both our Tencel and Organic Cotton collections are percale fabrics.

Sateen bed linen

In sateen bed linen vertical threads are woven over several horizontal threads, creating a slight shine and smooth surface. Sateen fabrics are slightly less durable than percale and are often popular in winter.

Tencel bed linen

Tencel, also known as Lyocell, is made from plant fibers and is considered particularly eco-friendly. Tencel feels soft and smooth and is even more breathable than cotton. Because the fabric is temperature regulating, Tencel works well throughout the year. At Undercover, we combine Tencel with the finest cotton to create a light and super soft fabric. Shop our Tencel bed sheets here.

Seersucker bed linen

Seersucker fabrics have a crinkly surface and are usually made from cotton. The fabric is popular in both fashion and home textiles and would be a good choice if you prefer slightly more textured fabrics.

Bamboo bed linen 

Bamboo belongs to the family of viscose fabrics and is considered soft and breathable. This fabric feels similar to Tencel however it’s ecological credentials are more questionable than Tencel. For example, in Tencel over 99% of the solvents used are recycled and all raw materials are accredited. For more information about this, please see our blog post.

Organic cotton bed linen

More and more brands are offering organic cotton bed linen. With organic cotton, make sure you check that the fabric comes with a reputable certification, such as GOTS. GOTS certified cotton is a guarantee of organic fibres. It also means a limited use of toxic bleaches, dyes and other chemical inputs during the entire production process. Organic cotton alone doesn’t guarantee good quality so make sure you pay attention to the fabric composition as well. Our 100% Organic Cotton collection is GOTS and OEKO-Tex certified and has a thread count of 300.