When it comes to crisp, cool bed linens, nothing beats percale.

Percale, the weave behind the classic hotel sheet, is both breathable and durable. These sheets start out smooth and tend to feel softer after each wash.

If you’re shopping for the best bedding to enjoy in warmer temperatures, consider these seven percale sheet sets.

Percale refers to the way fabric strands are woven. This crisscross weave has a thread count that typically begins around 180, with most in the 200 to 300 range. The weave helps make the sheets strong and durable. Think of a classic button-up shirt, and you’ll get the idea.

The lightweight breathability of percale sheets makes them ideal for warmer temperatures. Plus, they don’t cling or drape. Instead, they offer an airier feel that can help promote great sleep.

Not all percale sheets are 100% cotton. Some are made from other popular fabrics, like polyester, bamboo rayon, and other synthetics.

If you’re searching for cotton sheets specifically, make a point to check the label before you buy.

In compiling our list of the best percale sheets, we prioritized a few key factors. All the brands on our list:

  • offer a range of price points, sizes, and colors
  • can go into the washing machine for easy care
  • meet specific standards for textile safety
  • show a commitment to ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices
  • have good reviews from people who tried these sheets

Pricing guide

While the brands we featured include varying sizes and prices, our pricing guide is based on queen size sheet sets.

  • $ = under $150
  • $$ = $150–$200
  • $$$ = Over $200

Best quality percale sheets for the price

  • Price: $$
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
  • Colors: Solid White, Soft Grey, Cream, Window Pane, Graphite and Steel Oxford Stripe; limited edition colors vary
  • Thread count: 270
  • Mattress thickness: up to 15 inches (in.)
  • Trial: 365-day return window
  • Warranty: 1 year

Brooklinen makes their percale sheets with 100% long-staple cotton for a cool, crisp feel. They have a breathable 270 thread count weave with OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.

Brooklinen says they use an efficient supply chain that eliminates unnecessary costs from wholesaling, storefronts, and designer licensing fees to keep prices down.

A Healthline editor who tested Brooklinen’s percale sheet describes them as lightweight and breathable.

They’re sized for mattresses up to 15 in. thick, and the fitted sheet is labeled on the sides with handy “long” and “short” tags. Brooklinen’s percale pillowcases also use envelope closures for a tidy appearance.

This is a very well-reviewed sheet set, with over 15,000 reviewers mentioning the softness, high quality, and cool crispness.

Brooklinen offers free returns or exchanges for 365 days. Plus, as one of the company’s core products, these percale sheets come with an additional 1-year warranty.

Pros

  • excellent reviews
  • breathable and lightweight
  • free returns and exchanges for 365 days

Cons

  • some reviewers describe the sheets as scratchy

Best budget percale sheets

  • Price: $$
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split king
  • Colors: Charcoal, Cloud, Sage, Sand, and Slate
  • Thread count: 215
  • Thickness: up to 14 in.
  • Trial: 100 nights
  • Warranty: 2 years

Tuft & Needle may be best known for their mattresses, but people seem to be just as enamored with the brand’s sheets.

These crisp percale sheets are made with 100% Supima cotton. They’re designed to be breathable and light, with a strong, durable weave for longevity. Plus, the 215 thread count sheets meet OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification.

Note the fitted sheet accommodates mattresses up to only 14 in. thick, which is one of the criticisms in reviews on the company’s website.

Still, close to 1,000 reviewers have largely high praise, saying the sheets strike the perfect balance of crisp and not crunchy.

Tuft & Needle offers free shipping and returns, a 100-night trial, and a 2-year warranty against manufacturing and workmanship defects.

Pros

  • crisp feel without being too stiff
  • great reviews

Cons

  • fitted sheet only accommodates mattresses up to 14 in. in depth

Best Egyptian cotton percale sheet set

  • Price: $ (without top sheet)
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
  • Colors: White, Cream, Sand, Light Grey, Slate, Clay, Raisin, and Moss
  • Thread count: N/A
  • Thickness: up to 16 in.
  • Trial: 60 day return window
  • Warranty: no warranty offered

Parachute’s OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified percale sheets are made in Portugal with premium, certified long-staple Egyptian cotton, making them lightweight, durable, and cool to the touch.

Egyptian cotton does indeed come from Egypt — it’s handpicked along the Nile River Valley. Thanks to the hot, dry climate, Egyptian cotton is both stronger and softer than traditional cotton.

A Healthline editor who tried these sheets describes them as light and crisper than she expected. That’s likely because Parachute doesn’t artificially soften their sheets. Instead, the sheets soften over time.

The editor was particularly taken with the envelope-style opening on the pillowcases. She felt it gave them a neat, polished appearance.

Close to 2,300 reviews on the Parachute website give the percale sheets top marks for comfort, quality, and breathability.

Parachute gives you the option of purchasing just the fitted sheet and two pillowcases, or adding on a top sheet.

The company offers free ground shipping and accepts returns within 60 days.

Pros

  • lightweight and breathable
  • crisp at first, but softens over time
  • good choice of muted colors

Cons

  • some reviewers found them scratchy and on the thin side

Best percale sheets with most color options

  • Price: $
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
  • Colors: White, Ivory, Cocoa, Mocha, Graphite, Gray Smoke, Pale Blue, Blue Smoke, Porcelain Blue, Slate Blue, Delft Blue, Navy, Teal, Hunter Green, Thyme, Butterscotch, Peach Nectar, Shell, and Merlot
  • Thread count: 300
  • Thickness: up to 16 in.
  • Trial: 90 day return window
  • Warranty: no warranty offered

The Company Store’s classic percale sheets are made with 100% combed cotton, and they meet OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification. With a 300 thread count, these sheets have a smooth, crisp, and cool feel.

These sheets come in a rainbow of colors with options for monogramming.

The Company Store says they’re committed to working with suppliers and manufacturers who certify safe working conditions and fair wages. Plus, the brand works hard to source environmentally-friendly products and materials.

The fitted sheet in this set accommodate mattresses up to 16 in. thick. Shipping is free on orders over $50, with easy returns and a 90-day trial window.

Note that monogrammed items cannot be returned.

Pros

  • wide range of colors
  • options for monogramming

Cons

  • some reviewers found them on the small side

Best pima cotton percale sheets

  • Price: $$
  • Sizes: twin, full, queen, king, and California king
  • Colors: Cream, Lake, Mid-Blue, Pastel Mint, Pink Clay, Shell Pink, Silver Sand, Sunlight, Vapor Gray, and White
  • Thread count: 280
  • Thickness: up to 15 in.
  • Trial: 1-year return window
  • Warranty: no warranty offered

Pima cotton is similar to Egyptian cotton in that they both have longer, silkier fibers that can be turned into extremely soft, strong fabric.

The big difference lies in where the cottons come from. Pima cotton is mostly grown in the United States. L.L.Bean uses it to make their extra smooth, 280 thread count percale sheet set.

These OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified sheets have a hemstitched detail and come in a number of easy-to-coordinate colors. They fit mattresses up to 15 in. thick.

Close to 2,000 reviewers praise the set’s smoothness, crispness, and comfort.

L.L.Bean offers free shipping over $50, and returns can be made within 1 year of purchase for a refund.

Pros

  • smooth, luxurious feel
  • hemstitched detail

Cons

  • some reviewers find them too scratchy

Best textured percale sheets

  • Price: $$$
  • Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
  • Colors: Alpine White, Undyed, Pewter, Hazel Chambray, Steel Blue, Aegean, Ginger, Laurel Chambray, Hazel, and Undyed with Hazel Rosehip
  • Thread count: not advertised
  • Thickness: up to 15 in.
  • Trial: 30 days
  • Warranty: no warranty offered

Coyuchi’s organic crinkled percale sheets are the brand’s softest and most relaxed. The brand’s spinning and weaving treatment creates a lightweight, washed fabric with a lightly crinkled effect for a broken-in feeling right out of the box.

Coyuchi’s sheets are made to be breathable and comfortable, with a casually rumpled look that washes and wears beautifully.

The brand is a leader in organic bedding and bath linens, and they’re committed to cleaner, safer textiles and responsible supply chains. Coyuchi’s sheets are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), fair trade, and Made Safe certified. They fit mattresses up to 15 in. thick.

Over 300 reviewers rave about the soft coolness and undone look.

Coyuchi offers a 30-day trial with free shipping over $300 and free returns.

Pros

  • breathable and lightweight
  • casual, rumpled look
  • multiple certifications

Cons

  • a handful of reviewers found them too rough

Best deep-pocket percale sheets

  • Price: $
  • Sizes: full, queen, and king
  • Colors: Dark Gray, White, Natural, Rose, Sage Green, and Light Gray
  • Thread count: 250
  • Thickness: up to 18 in.
  • Trial: 365-day return window
  • Warranty: no warranty offered

Sized to fit mattresses up to 18 in. thick, Casaluna’s percale sheets are made with 100% Supima cotton that meets OEKO-TEX certification.

With a 250 thread count, these are classic percale: crisp, cool, and breathable. Plus, they’re labeled with “top” and “bottom” tags for convenience.

Reviewers say Casaluna’s percale sheets wash well, fit true to size, and offer great value for the money.

Target offers free 2-day shipping for these sheets, and returns can be made within 365 days of purchase to any Target store or through the Target website.

Pros

  • durable
  • good value

Cons

  • limited sizes
  • limited colors
SheetsPriceSizesColorsThread countThickness (in.)Trial
Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set$$twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California kingSolid White, Soft Grey, Cream, Window Pane, Graphite and Steel Oxford Stripe; limited edition colors vary270up to 15returns and exchanges for 365 days
Tuft & Needle Percale Sheet Set$$twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, and split kingCharcoal, Cloud, Sage, Sand, Slate215up to 14100 nights
Parachute Percale Sheet Set$twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California kingWhite, Cream, Sand, Light Grey, Slate, Clay, Raisin, Mossup to 1660 day return window
The Company Store Company Cotton Percale Sheet Set$twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California kingWhite, Ivory, Cocoa, Mocha, Graphite, Gray Smoke, Pale Blue, Blue Smoke, Porcelain Blue, Slate Blue, Delft Blue, Navy, Teal, Hunter Green, Thyme, Butterscotch, Peach Nectar, Shell, Merlot300up to 1690 day return window
L.L.Bean Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set$$twin, full, queen, king, and California kingCream, Lake, Mid-Blue, Pastel Mint, Pink Clay, Shell Pink, Silver Sand, Sunlight, Vapor Gray, White280up to 151-year return window
Coyuchi Organic Crinkled Percale Sheets$$$twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California kingAlpine White, Undyed, Pewter, Hazel Chambray, Steel Blue, Aegean, Ginger, Laurel Chambray, Hazel, Undyed with Hazel Rosehipnot advertisedup to 1530 days
Casaluna Washed Supima Percale Solid Sheet Set$full, queen, and kingDark Gray, White, Natural, Rose, Sage Green, Light Gray250up to 18returns and exchanges for 365 days

When shopping for the right percale sheets for you, consider factors like price, mattress thickness, thread count, and choices in size and color.

  • Consider your budget. You can find percale sheet sets priced under $100, and some that run as high as $500. So deciding what you want to spend is a good place to start.
  • Measure your mattress. It’s always a good idea to measure your mattress’ thickness. A fitted sheet that routinely slips off the corner of your mattress can be frustrating, so make sure the brand you’re considering will fit.
  • Check the thread count. To be considered percale, sheets need a minimum thread count of 180. Typically, percale sheets fall between 200 and 300 thread count, but don’t confuse this number for a definitive sign of quality. A higher thread count isn’t necessarily better.
  • Think about your preferred color palette. Whether you prefer muted tones or bright colors can steer you toward certain brands.
  • Consider opting for sustainable brands. You may also want to consider brands that are committed to sustainable and ethical manufacturing practices. Organic materials are a good option if your budget allows. Certifications like GOTS, OKEO-TEX, and fair trade also suggest the company prioritizes sustainability.

Still have questions about percale sheets? We’ve got answers below.

What thread count is best for percale sheets?

Thread count refers to the number of vertical and horizontal threads in one square inch. Many people assume a higher thread count means a higher quality sheet, but that’s not necessarily true. Factors like the weave and quality of the cotton fiber used will play a big role in how the finished sheets feel.

Percale sheets tend to have a lower thread count for greater breathability. Generally, 200 to 300 is a good range for percale.

What’s the difference between percale and sateen sheets?

Both terms describe the weave of the cotton. Percale has a gridded weave with a one-over, one-under pattern. That makes for a crisp feel and matte finish.

A sateen weave has a different pattern, where the horizontal threads skip over some vertical threads before looping. That gives the finished sheet a better drape and a smoother feel.

What are the pros and cons of cotton sheets vs. percale sheets?

Cotton sheets are breathable, durable, and easy to maintain. Since cotton fibers can vary, cotton sheets run from economical to luxurious. Percale isn’t a type of fabric — it’s a specific weave associated with a crisp, lightweight feel.

So, you can find percale cotton sheets, but you can also find percale sheets made with other fabrics, including polyester, bamboo, and rayon. While percale sheets are known for their durability and tend to feel softer over time, one potential drawback is that they may feel rough or scratchy to some people.

Many people love percale sheets for their cool, crisp texture.

That said, it takes time, use, and care for true softness to develop in percale sheets. So if you prize softness in your sheets above all else, you might want to consider a different weave.

On the upside, these sheets are incredibly durable. Investing in a good set can serve you well for years to come.

Jessica Timmons has been working as a freelance writer since 2007, covering everything from pregnancy and parenting to cannabis, chiropractic, stand-up paddling, fitness, martial arts, home decor, and much more. Her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Pregnancy & Newborn, Modern Parents Messy Kids, and Coffee + Crumbs. See what she’s up to now at jessicatimmons.com.