Cotton or Polyester Sheets: Which is Better for You?

October 25, 2019

Sheets, whether at home or in hotels, are some of the first items we look at in a bed.

We want sheets that are clean, decorative, hypoallergenic and perfect for everyday weather.

Who doesn’t want quality sheets that last a long time?

There are different materials available on the market today: linen, cotton, silk, synthetics, bamboo, blends and many others.

The big question here is: cotton or polyester?

Each has its own set of pros and cons that we shall explore in this article.

But first, here are some questions to consider when choosing bedsheets:

What material are they made of?
Are they easy to clean and take care of?
Are they durable and cost-effective?
Are they decorated enough to make any bed look inviting?

Cotton Sheet they durables

Cotton can be traced back to Mexico from the year 5000 BC and in Pakistan going back to 3500 BC.

With the improvement of the spinning wheel in Europe around the 1350s, more cotton was processed for various uses.

The main part of the cotton plant used is called the boll, and it grows best in the Americas, India and Africa.

The cottonseed is usually fed to cattle and is perfect for making oil. The little cotton pieces left on the seeds, called linters, make everyday items like banknotes, plastic, bandages, beauty cotton balls and cotton buds.

Why Choose Cotton Sheets?

Cotton Rich White Flat Bed Sheets

Cotton is soft and durable. This means it’s gentle on your skin.
Cotton breathes well, which is to say that it does not hold on to smells.
While it may be long-lasting, cotton is one of the more expensive fabrics to purchase, but it saves you money in the long-run.
It is the perfect fabric to dye or colour for decorative items like bedsheets or upholstery.
When buying sheets for people suffering from allergies, cotton is one of the best options because it is hypoallergenic.
It is absorbent, which is the best option for hot and humid weather.
Cotton is easy to clean, which makes it perfect for hotels.
Cotton is a fabric that blends well with other fabrics.

When choosing cotton, consider the following disadvantages:

It easily wrinkles after use. This means you need to iron bedsheets after washing and storing them.
After the first wash, cotton usually shrinks. Where possible, buy pre-shrunk cotton sheets.
Cotton absorbs the good and the bad. One of the things it absorbs is stains and sweat.
Cotton can accumulate mildew when not properly dried, which can be a health risk.

Polyester Sheets

Polyester is made from woven fabric and binding agents. Many people choose polyester sheets because they are affordable, durable and rather soft. Terylene is one of the first polyester fabrics, having been created in 1941 in England.

Polyester is also used to create rubber tyres, soft drink bottles and many other everyday items. Polyester is blended with many other fabrics to create more varieties.

For example, it’s blended with wool to strengthen it before use. It’s also blended with cotton or0 nylon to make upholstery, which helps it to stay wrinkle-free and absorbent.

Why Choose Polyester Sheets?

Trestle Polyester Cloth

Polyester has similar traits to plastic, which makes it durable.
Polyester is a great fabric for hot and humid weather. This is because any absorbed moisture evaporates and keeps them dry.
Polyester is a preferred fabric because it is easy to clean and maintain. This is due to the fact that it doesn't require any special washing instructions or detergents.
It doesn’t wrinkle, shrink or stretch.
It is water-resistant and also repels chemicals.
Polyester is the go-to fabric for items that need pleats and creases, which is great for decorative items.

Polyester has its own set of disadvantages:

Polyester can be uncomfortable to sleep on for long hours because it retains heat. When choosing polyester sheets, choose variations which have a cooling effect.
It is a clingy material because of static electricity, which can be uncomfortable and unappealing.
Polyester can absorb stains, which means you will spend more time washing your sheets with cleaning agents. It especially tends to hold onto oils, which can be hard to remove.

A Basic Guide to Choosing Sheets for Your Home or Business

There are tons of options on the market today, which is why you should buy a well-known brand of sheets. You can check out ALS for quality sheets, towels, bath linen and many more products. If you want to buy from ALS, simply visit the site, register a new account, check out the available collections and request a quote. It’s as simple as that!
You have to measure your beds before buying sheets. You shouldn’t assume they will fit. Make sure you leave some flexible measurement to cater for any shrinkage after the first wash.
Will these sheets need regular cleaning? Yes, but there are options that are easy to clean and maintain that you can choose from. Remember that you should wash sheets separately from the rest of your laundry. You should also separate colours to prevent bleeding on other sheets. Generally, follow the washing instructions that come with your sheets for the best results.
Choose hypoallergenic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial sheets. These are perfect for people with allergies.
Weather conditions help you to buy the best bed sheets. Select sheets which suit the climate. Look for cooling sheets or those that absorb perspiration.
Thread count is a popular phrase used when choosing bed sheets. It’s used to measure how coarse or fine sheets are. A higher thread count (usually around 180 and above) is assumed to be higher quality. It only means that it’s finer than those of a lower count. Focus instead on the quality of the sheets rather than only thread count.
Kill two birds with one stone and choose sheets which are both functional and look good on your bed.
When buying sheets, you can choose affordable options that won’t need to be replaced often. This is a plus for those in the hotel business.