All about the weave
What is Percale?
To make a percale weave, there is one vertical thread (warp) crossed over every horizontal thread (weft).In a Percale weave for every vertical (or warp) thread there is one horizontal (or weft) thread crossed over. The finish is a crisp feeling sheet with a matte finish. Typically this sheet will be lighter, cooler and more breathable, so it's great for hotter climates.
Sheets with a percale weave are especially durable, resist piling (depending on the fibre quality) and tend to improve the more they are washed. When made with cotton sateen, though they are more prone to wrinkles and don't have any shine, so they are less luxurious.
What is Sateen?
Percale cotton has a one over one under style, whereas sateen uses three threads over to every one under. This exposes more thread to the surface, thus creating a softer feel and shine. Sateen is typically a tighter weave, which means the sheets are warmer and thicker. There are of course other methods you can use to create variances in the weight, warmth and breathability.
Sateen weave bed sheets are smoother, softer, shinier and have a better resistance to wrinkling (which is especially important when using Eucalyptus TENCEL™). Sateen bedding is the nearest thing you can get to silk satin but without losing any durability.
When made with cotton, they're nowhere near as breathable, durable or resistant to piling. That's where Eucalyptus TENCEL™ comes into it's own, because it totally forgoes all of the downsides, but means you can still enjoy that luxurious feel.
Why we chose sateen...
We tested a LOT of sheets, and because we offer just one speciality product we had to get it perfect! The primary reason was that the luxury feel of sateen was just far superior to percale. All of the downsides that are typical with a sateen weave are naturally overcome by the quality of our Eucalyptus fibre, given that:
- We use long-staple Eucalyptus fibres with a sateen weave on all our bedding, which because of the quality, has an equivalent cotton thread count of 1,000.
- It naturally hugs, giving a more luxurious feel which is perfect for sleeping, napping or snuggling.
- Our Eucalyptus fibre is naturally hypoallergenic and the best regulator of body temperature which is so important for a perfect sleep.
- Our sateen weave is stronger and more durable than a comparable cotton sheet, so your sheets will feel newer for longer.
How they make you feel
The results of our hard work are absolutely breath-taking. My wife and I are still in disbelief that we managed to make a product so good that is 100% sustainable. Don't take our word for it though, try them for yourself on a 100-night risk free trial and if you don't love them we will donate them to a local homelessness charity.
