The Best Organic Flannel Sheets

Believe it or not, there is actually an entire science in choosing the right set of bed sheets. If you’ve never done it before, there are all these different terms you have to look into, not to mention that there’s a variety of fabrics used to make them. There’s also an entire theory revolving around the idea that thread count is the sole thing that determines the quality of a sheet. Stick around, we have a few things to teach you about the different types of bed sheets cotton currently available on the market and how to stand up against the best organic flannel sheets.

The Best Organic Flannel Sheets

Common Fabrics

Cotton

Cotton is, without a doubt, the most popular fabric used to make quality bed sheets. It has lots of important properties (like the fact that it wicks away moisture, and it’s soft and smooth on the skin). The quality of cotton is typically measured by two things. First, if it’s organic or not. Organic cotton implies growing the actual plant without using any chemicals. Organic cotton bed sheets are free of any toxins or dyes, and make a great option for people with sensitive skin, especially for children.

Second, the length of the staple also plays an important role is determining the quality of the end fabric. Cotton bolls are stretched to create the fibers used in making sheets, so the longer the staple, the more durable the sheet.

Tencel

Tencel is a fabric that’s quickly grown in popularity over the past years. It’s made from the wood pulp of eucalyptus trees and has excellent anti-microbial properties. Aside from that, it’s also an eco-friendly choice, because it’s doesn’t use as much water and chemicals in its growth process. However, Tencel is not as breathable as cotton, which makes it a bad choice for people that have trouble sleeping because of high body temperatures.

Flannel

Even if flannel is considered a standalone fabric, it’s actually cotton, but with more specific properties. Flannel is a warmer version of cotton, being used in manufacturing winter bedding items. Its main characteristic is trapping body heat, helping the sleeper feel warm and cozy throughout the entire night. It is not recommended for hot summer nights, either for people who also tend to sleep hot during the winter as well.

Linen

Linen is a word that was typically used to describe the most popular bed sheets. However, linen is actually a fabric that comes from flax and used to create comfortable and durable sheets. Linen is used as a standalone fabric, but it’s sometimes combined with cotton, creating a very smooth and breathable blend. Because of their durability, they are often the favorite choice of parents whose toddlers are bed sheet menaces.

Polyester

Polyester bed sheets provide pretty much the same feel as polyester clothes. When you consider the fact that they are made with polymers identical to those used to make plastic bottles, it makes sense why the fabric generally feels very uncomfortable. People who want to buy polyester sheets should look into blends, like that between cotton and polyester. This makes the sheets left stiff and eliminate some of that “sandpaper” feel.

Silk

Without a doubt, silk sheets have a very luxurious feel to them. There are many other blends out there that try to imitate the cool and smooth feel of silk, but most of them fail to do so. Silk has always been considered a romantic fabric, but always keep in mind that its feel, hypoallergenic properties, cooling features, and pleasing texture, all come at a pretty premium price.

Blends

When you hear the term “blend”, manufacturers are often referring to a combination of polyester and cotton. However, as the market evolved, the possibilities of blending other materials have also expanded, so you can now find more ingenious bed sheet blends, looking to bring to front the advantages of different types of fabrics.

Flannel Sheets 101

Now that we’ve established the beauty that is a flannel sheet during cold winter nights, let’s take a deeper look into the other advantages of purchasing sheets made with this amazing fabric.

Flannel Sheets Are Soft

And this is just one of their advantages. Because of how they’re made, these bed sheets are characterized by a brushed nap that’s visible on both sides of the material. When pressed against the skin, flannel feels very soft. Alongside this softness, they also make sleepers feel very cozy, almost as if the fabric is cuddling their skin.

Flannel Sheets Are Breathable

What’s very interesting about flannel is that, despite the fact that it’s a warm fabric, it’s also a very breathable one. Since flannel sheets have a brushed surface, it helps the fabric retain body heat, keeping you warm during the entire night. However, the fabric allows air to pass through its surface, typically preventing people from waking up from feeling too hot. Just like cotton, flannel can also wick away moisture, which means that you shouldn’t feel thermal discomfort.

Flannel Sheets Are Easy to Care For

As you know, cotton sheets are easy to care for. With flannel sheets, things are pretty much the same. Flannel is generally washed in cold or warm water and dried in a warmer dryer setting. Because flannel is a fabric subject to pilling (when little round balls are formed on the surface of the fabric), you should consider hanging them out to dry instead of using the actual dryer. This could help reduce some of that pilling.

Cool tip: By adding half a cup of vinegar to the first washing cycle of your flannel sheets, you can help the color set, and also prevent pilling. Avoid using fabric softener, as it can make the fabric stiff.

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Bottom Line

There are tons of reasons why organic flannel sheets are better than most alternatives. We already know that flannel is soft, feel cozy, cuddly, smooth, warm, and extremely comfortable. Now, imagine that to top it all off, it’s also environmentally friendly, chemical free, toxin free, dye free. Yes, those are pretty much the qualities of organic flannel sheets.

They make the perfect winter companion, are easy to clean and, despite the fact that pilling happens with every model you purchase, they are still quite durable. People that don’t sleep hot use them even during the summer, because the material brushes softly against the skin. They are an awesome alternative to the crisp and almost rugged sheets sold by other manufacturers.