Bedding: What Is the Difference Between Cotton and Percale?

When you choose bed linen, you have several options, such as cotton or percale. But do you know the difference between the two? We’ll explain it to you.

The characteristics of cotton

To understand the difference between cotton and percale, you have to look at the characteristics of each fabric. First, percale and cotton are both cotton. Now, let’s focus on cotton. Cotton is a fine fabric made from the fibers of the cotton plant. It is a soft and light material. Pleasant to the touch, it is highly appreciated for bed linen. Standard cotton weave has 57 threads/cm². Very high-quality cotton sheets can have up to 80 threads/cm². Beyond that, we call it cotton percale.

The characteristics of percale

Percale is not a material, but a cotton weaving process. That is why it is called cotton percale. Closely woven, it contains at least 80 threads/cm², which makes it a smooth and soft fabric. A high-quality fabric, percale is woven with the longest cotton fibers. The threads are woven one by one, with a horizontal thread passing perpendicularly over a vertical thread. This process makes the fabric stronger and more durable. You notice this quality quickly when touching a percale duvet cover.

The advantages of cotton and percale

For standard cotton, its main advantage is its value for money. Moreover, like percale, cotton is a natural material that does not irritate the skin and is therefore suitable for the whole family. Light and pleasant to the touch, cotton is easy to maintain; it can be washed without any problem at high temperatures. You are surely wondering what the difference in quality is between cotton and percale? The answer is simple: thanks to a tighter weave, cotton percale is of better quality, more robust, and resists use and washing longer. Investing in cotton percale is the assurance of keeping your bed linen longer. Percale is also easier to iron; thanks to its structure, it resists creases better and wrinkles less quickly than cotton.

Percale and cotton, what are the differences?

As we have seen, it is the number of threads per cm² that makes the difference between cotton or percale sheets. But you should also know that percale is not always 100% cotton fabric. Indeed, cotton can be mixed with polyester or another material. Here are some differences:

• Percale is more breathable than cotton because it is made with finer fibers, making it ideal for summer.
• Standard cotton is cheaper than percale.
• Standard percale is woven with about 80 threads/cm²; there is also luxurious cotton percale, woven with 120 threads/cm².