Expensive Bed Sheets.

Are Expensive Sheets Worth It?

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If you’re looking to buy a set of high-quality bed sheets then you might be wondering if paying more for expensive sheets is worth it or not.

Expensive bed sheets can be worth the money if they are made from high-quality materials like mulberry silk, Egyptian cotton, bamboo, or linen because they can help to regulate your temperature, keep you dry, soothe your skin, be kinder to your hair, guard against allergies, and last a long time.

The rest of this article compares the pros and cons of different types of expensive bed sheets in more detail to help you find your ideal choice with greater ease.

Alternatively: see the 7 best luxury bed sheets to buy online now.

Expensive Bed Sheets – Pros v Cons

You might think that it’s quite difficult to summarise the pros and cons of expensive bed sheets simply because they can be made from a range of different materials and would therefore differ in their qualities and performance.

And whilst this is true at the most granular level, expensive bed sheets are typically made from the following natural materials:

  • Linen.

This is actually quite convenient because bed sheets made from these fibers actually share very similar pros and cons – which are as follows.

Pros

Here’s a breakdown of the benefits that are typically associated with buying expensive bed sheets that are made from 100% mulberry silk, Egyptian cotton, bamboo, and linen.

Regulates Your Temperature

Some of the best cooling bed sheets are made from raw mulberry silk, bamboo, and Egyptian cotton because these materials are naturally very breathable which allows excess heat to escape.

This can be very good if you tend to sleep hot or need to stay cool in summer.

Interestingly however, these types of sheets are can also warm you up when you feel too cold because they will trap heat to keep you cozy too.

In summary, when buying sheets made from these materials you’re buying a sheet that can be used year-round because of their inherent thermoregulating qualities.

This contrasts with 100% synthetic sheets which tend to be more warming and can make you too hot during the summer months if they’ve not been specifically designed for breathability.

So if you want to be able to sleep comfortably year-round in a range of temperatures or combat the discomfort of sleeping with hot flashes then paying extra for some luxury bed sheets is probably going to be worth it in my opinion.

Keeps You Dry

Bamboo and mulberry silk bed sheets have exceptional moisture wicking properties.

This means that unlike regular cotton sheets that simply absorb sweat and can drench, they actively push excess fluid to the outer part of the sheet where it can evaporate to keep you dry all night.

Interestingly, synthetic sheets made from microfiber are also quite good at wicking away moisture and because they tend to be more warming than cooling then they might be the right choice for you if you have cold sweats at night.

But if you suffer from night sweats, hot flashes, or tend to sleep hot then it’s probably worth paying a little bit more for a top grade mulberry silk or bamboo bed sheet set to find relief.

Good For Your Skin

Luxury bed sheets tend to be very soft.

This means that they’re less likely to irritate your skin – which is great if you have sensitive skin or eczema.

However, pure mulberry sheets are the best sheets for your skin because they contain the ‘sericin’ protein that’s been shown to have anti-ageing properties because it encourages your skin to retain its moisture to help smooth fine lines and wrinkles [1].

So if you’re an age-conscious sleeper then paying more for a mulberry silk bed sheet is definitely worth it in my opinion.

Can Guard Against Allergies

Mulberry silk, Egyptian cotton, and linen sheets are naturally hypoallergenic.

This means that you’re less likely to experience an allergic reaction with the sheets themselves.

This contrasts with synthetic sheets made from the likes of polyester which can trigger a textile allergy in some people and irritate your skin.

Furthermore, silk and Egyptian cotton sheets can resist ambient allergens like pollen and dust mites – making it harder for these irritants to permeate the sheet and cause your allergies to flare up.

So if you have hayfever, a sensitivity to dust mites, eczema, sensitive skin, or even asthma then paying more for a silk or Egyptian cotton bed sheet set is probably worth it.

And these sheets will complement your hypoallergenic mattress perfectly to give you the best chance of sleeping soundly without allergies interfering.

Good For Your Hair

Because silk, Egyptian cotton, and bamboo sheets are so soft, they won’t tangle your hair like cheaper, rougher bed sheets might.

And because mulberry silk sheets encourage your hair to retain their natural oils whilst you sleep, this can help to prevent split ends.

So if you’re fed up of waking up with frizzy, messy hair each morning then it might just be worth it to pay a bit more for a high quality silk sheet set.

Long Lasting

Silk, Egyptian cotton, and bamboo sheets tend to be made with longer staple fibers which results in a stronger and therefore more durable sheet.

Fabrics made with long-staple cotton tend to be more resistant to fraying, pilling, wrinkling, and fading [2].

So if you’re after a bed sheet that’s going to last you many years with the right kind of care, then you should invest in a high quality 100% Egyptian cotton sheet set.

Cons

Here’s some of the common drawbacks to keep in mind when you’re looking to buy the more expensive luxury bed sheets.

Wrinkling

Bed sheets made from Egyptian cotton, linen, and bamboo tend to be prone to wrinkling out of the wash and when drying them.

This is because in the case of cotton, the chemical bonds of the fibers are easily re-configured when the sheet is crumpled up to create wrinkles.

Check out my guide to washing and drying bed sheets wrinkle free to learn how to limit wrinkling.

Extra Care Required

Bed sheets that are made from silk tend to need a little more care when washing and drying them to avoid damaging the fibers.

Such precautions can involve hand washing or machine washing at a very low temperature.

The good news is that many bed sheet manufacturers craft their sheets to make them relatively easy to care for – such as allowing machine washing at a low temperature.

If you’re thinking about buying a mulberry silk sheet set but you’re worried about caring for them then check out my guide to washing silk sheets for more detailed instructions.

Synthetic Blends

So far I’ve only been talking about high end luxury sheets made from 100% Egyptian cotton, mulberry silk, bamboo, and linen.

However, some manufacturers may blend these fibers with synthetic materials to lower the cost of their sheets.

And it’s crucial to note that synthetic blends can significantly alter the properties of the sheets and how they perform.

This can be a good thing in some cases because blending cotton and polyester at a 70:30 ratio can create some of the best wrinkle free bed sheets.

But the introduction of synthetic materials generally means that the sheet will be less breathable, will trap heat more readily, and may even cause textile allergies.

So even though the best synthetic satin bed sheets may look and feel just as luxurious as real silk, they typically lack the temperature regulating qualities of pure mulberry silk sheets.

Are Expensive Sheets Worth the Money?

Based on the pros and cons listed above, I would say that yes – expensive sheets are worth the money if you’re buying 100% pure mulberry silk, Egyptian cotton, linen, or bamboo and you need a bed sheet that is:

  • Good at regulating your temperature year round.
  • Can guard against hot flashes and night sweats.
  • Will keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.
  • Excellent at wicking away moisture to keep you dry.
  • Good for your skin.
  • Can guard against frizzy hair and split ends.
  • Able to guard against allergic reactions.
  • Can limit the chance of ambient allergens like dust mites and pollen from becoming stuck in the sheet that might otherwise cause a flare up.
  • Highly strong, durable, and capable of lasting many years with the right care.

What Are the Best Luxury Bed Sheets For the Money?

Whilst it’s true that paying more can get you the right kind of sheet for your needs – you still need to be careful that you don’t end up paying over the odds.

That’s why if you click the button below, you can see a list of the best luxury bed sheets that are worth the money because they fit specific needs like sleeping cool, guarding against allergies, wicking away moisture, and more.

The list includes mulberry silk, Egyptian cotton, linen, and bamboo sheets.

Click Here to See the Best Luxury Bed Sheets for the Money Now

Sources and References

[1] Wikipedia – Sericin. Accessed 22/2/20.

[2] PimaCott – What’s so Great About Extra-Long Staple Cotton? Accessed 22/2/20.

Image Attribution and Licencing

Main image: ‘Close Up of Large Luxury Bed’ by DAPA Images – used with permission under the terms of Canva’s One Design Use License Agreement.