The best linen sheets of 2021 are a new type of sheet made from a special blend of materials. These sheets have been designed for better performance and durability, but they also come with a price tag that is twice as high as the average price.
The best linen sheets on amazon is a popular article that has been written by an author who has tried and tested many different types of linens.
CNN —
Linen sheets are more costly than cotton sheets, with a median price of about $200. However, the higher price is justified by the fabric’s quality and workmanship, which may last many years longer than cotton.
To discover the best linen sheets on the market, we washed, dried, made our bed, and ran a slew of other tests (shown below) on a total of 10 different linen sheet sets. One general remark (sorry, no apology!): Every sheet set on this list received excellent ratings for overall comfort and quality. After several wash cycles, none of them pilled or exhibited damage. When compared to standard cotton sheets, they all offered a better night’s sleep. As a result, subtleties like softness, value, and, in one instance, the possibility to purchase individual sheets determined the winners. Finally, after many nights of sleep, we discovered that the following four sheet sets are the best:
Overall, the best linen sheets
The linen sheets from Parachute were, by a slim margin, our favorite set, with the most varied purchasing choices (six sizes, nine colors, and the opportunity to buy individual sheets).
Runner-up
Citizenry sheets are a master lesson in elegant relaxation, thick and sturdy but yet breathable and comfortable. These are a socially aware purchase that feel wonderful in more ways than one, woven at a mill in Portugal using French flax and manufactured in a fair-trade setting.
Linen sheets of the highest quality
These Brooklinen linens were really the softest, providing a luxurious sleep experience. These felt like a second skin from the first touch, being both high-end and properly worn in.
The most cost-effective linen sheets
The Amazon Simple&Opulence sheets were half the price of some of the most costly sets we examined, yet they were just as comfortable and stylish. These were warm, cuddly, and inviting right out of the package.
Parachute
Set of Parachute Linen Sheets
One of the first sets we tried was Parachute, which was a great introduction to both luxury and linen bedding. They come in a large cardboard square with a hinge cover, prompting the question, “Is it my birthday?” Each piece of linen is packed in its own tiny bag produced in a family-owned business in northern Portugal from the same European flax as the contents. (Several of the premium linen products we evaluated were produced in Portugal, which has a thriving textile sector.) Each bag is tied with thick twine, giving the entire ensemble a breezy, nautical air, as if you were sleeping on a tiny boat tonight.
With these sheets, making the bed was a breeze. We’ve previously battled with tight-fitting cotton sheets, pondering why bed-making must be so difficult. The parachute linens were spacious without being baggy. They’re as comfortable as a well-worn linen button-down on the bed. We initially tried them out on a hot summer night, and the sheets were both comfortable and sturdy. If it seems unsettling, imagine the opposite: cold, light, and luxurious. The first thing that sprang to us was that we felt as if we were sleeping on a cloud.
The parachute sheets softened a little and crumpled a lot after a journey through the washing machine and dryer. By the nature of linen as a fabric, all of these linens did. The sheets have a rich, upmarket feel even when unironed and kept in their natural, wrinkled condition. Parachute linens are also Oeko-Tex-certified, which means they pass a set of tests for environmental safety in manufacturing, much like the majority of the brands we examined.
Apart from the clean ease and simplicity of the white parachute sheets we examined — several of our sets were basic and elegant — the a la carte shopping aspect was one factor that pushed them over the top into the winner category. “We sell the top sheet separately since 40% of Americans sleep without one,” says the Parachute website. Fitted sheets and pillows are also available separately, and this convenience, which provides customers with choices, is critical to a superior user experience. Parachute sheets are also available in six different sizes (twin; twin XL, which adds four inches of length; full; queen; king; and California king, which also adds four inches of length but reduces width by four inches). There are more sizes than any other brand we tried, and they come in a variety of soothing hues.
This amount of choice, along with a highly beautiful and luxurious sleep experience, propelled Parachute to the top of our list.
Citizenry
Citizenry
It’s tough to put a runner-up title on something that gave us so much joy. The linen bed sheets from Citizenry are made from French flax and woven in a fair-trade atmosphere in a family-run mill in Portugal. And the unpacking was lovely: the sheets come in a bag made of the same material as the sheets and fastened with a gray linen drawstring. Our linens were a sienna hue, and their arrival at the end of summer signaled the arrival of fall and colder temperatures. Plus, the bedding smelt wonderful, like when you go into a high-end home shop and smell a luxurious candle burning.
When we first opened the package, we observed that the top sheet and pillow both had a beautiful perforated hem, making the whole bed presentation seem more special. These are a sturdier, thicker choice than some of the others we tried, so they should work well in the colder months. These sheets felt heavy without an air conditioner blasting directly upon us in the middle of summer, so they wouldn’t be our first choice for hot sleepers. They were so comfortable in a more temperature-controlled room that we didn’t want to get out of bed.
These lovelies softened considerably after only one wash, making them even more cuddly. And the Citizenry brand is appealing: they go to each place where they source products and collaborate with local craftsmen to create a small-batch product utilizing local resources, which they then sell directly to the customer.
The sheets are available in a variety of colors: There are ten neutral hues to choose from, including charcoal and graphite stripe. For a number of reasons, they finished close behind the champions in terms of points: They’re only available in four sizes (full size, queen size, king size, and Cali king size), and since they were wider sheets, they bagged a little on both sides of our queen-size bed. Having said that, we wouldn’t mind sleeping in these sheets all fall long.
If you’re looking for a more substantial sheet produced in collaboration with local craftsmen, Citizenry offers many of choices.
Brooklinen
Sheets made of brooklinen
The linen sheets from Brooklinen came into a different category than many of the other sets, one that can only be described as buttery. Brooklinen came fully worn in, even fresh new, unlike many of the others we tried. It wasn’t stiff or starchy like many of the others we tested. The unpacking is entertaining, as if you’re receiving something special. The sheets are wrapped in a lovely starched white bag and come in a nice striped cardboard box with a plastic handle. A cute cream tote bag with “Brooklinen” printed in several classic typefaces is included as a bonus with purchase.
Now for the product itself: these sheets are the epitome of softness. It’s very relaxing. It’s so engulfing. So gooey. (They’re manufactured in Portugal using 100% French and Belgian linen and are Oeko-Tex certified for chemical safety.) We kind of melted into them in a pleasant manner. They felt like they’d been cleaned and rewashed hundreds of times, already reaching that texture, and they were our favorites based on our sleeping experience alone.
For a few minor reasons, we didn’t choose them as the ultimate winner: Individual sheets are not available; they are only available in four sizes (full, queen, king, and Cali king); and they did not fit the bed as well as some of the others, particularly the Parachute. However, each side of the fitted sheets is labeled “Short” or “Long,” so you don’t have to spend time figuring out which end fits where (an exercise we did a lot of during the last two months). Also included are “envelope closures,” which neatly punctuate your cushion so it isn’t visible beyond the cover. These envelope closures were available on a couple manufacturers, which was a feature we didn’t realize we needed.
Brooklinen is ready to engulf you in comfort if you prefer pure softness over a coarser fiber product. We wouldn’t mind sleeping on them every night for the rest of our lives.
Amazon
Simple&Opulence 100 percent Washed Linen Sheet Set from Amazon
These were less than half the price of some of the most high-end sheet sets we examined, but they didn’t seem like a slap in the face. They are wrapped in a bundle with a cotton ribbon, as if they were a little present box. They’re instantly appealing after they’ve been opened. We kept wanting to roll about in them or take additional naps throughout the day since they were cold and silky and felt good against our skin.
They also fit the bed tightly, which was beneficial during bed-making and resulted in a cleaner-looking end product than some of the others. The top sheet and pillowcases have a decorative hem, and the Simple&Opulence sheets are available in four sizes (twin, full, queen, and king) and seven colors (two whites, four grays, and a purple), but you can’t buy single replacements.
This is a really pleasing set of linens for less than $150. While the sheets were not as lavish or unique as some of the other sets with unique features or touches, they were still high-quality, long-lasting bedding that was well worth the money.
Simple&Opulence is a more than solid choice that delivers on comfort if you don’t require the fanciest packaging or the prestige that a premium brand may offer.
We put ten sets of linen sheets to the test based on two main criteria: quality and diversity. We took careful notes as we unboxed each set (and for some of the more artfully packaged sets, the unboxing was a fun exercise in itself), made a bed with the sheets, slept on them right out of the package, washed and dried them in the dryer, and reapplied them to the same bed and slept on them multiple times. We took note of how they felt to touch, tossing, sleeping, and waking up, as well as how they felt after washing and reuse.
The look and feel
- How they feel when they’re not in the box: Do they have a smooth or a rough texture? Is it better to be thick or thin? Is it more luxurious or flimsy? We assessed each set of sheets’ unpacking on a tactile level, asking the following questions: In your hands, how do they feel? Is this something you’d want on your bedside table and against your skin?
- How comfortable do they feel to sleep on? We noted if the sheets were soft, stiff, cold, light, heavy, or durable on each pair. Finally, how they influenced a night’s sleep.
- We assessed whether the sheets softened significantly after washing and drying, as well as the wrinkle factor. (Note: All of them had a significant wrinkle factor after being dried without ironing.)
- We evaluated whether each set felt durable after repeated washing and drying cycles, and if the sheets started to pill, rip, or deteriorate in any way. (Note: During our testing, none of these high-quality products degraded in any way.)
- Fit on bed: With each pair of sheets, we made at least one bed and evaluated how well they fit, noting whether they were tight or loose, gapping or drooping.
Options
- Number of sizes: For each sheet brand, we counted how many distinct sizes were available (they all included at least full, queen and king, and those that offered twin, California king or other specialized sizes were awarded higher scores).
- Colors: We recorded how many colors each sheet set was available in; some were only available in three or four colors, while others had as many as 15.
- Individual sheet and pillowcase replacements: We looked at whether you can purchase replacement sheets and pillowcases for each set for customers who need them, wish to mix and match colors or designs, or just don’t want or need a top sheet, for example.
Soft Washed Pure Linen Sheet Set by Saphyr (beginning at $279; saphyrhome.com)
The flower that blooms on the flax plant that generates linen fibers is known as saphyr, and this product, made entirely of French linen, does truly feel fresh.
The sheets are wrapped in Saphyr-logoed tissue paper and packed in zipped individual squares. The colors are subtle and elegant, and the top sheet and pillowcase have a frayed edge that sets them apart from any other set we examined. These took us to an effortlessly elegant summer castle in Provence, like an anti-modern version of a linen sheet – sumptuous without trying too hard. Saphyr is a wonderfully pleasant little brand to support, with sheets available in four sizes (full, queen, king, and California king) and five colors (Fresh White, Calming Cream, Blissful Blue, Simply Natural, and Peaceful Pink) and sold separately. With the exception of its somewhat higher price point, Saphyr came in a close second to our runner-up, but if supporting a tiny business is essential to you, we heartily recommend this one.
Linen Sheet Set With Pillowcases by Cultiver (beginning at $325; cultiver.com)
The contents of this package — a beautiful muted gray linen bag packed with a linen sheet set — smelt oddly like fresh oranges when we opened it. We’re not sure whether this was done on purpose or as a result of accidental delivery, but we loved it. The linens were very comfortable to sleep on. Cool, soft, and comfortable. It’s more of a rigid variant than other of the “softer” alternatives. They softened a bit after washing, as did all of these sets, and they were a good fit for the bed.
Cultiver linen sheets come in four sizes and four colors, but you can purchase flat and top sheets separately, which is a bonus for a la carte buyers, and the separates come in 14 — 14! — hues, including the less anticipated indigo stripe, navy, and bluestone, giving you an embarrassment of choices (and we love being embarrassed by options). As the printed literature that comes with the sheets states, they are made from 100 percent European flax and are obviously a high-quality linen. These provided a fantastic and unforgettable user experience, but their price tag of over $300 kept them out of our top three.
Garment Washed Linen Solid Sheets from Lands’ End (beginning at $224.95; landsend.com)
We appreciate Lands’ End clothing because of its design and pricing, as well as its linen bedding. They weren’t as luxury or high-end-feeling as other of the more boutique bedding companies, which is one of the few reasons they didn’t get a higher rating, but they held their own. They arrive in a plastic wrapper that is folded neatly but lacks the packaging bells and whistles that boutique brands have.
These linens felt soft, thick, and worn in right out of the package, as if they’d been cleaned a few times, and we mean that in a good way. They were extremely pleasant to sleep in, but not as melty as the ones we ultimately ranked higher, and they did become even softer after a few washes.
Lands’ End has linen sheets in four sizes (twin, full, queen, and king) in five colors (light aqua, pewter, white, pale rose, and rosette), as well as the option of having them monogrammed in one of seven typefaces for $16, which is a fun option for those who like to monogram (one that no other brand appeared to offer, and for which we awarded a couple extra points).
Smooth Linen by Rough Linen (beginning at $297, formerly $330; roughlinen.com)
When we first touched these sheets, we were taken aback. They were firm, almost starched, which helped them live up to their brand name, but the roughness made them seem more refined. They were really very comfy and not at all uncomfortable to sleep on, but they did retain their firmness.
The Rough Linen sheets, on the other hand, softened considerably after only one wash. Like a beloved garment, these sheets felt like linens you could sleep in, wash, dry, and sleep in again for years to come.
They’re available in six sizes: regular, California king, and Supersize, a 125-inch-by-125-inch sheet that’s 9 inches deeper than a California king, as well as five colors (sky, light gray, natural, pure white, and ivory), and you can buy each linen replacement separately. The brand’s limited color palette and higher beginning price were the main reasons we didn’t include these sheets among our top favorites.
Belgian Flax Linen Sheet Set by West Elm (beginning at $160, originally $200; westelm.com)
West Elm, like Lands’ End, offers a beautiful linen sheet set made from Belgian flax and woven at a fair-trade facility. These fall within the stiff/rough category, similar to Rough Linen, which gives them a more high-end feel. Unlike several of the other sets, which gaped around the edges, they fit the bed easily and neatly.
The texture, on the other hand, seemed stiff at times; on our first night on them, and another after one washing cycle, West Elm’s pillowcases felt nearly scratchy against our faces. These are available in five different sizes (twin, full, queen, king, and California king) and nine different hues, including terra cotta, dark amber, and sand yellow. Individual replacement sheets are not available, which is one of the reasons they were not given a better rating, coupled with their texture. However, additional pillowcases are available.
Snowe Home Linen Sheet Set ($300; snowehome.com)
The Snowe linen set is constructed from Italian linen woven from Belgian flax, and the sheets have a luxurious feel to them. They were both soft and cold, which contributed to a restful night’s sleep. Snowe, on the other hand, lost a few important points in the areas of comfort and packaging when compared to this outstanding bunch. The sheets are lovely, however they came in a spare package, wrapped in transparent plastic and then black tissue paper with a tiny brand label. This isn’t a flaw, but considering that the majority of the other sets arrived nicely wrapped with either a lovely personal message or thoughtful written information about usage and maintenance, this absence made this package seem a little less unique.
We noted that the material felt a bit scratchy on our legs on our first night on the Snowe, and that after one washing and drying cycle, the sheets felt a little firmer. Finally, they are only available in three colors: basic white, ash gray, and slate blue. While all three are beautiful, when compared to some of the companies that have up to 15 color options, three seems a little restricted. They come in four sizes (full, queen, king, and California king), but there are no new top or fitted sheets available; instead, two pillowcases for $90 are offered.
More from CNN Underscored’s hands-on testing may be found here:
The best linen sheets wirecutter is a website that reviews and ranks the best products of each category. This year, they ranked the best linen sheets of 2021.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best quality linen sheets?
The best quality linen sheets are those that are made out of 100% pure linen. These sheets will be the most comfortable and softest for you to sleep on.
What are the best sheets for 2021?
The best sheets for 2021 are the ones that have a lot of elasticity, are soft to the touch, and are made from natural materials.
Are linen sheets the best?
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