Percale is a more crisp cotton, while sateen has a more silky feel. Percale would be "cooler", a good summer sheet.

The key to getting good sheets is to get 100% cotton with NO anti-wrinkle treatment. For bedding, get pure fibers with nothing added. So, 100% cotton for sheets and 100% cotton or wool, or a blend of the two, for blankets. Cotton and wool really are temperature regulators, which is why they are so much more comfortable for sleeping.

Check out Peacock Alley. Also, eBay. Search for 100% cotton sheets, blankets, wool blankets. Vintage sheets are wonderful because they were 100% and wrinkled! If it says wrinkle resistant, don't get it.

The other key is if you have a clothesline, if it's above 40 degrees and sunny, hang your sheets to dry. They're crips and smell amazing, freshâ¦it really makes a difference. Plus you save energy and on your electric bill. If you do want to do that, I can recommend a great clothespin bag!
Otherwise take them out of the dryer the second its done to cut down on wrinkling. Your body heat with de-wrinkle the sheets.

Look for long staple cotton. Just having Egyptian cotton doesn't necessarily mean that the fibers are long. Sheets made with long fibers are less likely to pill, shrink and split.

Thread count is only one aspect to consider. I'll link an informative article below about sheet buying below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Real Simple Article

I have to disagree about 100% cotton, not-anti-wrinkle being the best. They may be fine when they're very fresh, and the bed is freshly made, but I hate getting up in the morning, and the sheets are all wrinkled and crumpled looking until you wash them again.
My personal favorite is a cotton rich blend with polyester. At least 60% cotton, but more is better. For me they have the fresh quality of cotton, but they stay fresh looking.
Additionally, even a little bit of polyester keeps the colors vivid and new looking for a long time. Unless you're using pale solid color sheets, they will fade out in a short time.

Hi, OP here. Thank you for postings so far. I went to BBB and a few stores locally and "felt" egyptian and other kinds of cottons. Percale is offically out for me (though I know DH would love it -- may be someone would make half percale half sateen sheets? Hahaha).

One thing that struck me is, to me, Damask Weave feels the best. It may be because of its unique pattern of stripes - and generally they are sateen, but plain sateen versus damask sateen compared, damask feels smoother. Any reasons for this?

Also, it's true that thread count does not matter, however I did feel a definite thin-ness below 400 TC. I think 600-800 would be awesome. I already have a 1500 sheet at home and it's fine, although over 800 TC, there is no added benefit, just number and cost. Any thoughts?

Get whatever you like in twin sheets, one damask weave and one percale, and sew them together! ;-)

To me, the most important thing for comfort in sleeping is body temperature, hence my suggestion that bedding be 100% natural fibers with no additives, because it is what breathes.

Tibbrix - yes I am a big fan of natural fibers too. So my consideration so far has been 100% cotton. I do love linen but I'm not sure if I will actually feel "cold" in them in winter. So old fashioned cotton it is for me!

It's such a personal thing...some people like saten, microfiber, linen, etc and some don't. My preference is percale...like we had growing up, but you just can't seem to find them new anymore, only vintage.

Check Cuddledown for blankets.

I like my new Veratex sheet set. They wash and wear well, feel just as nice as my Frette and Sferra, and are made in America.

My favorite is Pottery Barn Classic 400 Thread Count sheets.
100% pure cotton percale.

Here is a link that might be useful: PB Classic Sheets

We love Costco's Kirkland 100% cotton sateen sheets. Fine and smooth but not slippery or shiny, high quality fabric, well made, comes out of the dryer nearly wrinkle-free. Since it's from Costco you can return it if you don't like it or it doesn't wear as it should. I have some Charisma items but would opt for Kirkland over Charisma in this instance.

I have tried only one Overstock sheet set, a made-in-America cotton, but it tore within a few months.

It's really a very personal choice, it's more than just good quality, it is also preference. I love Company Store 5 oz Flannel Sheets for my winter bedding. I do not like cotton Sateen and it doesnt matter the quality, I just don't like the polished feel of cotton sateen. I love percale. These are the sheets of my childhood- cold, crisp.

Agree with Laurie: PB sheets are great.

This is a boxers-or-briefs? kind of thing. Percale or sateen (or another). I'm a percale girl; give me cool, crisp, and wrinkled, fresh off a clothesline.

One more suggestion to check out Pottery Barn. Last year I was on a quest to replace some beloved original Charisma sheets. I tried new Charisma, pure linen, and Thomas Lee percale. Meh. I was at Pottery Barn and needed some reasonably priced sheets for a guest bed and decided to check out the sheets. When I ran my hands over the single-ply 300 thread count, I was amazed. The website says they're sateen, but they're light and so smooth. And in my opinion, anyway, not at all slinky or slippery. Just smooth and cool.

Well, they've since found their way from the guest bedroom to my bed. I've washed them several times now, and they seem to be holding their nice feel. They do wrinkle. And the size isn't as generous as I'd like -- I'm using king top sheets on my queen bed, but am about to switch to a king bed and then I'm afraid the sheets will seem skimpy.

I find myself waking up in the morning and thinking, "ahhhh, these sheets feel wonderful." Haven't done that since the old Charisma days. Good luck with your search.

nutherokie, you can probably find original Charisma sheets, new in package, on eBay.

I love vintage sheets.

I'm a PeachSkinSheets fanatic! They keep you cool and dry with moisture wicking and breathability, are unbelievably soft (but not crisp, so if you prefer a crisp texture these would not be for you), don't wrinkle, don't get rolly pollies (pill), and are not slippery like sateen. Just love them and they are under $100. I get them here in Atlanta at North Point Mall, but if you're not lucky enough to live in the Peach state, you can get them online too.

Here is a link that might be useful: PeachSkinSheets.com

Check out Macy's Hotel Collection 600TC Egyptian Cotton sheets. They are a sateen but not too silky. Insanely expensive but I buy mine on Ebay. Charisma & HC were the only fitted sheets that would fit my thick mattress. I've since bought the HC 600 TC for all my beds. I love Thomas Lee pillowcases, ironed, crisp & cool.
My mid-life crisis was obsessing over finding the perfect sheets (subjective) & carpet cleaning (elderly dog). Once I figured out I needed a truck mount carpet cleaning setup, I gave that one up.

Since bed sheets are now manufactured overseas only there is no consumer information. If you search for information from magazines and retailers and read enough of it you find a lot is just recycled.

Here is an article on Making Sense of Buying Bed Sheets that lays out what's important and how to evaluate what you're buying. It includes some insider information on thread count. Understanding some of the basics and what to look for, plus understanding whether you prefer percale or sateen weaves are all helpful.