I will watch this with interest. I've been looking for a 100% cotton mattress pad...ordered one and it came with polyester fill! Sheesh!

With organic, people think it's just the way the cotton is grown. That is part of it but a small part. The biggest issue for sheets is in the dyeing and finishing. That's where all the chemicals are used. Some sheets actually also have a chemical coating to make them feel smoother.

A lot of the finishing chemicals get washed out when sheets are
laundered before use. Some wash out over time. Others are used in
treating the cotton fibers.

So if you're going organic, and it says "100% organic cotton" that's one thing. But the sheeting itself would need to be milled in a global certified mill. Here is the info for that from Coyuchi's website:

"This product is certified to meet the Global Organic Textile Standard
[GOTS], the toughest organic-textile standard in the world. To obtain
the GOTS "organic" label, a product:

• Must contain at least 95% organic fiber.
• Must not be treated with bleach, formaldehyde or any other toxic substances.
• Must be colored with non-toxic dyes.
• Must be produced in mills that enforce strict social and
  environmental standards, treating their employees and the earth with
  deep respect.

GOTS certification means that this product meets the very highest
standards from the field to the factory to your home. For more
information on GOTS, click here.

"Unless sheeting is GOTS certified (I just bought some towels which are) I wouldn't pay extra for organic. Coyuchi's towels are GOTS certified, but not the sheets. But they are specialists.

Here is a 220 count percale with good reviews: https://www.coyuchi.com/220-percale.html

And a 300 thread count percale: https://www.coyuchi.com/300-percale-sheet-sets.html

All the organic Boll and Branch sheets are sateen weave -- or at least I didn't see any percale. So if you dislike sateen, and want percale, I wouldn't go there.

As we know, thread count can be tricky as there are no standards and no verification. IOW it's basically marketing. I did a lot of research on sheet quality and it is all provided by retailers who are not buying from the mill.

Also little information as there are no U.S. owned mills that produced sheeting any longer. It's all done overseas.

I know that using a flat sheet as a bottom sheet appears to be returning. Of course, hotels do that and I just cannot stand it as the sheets work loose and bunch up. I would measure my mattress and buy bottom sheets that fit. And when replacing a mattress be sure it doesn't create problems.

Anyone who isn't going organic might want to look at Cuddledown's percale. It's Italian made (considered the top manufacturing source), of Egyptian cotton with mercerized thread. Mercerized is something I always look for after wearing mercerized cotton nightgowns. Mercerization gives cotton a sheen but it also makes it feel very smooth -- both excellent qualities for percale.

I've been to Cuddledown in Maine and have owned their duvet and pillows for more than 20 years. They have excellent service. Two years ago I sent my king duvet back to them for refilling -- price was reasonable and the woman in charge of that was like an old friend after we finished speaking.

http://www.cuddledown.com/itemdy00.aspx?ID=68,3232&T1=Z3750+369+30+02

Thanks - just got in a little while ago - a lot of information here - I'll have to spend more time digesting this after work tomorrow!

Wow. There's a big difference (a generation or more) between "sheets" and "linens". I'm begging the wife for "linens".

Please honey? Please?

Linens

rococogurl, we visited a favorite B&B in Wyoming on our vacation and I fell in love with their sheets. Took a peek and they were from Cuddledown. They were the hem-stitched organic cotton sheets, but I'm taking a look at the percale sheets too as they are generally my favorites. These were laundry-pressed with a very lightweight down blanket between 2 flat sheets. A heavenly bed. Thank you for your recommendation of Cuddledown.

@outside - always glad to pass info along.

Glad to know I'm not the only one that likes percale sheets. Yeas ago you could keep a sheet for many years and it would just get softer and softer. They'd almost fee "creamy." Re: real linen - be prepared to spend megabucks for the real stuff!