Honorary mention
We have tested dozens of cooling paper. Here are some other options we like, but not as good as the above options.
Bed Bamboo Cooling Paper Set, priced at $60: These bamboo sheets are the best affordable sheets we found, although not as cool as our preferred ones.
Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Table, priced at $189: These are a great set of cooling papers that give them a super crisp feel. I prefer a soft set that keeps you just as cool, but these are a great option if you like the crispy touch.
Brooklinen Washed Line Core Set for $359: These sheets are beautiful linens, but they are rougher than the other linens we recommend and I slept cooler on the top picks. I’m currently testing an updated version of this table and will update this story as soon as possible on my notes.
Cariloha Classic Bamboo Paper Set $239: This is a nice bamboo sheet set that also does a great job of cooling properties as well as our favorite bamboo. The above collection is lighter, but it’s also a safe purchase. Cariloha’s retreat sheets ($339), also come with a fixed belt if you have a high mattress.
Citizen gypsum board priced at $299: These citizens’ linens are the linens I absolutely love. They are breathable and are the softest linen I’ve ever tried. They feel heavier than the sheets of pottery barns, even though they weigh 160 grams per square meter.
COP COMPHY PERCALE watch, priced at $179: Like Brooklinen, these are great fur sheets with a more classic and clearer feel, which makes sense because the chicken coop has the sheets designed like the linens in the hotel. They are great, but you have fewer color options than Brooklinen.
Comfortable Earth Bamboo Bed, priced at $330: These sheets are so soft that I love the icy cold when you climb onto the bed. But they are thicker than the thickness above and they warm up after lying in them for more than 10 minutes. These are the sheets I use year-round, but I still like eTtitude and nuzzie on hotter nights.
Luxome Bamboo Luxury sheets for $185: These bamboo slices are soft and cool, but they are heavier than we wanted compared to the rest of our selections. They are still a great bamboo, though.
My sheets rock regulator paper for $199: These bamboo slices are cool and smooth. I didn’t wake up and sweat, but I didn’t wake up as I expected.
$549 NaturalPedic Pedicic Organic Linen Kit: These sheets are heavier while still staying cool and breathable, but they are hugely invested and not as soft as our other suggestions.
Parachute poker paper set for $269: This is another nice percale set, but it’s a little expensive compared to others we tried and liked. Wired reviewer Julian Chokkattu said they said it was a good reward for his dog, but other wired staff said the newer sheets did not last.
pom pom at Home Bamboo Sateen set for $368: The bamboo slices are nice and not too heavy, but cost more than the coolest set I’ve ever tried.
Pure Parima Ultra Percale watch, priced at $230: These Egyptian cotton papers are softer than most other percale, they are breathable and super comfortable. They are more like splurges, but not the most expensive Percale out there.
Wood and bamboo sheets are priced at $130: These sheets feel much better than the price suggests, they are silky, cool and good for their weight. Not as breathable as our preferred choice, but still great.
REST EVERCOOR Cooling Tables are priced at $299: The sheets are super smooth and cold, but the top layer ends up making me feel hot even when I was tested in the spring. But if the cooling and antibacterial techniques in these sheets sound like your alley on your alley, you can skip the top floor and save $90.
The Riley Percale watch set is priced at $260: These percale sheets are beautiful and crispy, but expensive. They are great sheets, but we were delighted with the cheaper choices recommended or the pure Parima sheets above.
SAATVA PERCALE watch, priced at $205: The set is a bit expensive, but only has 200 thread counts, making these threads a hyper-light set. Even with such light paper, it still sleeps softly and comfortably.
Skip the sheets
There are fools when you test a lot of sheets. Avoid using these cooling papers.
Casper Hyperlite watch, priced at $139: These sheets are made of Tencel Lyocell to keep them cool. They are also very thin and provide good airflow. They sleep coolly, but after a few washes, they lose their softness and feel too thin to last longer.
Coop Coolspa set for $179: These nylon sheets are very soft, but my husband and I both woke up while we were sleeping.
Thuma linen is priced at $315: These linens are very lightweight, but after just a few washes, one of the pillowcases cracked at the joints, so I wouldn’t splurge on those.
Anything with high thread count: Many people think that higher thread counts mean better sheets, stopping completely. But this is not the complete story. Higher thread counts make heavier, breathable sheets smaller, so if you run warm you need to skip the thread count. When I want to keep it cool at night, I tend to use 300 thread count paper, and 400 is the highest I usually go. Not all sheets contain thread counts, but missing thread counts usually mean it isn’t enough to brag (but in this case, that’s a good thing!)
FAQ
What makes the sheets cool?
There are many terms in the world of cooling plates and cooling mattresses. Temperature regulation! Air flows! Wet wick! Phase change material! In most cases, these features are back to the breathability of the sheets. Breathability means moisture can evaporate better, and “temperature regulation” often means that the sheets are breathable enough to release heat and moisture from your body.
What makes the sheets breathable? Cotton, linen and bamboo have great breathability, but not all sheets are made equally so the material alone is not guaranteed. Weavingjust like a pair of threads in Percale and one-third of the threads in Sateen, weight (Including the number of lines) Bedding starts to work. Higher thread counts are less breathable, and tighter braids will also be less breathable. The yarn inside the fabric is also important, and the degree of twisting it is important – higher twists give the fabric a smoother, cooler feel, while loose twists are not that smooth and can capture heat.
Some companies process it with something called a phase change material or PCM, which is the substance that absorbs and releases energy to heat or cools the area. “PCM creates a microclimate,” said Karen Leonas, a textile science professor at North Carolina State University’s Wilson Textile School. These materials absorb too much body heat and are released into the body when it’s cool.
These treatments can increase the price of cooling paper, but they are not super popular yet, and it is difficult to determine the level of incorporating it into fabrics. “The PCM is tested for thermal rings and has been shown to last for a long time,” Leonus said. “If this is a surface treatment, some microcapsules may be lost due to wear.” Parima Ijaz, CEO of Pure Parima, agrees and says that these treatments can sometimes only last 10 washes. There are only a few sheets on the market touting their use of PCM, and our guide focuses on breathable materials and weaving rather than these treatments. According to Leonus, it is worth noting that PCM will last longer on foam mattresses. If you are still sweating at night after switching to cooling paper, try cooling the mattress.
I have cooling paper. Why am I still very hot at night?
If you purchased a cooling tablet and are still waking up and sweating, consider the following things:
- Check your other layers: How hot is your bedspread or other blanket on your bed? I prefer to sleep with cooled bedspreads like Buffy’s Cloud Bedspread ($195) to keep them cool at night or sometimes skip the bedspread or blanket altogether.
- Check your mattress: If your mattress retains a lot of heat, then there are only too many sheets to solve for you. Especially a foam mattress can retain a lot of heat, especially memory foam. I really like the organic breathable mattresses on board, but we also have a guide to cooling the mattresses throughout. You can also explore devices like Eight Sleep Pods 3 (7/10, wired recommendation) to help adjust the temperature around the mattress, or add mattress covers with cooling characteristics.
- Check the airflow and temperature in the bedroom: Airflow is an important and powerful thing to keep cool. You may find that you need to add a fan to your bedroom, or add a temperature sensor to your bedroom to remind you of smart thermostats like Nest Learning Thermostat (9/10, wired recommendation) to turn on and cool your bedroom. (Bonus: The nest actually comes with a thermostat and temperature sensor to pair it.)
How do I test cooling paper
I’m sure you can guess: I tested the table by sleeping on it. But of course I’m not just sleeping. I made side-by-side comparisons of different sets to compare weight and breathability. I also spent time sitting in bed and awake. This is different from when you sleep because your temperature drops at night and I want to see if you don’t fall asleep completely, the sheets will warm up. I did all the tests with Buffy’s Cloud Cumforter ($200) or the Bamboo Bedspread of Cozy Earth on top paper ($425), and all the recommended kits above are kept cool and breathable. All sheets are subject to at least three nights of sleep test, usually close to a week, and include twice in my guide to check for any quality issues.
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