By Bed Threads Bedding 16.09.2020

How We Landed on Cotton vs Bamboo

Cotton vs. bamboo: learn how the two materials stack up, and why we chose organic cotton for our new collection.

Bamboo sheets are similar to cotton in that they’re often considered alternatives to linen.

But how do the two compare, and why did we choose to use cotton for our new collection rather than bamboo?

Read on to learn a bit about each material and how they compare when it comes to bedding.

Temperature regulation

When it comes to sleeping well, temperature regulation is an important factor. The aim is to opt for bedding that is insulating enough to keep you cosy but breathable enough that you don’t wake up feeling sweaty.

Ultimately, fabric plays a big role in how well sheets are able to regulate temperature, and in this category, cotton beats bamboo.

Like our much-loved original linen line, our organic cotton collection offers the same temperature-regulating benefits in ways that bamboo doesn’t.

Cotton is a highly breathable material, and when used in high-quality weaves such as percale, it’s excellent at temperature regulation. This makes it a comfortable, reliable choice all year round.

Cotton is also highly absorbent and moisture-wicking, which helps to prevent night sweats and keeps hot sleepers cool during the night.

While bamboo viscose is also well-known for its breathability and temperature regulation, these benefits depend on the weave and quality of the fabric. Bamboo is often blended with synthetic fibres or denser fabric weaves, which can trap heat and moisture, making it the less comfortable choice between the two for warmer climates.

Look and feel

While cotton and bamboo are popular fabric options when it comes to bedding, the two look and feel quite different.

Cotton percale has a smooth, matte finish and a crisp feel that’s soft and cooling to the touch. This gives cotton bedding a look that strikes a balance between structured and relaxed – great for achieving a luxurious, hotel-inspired aesthetic for your bedroom.

Sheets made from bamboo, on the other hand, typically have a glossy sheen and a fluid, silky texture. Due to their texture, bamboo sheets can sometimes appear reflective under certain lighting, giving them a satin-like look, which can be lovely, but ultimately not what we were aiming for with our new collection.

While very smooth to the touch, bamboo fabric tends to drape a little more loosely and lacks the structure of high-quality cotton weaves.

Durability

One of the biggest advantages of cotton percale bedding is that it’s durable and easy to care for.

Cotton can withstand constant use and regular washing without losing its strength, structure or pilling. Despite being soft from the first use, cotton tends to keep its structure, even with age, so it will continue looking neat and polished for years

Bamboo bedding, while initially soft, is often more delicate than high-quality cotton — particularly when wet. This makes it easier for bamboo sheets to get damaged in the washing machine and lose their shape and structure over time.

Sustainability of materials

Pure, organic cotton bedding is often more environmentally and socially sustainable than other popular bedding fabrics.

While both cotton and bamboo are commonly marketed as natural fabrics, they’re grown and processed in very different ways.

The organic cotton used in the Bed Threads cotton collection is certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and OEKO-TEX. This ensures that the cotton fibres used in our sheets were grown without harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilisers, and were not treated with harmful chemicals in the process of becoming bedding.

Like cotton, bamboo is also a natural material that comes from — you guessed it — the bamboo plant. Growing bamboo requires very little water from irrigation, and can often be farmed and harvested without the use of synthetic fertilisers.

However, the methods used to manufacture bamboo fabric can make it a less sustainable choice.

To produce bamboo fabric, bamboo pulp is converted into fibres through an intensive process that involves large amounts of chemicals. These chemicals are expensive to dispose of properly, cause pollution and can lead to serious environmental harm.

Price point

Good quality bedding is always a worthwhile investment, whether you measure your returns in sleep quality, comfort or value for cost. But when it comes to price point, organic cotton often wins when stacked up against bamboo.

In general, organic cotton bedding is more affordable than bamboo alternatives, making it more accessible to customers.

In conclusion, while cotton and bamboo are often compared as natural bedding options, cotton’s practical, aesthetic and sustainability benefits make it the perfect choice for our new bedding collection.