Cotton vs Poly-Cotton vs Percale vs Sateen for Hotel Bed Linen

Most hotel buyers choose bed linen based on price and the belief that higher thread count means better quality. This is rarely the case, and is ultimately costing properties money due to premature wear and tear or time spent having to iron sheets.

First things first. Cotton and polyester are fibres. Percale and sateen are weaves. A sheet can be made purely from cotton or contain a cotton blend and still be woven in any of these weaves so these four terms aren’t four types of linen lying side by side on a supermarket shelf but rather buyers comparing options as if they’re interchangeable.

Why Most Hotels Default to Poly-Cotton

While pure cotton feels amazing straight out of the packet, it doesn’t cope well with commercial washing and will shrink by up to a centimeter in height in every wash cycle. A blend of poly-cotton such as our Valencia range at 70% cotton 30% polyester and 130gsm is better at resisting the wear and tear of commercial laundry while also resisting creasing, which saves valuable minutes in the housekeeping department when the sheets need to be ironed out and ready for the next round of guests. This is why so much of the hotel linen in the mid market and budget segments use a cotton poly blend rather than full cotton despite the superior sound of ‘full cotton’.

Percale for a Crisp Cool Sheet

Percale is a plain over under weave which lends the bed linen a tight matte look and finish, and a cool feel against the skin. Perfect for warmer rooms or guests who tend to run hot at night, it’s a slightly less glamorous, but reliable option that’s likely to be found in a well run three or four star property that values comfort over luxury.

Sateen When Luxury Meets Linen

Sateen uses more floating threads on the surface of the sheet, giving it a slight sheen and a softer feel straight out of the packet, without needing to be washed and worn a few times first to soften the weave. Boutique hotels and five star properties prefer this type of weave as guests are likely to notice the touch of luxury right away, without thinking about the thread count. The downside is that it’s more prone to snagging and needs slightly more TLC in the laundry department so is less of a practical choice for a high turnover budget property.

The Thread Count Doesn’t Count for as Much as You Think

A satin stripe design such as Iberia or Andalusia at 200 thread count in a poly-cotton blend will often last longer in an actual hotel laundry than a pure cotton sheet with a higher thread count. The number on the label is telling you far less about the resilience of the material once it’s going to be washed five or six times a week in a commercial laundry than the weave and blend.

Bottom Line

For a budget or high turnover property, buy into a poly-cotton blend in a plain weave or percale to save on ironing time. Looking to level up the guest experience without going full premium? A satin stripe poly-cotton blend sits nicely in the middle. For a boutique or five star property that prides itself on the comfort of its guests and the quality of its amenities, a sateen weave with a higher cotton content is worth the extra laundry spend. Make sure the laundry spend reflects the actual wear and tear of the fabric and not what looks good on paper