Are Bamboo Sheets Cooler Than Cotton?

Bamboo sheets are the organic and sustainably sourced bedding textiles that have been taking the environmentally conscious world by storm. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard of bamboo textiles and the many benefits that come with choosing bamboo materials over traditional fabrics. But did you know that organic bamboo bed sheets extend far beyond a clean and renewable manufacturing process?

Bamboo sheets are hypoallergenic, bacteria-resistant, and exquisitely soft. There is a myriad of health benefits that come with sleeping between bamboo sheets every night – namely; they will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. For more information on how bamboo sheets can benefit hot sleepers, check out our article on bamboo sheets for hot sleepers.

There is nothing worse than waking up drenched in sweat night after night. Overheating while sleeping can throw off your sleep cycle and drastically interfere with your ability to get enough rest to tackle each day. Luckily for those sweaty sleepers, there are a couple of bedding fabrics that are known to keep you cooler during the night and help you to wake up feeling refreshed each morning. Traditionally, cotton sheets have been the preferred choice for their absorbency, airflow-regulating qualities. The big question is, are bamboo sheets cooler than cotton? To explore the best options for keeping cool, read our guide on the best sheets to keep you cool.

The short answer: Yes. Organic bamboo threads provide a very breathable and lightweight sheet fabric, keeping you cool throughout the night. On average, bamboo sheets are known to keep the body temperature about 3 degrees cooler than cotton bedding would during the night.

While cotton is known traditionally for being relatively lightweight and breathable, bamboo trumps cotton in cooling properties any day.

There are a number of benefits that come with bamboo, which makes bamboo sheets cooler than cotton. Ideal for hot sleepers, those who suffer from night sweats and hot flushes, bamboo fibres work to keep your body cool and comfortable in a number of ways.

While cotton at its highest quality is lightweight and allows for sufficient airflow, bamboo sheets are still far more breathable and cooling. Cotton naturally retains more heat than bamboo, and the natural, long fibres of bamboo sheets provide breathability elements that just can’t be matched by cotton’s shorter threads. The breathability factors of bamboo keep bamboo sheets cooler than cotton. 

 
Bamboo sheets provide natural breathability from their simple weaving pattern and organic materials. Bamboo fibre comes with millions of micro gaps that makes bamboo sheets much airier and breathing than any fine cotton sheet. Keeping your body cooler and more comfortable during those hot summer nights, these micro gaps allow for increased airflow while still keeping your body at a pleasant temperature. Rather than allowing your body heat to become trapped within the bedding, bamboo fibres work to release hot air and keep your body nice and cool.

The natural hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties of bamboo mean that your bamboo sheets work to deter bacteria, dust mites, and any body odours. No matter how humid the climate is, the hypoallergenic properties of bamboo fitted sheets and top sheets will never develop mould or mildew and will always keep your body fresh and cool.

One of the most unpleasant aspects of being a hot sleeper is the amount of sweat you produce with regular sheets and bedding. Even after the sweat dries off, cotton will absorb the body oils and bacteria, leaving a grimy feeling and musky smell. While the best way to avoid this is to wash your sheets regularly, the hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties of bamboo sheets provide additional support by preventing bacteria build-up. Bamboo sheets are naturally microbial which kills off any nasty bacterial, bugs, and keeps bed linen smelling and feeling as fresh and cool between washes. For more reasons to choose bamboo over cotton, read our article on the 5 reasons you should choose bamboo over cotton.

Bamboo is naturally thermo-regulating, meaning bamboo sheets will keep your body cool in summer, and warm in winter. With traditional textiles like cotton, your body has to work hard to regulate your core temperature, which it does so by perspiring. With bamboo sheets, the temperature regulating properties within the fibres take the pressure off of your body, perfectly regulating your body as it heats up and cools down.

Your body’s ability to regulate temperature is a huge part of how it regulates sleep. The maximised airflow of bamboo sheets means that bamboo will not only regulate your temperature but keep your body cool, dry and free from perspiration. Bamboo’s natural temperature regulating elements are a major factor for what keeps bamboo sheets cooler than cotton sheets.

Where cotton will absorb your sweat and body moisture throughout the night, bamboo fibres work to absorb, before wicking the moisture away. Cotton is notoriously absorbent; where bamboo fibres are both similarly attracted to and not attracted to water. Bamboo fibres on bamboo quilt covers pull away moisture from the skin into the fabric, where it will quickly evaporate.

Moisture-wicking elements refer to fabrics that have the ability to draw moisture away from the body, without absorbing the moisture into the sheet and becoming wet. Instead, the moisture quickly evaporates from the fabric, keeping both the person sleeping and the sheets dry.

Bamboo sheets have the ability to take in water three times their weight, before wicking it away to evaporate, leaving your skin cool, dry, and comfortable. Cotton does not offer any moisture-wicking properties; when cotton absorbs moisture, it stays wet. It’s these moisture-wicking elements that ultimately keep bamboo sheets cooler than cotton.

In conclusion, the answer to the question “Are bamboo sheets cooler than cotton?” is a clear yes. When it comes to getting a pleasant night of sleep during the warmer months, bamboo sheets will always come out on top of cotton. Bamboo textiles offer the unprecedented combination of sheets that are environmentally friendly, hypoallergenic, breathable, antibacterial, thermoregulating and still, incredibly soft.

If you’re looking for a comfortable and uninterrupted night of sleep, look no further than our exquisitely soft and cooling sets of bamboo sheets. Here at Linenly, we offer luxurious bamboo bedding sheets that are breathable, airy and keep you cool all night long. We are committed to providing high-quality and beautiful bedding textiles at affordable prices. Check out our full range of bamboo sheets today.