How to choose the bed linen material that’s right for you

When it comes to choosing bed linen, it shouldn’t just be about looks. We all have unique style and comfort needs so things like material and weave matter too. Along with cotton, we use viscose and lyocell in our bed linen as they give similar benefits to cotton and have a silky soft feel. Polyester also makes an appearance, flying the flag in the colourfast and easy-care corner. Not sure which material is right for you? Our guide is here to help you choose!

A girl reading on a bed with a quilt around her, with a dotted white/pink VÄNKRETS quilt cover, and two white pendants above.

Lyocell: breathable and silky soft

Full of moisture-wicking properties and with a silky feel, lyocell bed linen helps to create a cosy, dry environment to keep you sleeping comfortably all night long. It’s made from strong cellulose fibre that mainly comes from eucalyptus wood. Other great things about it? Lyocell dries easily after washing and does not shrink. We think it works brilliantly blended with cotton as it creates durable, super soft bed linen.

A hotel bed has rows of pillows and white, sateen-woven NATTJASMIN duvet cover and pillowcases that are discreetly striped.

The corner of a folded-over duvet covered in NATTJASMIN bed linen in white in a sunny space by a shelf.

Dark green/multicolour KÄRRDUNÖRT bed linen on a bed that’s surrounded by patterned curtains, near a window.

Viscose: natural, durable and colour-fast

Viscose bed linen sets your sleep environment with long-lasting, smooth softness. Highly absorbent, it will keep you comfortable and dry while you sleep. Like lyocell, it’s also made from cellulose fibres from wood. Viscose loves colour and holds it very well over time, so will stay looking good for longer. We like to blend it with cotton to give you silky soft, breathable bed linen, night after night.

See all duvet cover sets

A dark grey SLATTUM upholstered bed in the corner of a bedroom with two duvets covered in BROKDRACENA bed linen.

A person asleep in a SLATTUM upholstered bed under a duvet that’s covered in black and white BROKDRACENA bed linen.

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White-and-blue-checked BREDVECKLARE bed linen, a white waffle blanket and pink-and-white book on a bed.

A bed covered in grey and white RODGERSIA bed linen and two cushions in IDALINNEA covers next to a children’s bed.

Cotton: soft, strong and breathable

Cotton is a durable fabric that allows air to circulate and absorbs moisture, while feeling gentle against your skin. It’s also cool, making it a great choice in warmer climates. One of the many reasons it is popular is that, as well as being easy to wash, it gets softer and more comfortable over time. With similar qualities to viscose and lyocell, it’s often blended with both of them to create long-lasting bed linen that’s very smooth.

Dark blue/light brown DOFTAKLEJA bed linen on a GLAMBERGET extendable bed with a PELARTUJA bedspread on top.

HEMNES day-bed made out as a double bed with undyed natural coloured ÄNGSLILJA bed linen on it and a striped cushion.

A close-up of a bed with a leafy-patterned MYGGLASVINGE quilt cover and pillowcases accented by a grey-turquoise throw.

Polyester: synthetic, easy-care and wrinkle-free

Coming in lots of vibrant colours and patterns, polyester bed linen makes your bed look and feel great. Highly colour-fast, the synthetic material retains its vibrancy however often you wash it. Another reason we love it is because it is super easy to care for, resistant to stains, and very quick-drying. Polyester fibres don’t shrink, so it will retain its original shape, wash after wash. It blends beautifully with lyocell and viscose to create bed linen that’s snug and smooth. Good-looking, soft and easy to care for – what’s not to love?

A person is smiling as they hold a duvet and pillows in light pink PILTANDVINGE bed linen to them a light bedroom.

A person smiles as they lie in bed covered with light green PILTANDVINGE bed linen, with other pillows around them.

”There are two basic weaving techniques we use in our bed linen: plain and sateen, with percale being a type of plain weave. Each weaving technique gives specific properties to the fabric, which in turn is used to create bed linen that has different benefits to suit all the needs of our customers."

Boryana TsochevaProduct design engineer

A pile of eight different types of bed linen including white NATTJASMIN and black and white BROKDRACENA bed linen.

A classic plain weave creates durable, long-lasting bed linen

The most basic and common type of weave, plain weave creates durable fabric that’s the same on both sides. All fabric is made up of two sets of thread: the warp which runs down the length of the fabric, and the weft which runs along the width.

In plain weave, each thread crosses in a one-over one-under pattern that results in a criss-cross finish. The density of the weave is measured in its thread count, which counts the number of threads per square inch.

The top of a bed that’s covered with two types of RODGERSIA paisley pattern bed linen, one in grey and the other in red.

Percale weave bed linen delivers hotel style, every night

Love those crisp hotel-feel sheets? Recreate the bed of your favourite hotel room with percale weave bed linen like this HAMPFLOCKEL duvet cover and pillow set. Percale is a tightly woven plain weave with a thread count of over 200 threads per inch, resulting in a dense fabric with a fine texture that is ultra breathable.

The resulting bed linen is soft, smooth and cool, ready to transport you to far-flung destinations from the comfort of your own bed.

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A brown TONSTAD bed with storage, covered with HAMPFLOCKEL bed linen and with a LAPPKATTFOT throw on top.

A bed made up with HAMPFLOCKEL bed linen with the duvet folded back and bright colour cushions behind the pillows.

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Choose sateen weave bed linen for a glossy finish

Exceptionally smooth, sateen weave bed linen has a lustrous sheen, giving the bed a polished look. The fabric has a shiny side and a matte side, which is achieved by weaving one warp thread over four weft threads. The resulting bed linen has a luxurious look and a cool feel to give great sleep comfort.

A close up image showing the edges and buttons of light grey beige/mutlicolour NÄSSELKLOCKA bed linen.

A close-up on white NATTJASMIN bed linen with a ripple in it to show the finish of the material.

A white NATTJASMIN fitted sheet that is half in a baske and half laid out on a RUTER ironing board in front of an unmade bed.

Caring for bed linen – our top tips

When to wash: We recommend every two weeks. If you have allergies, are sick, or sleep with pets or kids, wash more often.
Temperature: Wash at 60°C to kill any bacteria.
Drying: Dry immediately to prevent mould and bad smells.
Folding: Fold bed linen to reduce wrinkles and store efficiently.
Material-Specific: For sateen bed linen, ironing helps maintain its look.

Boryana Tsocheva
Product design engineer