Cotton percale has a unique appearance and texture, related to the weaving technique used to produce this bed linen. Its characteristics give it a softness, strength and quality that make it the preferred fabric in grand hotels.
What is cotton percale?
Often mistakenly considered a type of fabric, percale actually refers to the type of weave used to make the fabric. To create percale, threads are woven like a grid, with one thread under and one thread over. The threads are tightly woven together, resulting in an impeccable finish for high-end bed linen. The term "percale" therefore simply defines a method of weaving threads.
The percale weaving process can be applied to various fibers. For example, you might find silk percale, linen percale, or a cotton-polyester blend percale. At Bonsoirs, our cotton percale bed linen is crafted from 100% long-staple cotton. This ensures our sheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases are both soft and durable. Our home linen, made from OEKO-TEX® certified cotton percale, is free from substances harmful to the body and the environment.
Why is cotton percale associated with luxury?
Cotton percale is synonymous with luxury, as it is used to produce incredibly soft and highly durable bed linen. It also has an amazing advantage: the more it is washed, the softer it becomes!
The weave used in the production of cotton percale is considerably tighter than other types of weaves found in standard bed linen collections. At Bonsoirs, our bed linen is made from long-staple cotton percale with a 120 threads/cm² weave, producing a strong, smooth, and durable fabric. Despite its tight weave, cotton percale allows air to circulate, making it more breathable throughout the night and softer to the touch.
Cotton percale offers a perfect balance of fabric weight, strength, and softness. Thanks to its breathability, cotton percale is often the fabric of choice for spring and summer bedding, as its weave keeps you cool and comfortable throughout the night. If you have a good natural down duvet, cotton percale is just as comfortable in autumn and winter for staying warm on the coldest nights.
How to care for cotton percale?
Cotton percale requires very little maintenance. Its highly resistant weave preserves the quality of the fabric wash after wash. Please be sure to follow the care instructions provided on your Bonsoirs bed linen. This will prevent pilling – which is never pleasant – or unwanted shrinkage – if you've ever wrestled with a fitted sheet that's too small, you'll understand what we mean! Setting the temperature and spin speed is of utmost importance here.
Many sleepers wonder whether to wash cotton percale sheets in cold or hot water. At Bonsoirs, we recommend washing at 30 °C (plus, it's good for the planet!). Use a mild liquid detergent, halving the manufacturer's recommended amount: too much detergent prematurely ages your cotton percale bed linens (reducing the amount of detergent used is also beneficial for the environment!).
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