Cotton has long been the preferred fiber for bedding in many people’s homes. Some people prefer silk, but both fibers have their disadvantages.
Disadvantages of Cotton
Cotton is probably the most popular fiber for bed sheets in homes. Cotton is versatile and affordable. However, unless you get sheets that have a very high thread count, the cotton can be very scratchy. The texture can be very rough and uncomfortable in cheaper sheets. Low thread counts such as 90 threads are very affordable, but they are not something that you necessarily prefer to sleep on.
So, the obvious solution to scratchy sheets at low thread counts would be to buy higher thread count sheets. However, this has disadvantages as well. The higher thread counts are very soft, but they are not quite as resilient as the lower thread counts. Repeated use of high thread count cotton sheets can result in the sheets ripping or wearing thin. Also, these sheets tend to degrade in the washing machine. If you wash your sheets very often, they will fall apart faster.
Bamboo fiber sheets have been found to be softer than cotton sheets. In addition to being softer, they have been found to be more resistant to tearing or ripping. Also, the sheets are more absorbent than cotton sheets, so they do not need to be washed as often because they do not get dirty quite as quickly.
Disadvantages of Silk
Silk is a very soft and durable material. It is much stronger than cotton and resists tearing very well. It is so comfortable that “smooth as silk” has become a cliché about something about smooth. Silk is considered a very luxurious material. Also, silk tends to drape much better than cotton. Cotton tends to have a stiff structure that silk does not have.
However, silk is very hot. The very tight threading that makes silk so comfortable tends to minimize the amount of air that can pass between the fibers. When air cannot pass between the fibers, the sheet tends to trap heat. That trapped body heat builds over the course of a night until it becomes very hot. Also, silk does not absorb moisture very well. Bamboo fiber sheets, however, are very breathable. They do not heat up nearly as quickly as silk sheets.
Advantages of Bamboo
Bamboo fiber sheets have been found to be more absorbent than both cotton and silk. Also, they have been found to be softer than cotton and cooler than silk. They have the coolness of cotton with the desirable drape of silk.
Also, Bamboo MO is a very sustainable crop. Since it is essentially a grass, it can be easily grown and replenished quickly with very minimal effort. This keeps prices low and helps the environment.
