When you hear of Egyptian Cotton sheets, you probably think one thing:
That’s gonna cost more than my next rent check and car payment (combined). Yikes.
But only suckers fall into the trap of buying Egyptian Cotton sheets that cost an arm and a leg.
In fact, Egyptian Cotton sheets are often overpriced because of the branding phenomena surrounding them. Most people instantly associate them with luxury that few can afford.
So, are they really worth thousands of dollars? What’s a fair price for high-quality sheets? Does it even matter?
What the heck is Egyptian Cotton, and why is it so amazing??
That’s what you’re here to learn. So let’s dive into everything you need to know about Egyptian Cotton sheets and how to scout the best deals that won’t drain your savings.
What is Egyptian Cotton? What Are Egyptian Cotton Sheets?
You have likely heard of Egyptian Cotton sheets before, but you might not be sure about what exactly they are and what sets them apart from other sheets.
With hype and marketing, it’s easy to believe that Egyptian Cotton sheets are thousand-dollar products or are the end-all-be-all of bed sheet luxury.
While Egyptian Cotton sheets are certainly luxurious, they don’t have to cost a fortune. Anyone can enjoy their comfort if they scout the right deal.
So, what exactly are they? Why are Egyptian Cotton sheets top of the line, and how do they differ from ordinary cotton sheets?
Egyptian Cotton has been around for a long time, but it’s still a modern product.
Egyptian Cotton emerged during the ruling of Mehemet Ali in the Nile Delta of Egypt in 1822. As the story goes, a Frenchman named Jumel stumbled upon a small garden in Cairo and noticed wonderfully healthy cotton plants that were decorative spectacles.
After inspecting the surrounding soil health and the cotton plants themselves, he believed that cotton could be farmed easily in the Nile Delta.
From there, farmers began planting Egyptian Cotton (formally known as JUMEL Cotton), and merchants exported it across Europe and eventually into America.
The key breakthrough in favor of Egyptian Cotton was the realization that thread count isn’t the definitive characteristic of what makes a good bed sheet. It was once believed that thread count was the only important aspect. People assumed that any cotton plant was just good, old cotton no matter where and how it was grown.
1,000 thread count? Must be better than that 400 one!
Not necessarily.
Soil fertility, weather patterns, and historical farming practices all have an impact on crop success or failure. For example, you can grow lettuce in many states across America, but 90% of the country’s lettuce supply comes from a single state: California.
Why? The specific regions where it grows produce better quality lettuce than other places in the United States.
It’s similar with cotton. Farmers grow it in many places around the globe, but the best conditions exist in the Nile Delta of Egypt where superior cotton can grow. Since the Nile Delta is so fertile and produces amazing agriculture, it’s no wonder that Egyptian Cotton is so popular.
Egyptian Cotton is famous for its long-staple production. It has longer cotton fibers that produce a more durable material that is softer to the touch.
This makes Egyptian Cotton one of the top-of-the-line materials for producing cotton sheets. Its combined durability and comfort make it the choice of many hotels, too.
How does it differ from regular, 100% cotton sheets? Let’s compare the two.
What is The Difference Between 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheets and 100% Cotton Sheets?
Cotton is a complex plant that is grown all over the world and used in thousands upon thousands of products — from shirts to sheets and everything in between.
Dissecting the “boll,” the fluffy white ball of cotton, will reveal hundreds of thousands of cotton plant fibers, otherwise known in the industry as staples.
Depending on the type of cotton, the staple lengths can range anywhere from 1 and 1/8th to 2 inches long. As minor as these differences seem, their properties can make a big impact on durability and comfort.
100% Egyptian Cotton sheets are made from long-staple cotton, which provides a superior feel and comfortability than 100% cotton alone.
100% cotton almost always refers to upland cotton grown in the United States. While this cotton is great, it’s not as soft or durable as Egyptian Cotton, even at higher thread counts. For instance, take a look at this magnified picture of 100% cotton sheets:
And now, compare the look and texture to 100% Egyptian Cotton sheets:
The differences are very clear. 100% cotton has shorter staple lengths, which gives it a more rough feel. And even though Egyptian Cotton sheets have a silky-smooth texture, they’re still durable.
The upside with 100% cotton sheets is that they are always much cheaper to produce and therefore less expensive to buy!
When you buy Egyptian Cotton sheets, be on the lookout for ones that aren’t 100% Egyptian Cotton. These are often blends of multiple types of cotton, which isn’t what you’re looking for. They’re likely more expensive solely because they use some Egyptian Cotton, but you won’t get the soft, smooth texture of 100% Egyptian Cotton.
What About Pima Cotton? Is It as Good as Egyptian?
Now that you know about Egyptian Cotton sheets, what about Pima Cotton?
Pima Cotton sheets are also a staple in the bed sheet industry. They are widely used because, like Egyptian Cotton, the staples are often medium to long. This gives better quality and durability.
Unlike Egyptian Cotton, Pima Cotton is mostly grown in the United States of America.
Compared to 100% cotton, otherwise known as upland cotton, Pima and Egyptian Cotton will be much softer to the touch and more durable over time.
As a result, their pricing is often a bit higher than the price of 100% cotton sheets.
Pima Cotton is slightly cheaper than Egyptian Cotton when it comes to bed sheets, but it’s also a tier below Egyptian for quality, comfort, and more.
But Pima Cotton sheets are still a great, comparable alternative to Egyptian Cotton sheets.
4 Reasons Why 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheets Are Superior (If You can Find the Right Price)
100% Egyptian Cotton bed sheets are incredible. They are durable and comfortable, and they keep you cool while you sleep.
But the price can often offset these benefits. If you end up paying hundreds of dollars for Egyptian Cotton sheets that get ruined in the wash or stained from your morning coffee, you’re simply out of luck.
Since you should be rotating the use of your bed sheets for longevity, buying multiple sets of Egyptian Cotton sheets can really put a dent in your savings.
Conversely, if you can find the right price they are well worth it. Here are four key reasons why 100% Egyptian Cotton sheets are superior at the right price point.
Better Sheets = Better Sleep
Sleeping is one of the most fundamental aspects of living a healthy, happy, and long life. Yet more than 33% of American adults don’t get the recommended amount of sleep.
Almost 35% of American adults are sleeping for less than seven hours each night.
According to the Center for Disease Control, sleeping any less than seven hours can increase your risk for serious, life-threatening diseases like:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
The CDC also estimates that 83+ million adults are sleep deprived.
Do a simple Google search about sleep quality in the United States, and you’ll start to see a grim trend: people both (1) don’t get enough total hours of sleep each night and (2) don’t get good enough quality sleep to restore their bodies.
Research from Applied DNA Sciences has shown that the quality of your bed sheets can dramatically impact your sleep length and quality.
If you find yourself waking up at night sweating or simply having trouble falling asleep, your sheets are likely playing a big role in disrupting your quality of life.
Depending on what fabric type you use, your body can overheat at night, which keeps you awake.
So, let’s look at how Egyptian Cotton keeps you cool while you sleep.
Egyptian Cotton Keeps You Cool During Sleep
Sleeping is one of the biggest issues in health worldwide. And one of the main culprits for a bad night of sleep is temperature and thermoregulation.
According to HealthLine, “Thermoregulation is a process that allows your body to maintain its core internal temperature. All thermoregulation mechanisms are designed to return your body to homeostasis. This is a state of equilibrium.”
Have you ever slept with both legs (or one leg) hanging out of the sheets?
That’s your body at work attempting to regulate your temperature after being huddled in the covers and building up heat!
If your body gets too hot at night, you’re likely to wake up or experience restless sleep. Picking the right material for your bed sheets can make all of the difference. And more often than not, it’s incredibly easy to choose the wrong sheet.
Sheets with synthetic materials, most commonly seen in the form of Polyester, are produced using plastic polymers. These are some of the most cheaply-priced sheets on the market.
And when you go into a store and touch these sheets, they actually feel nice and cool. They are soft, smooth, and silky, which leads you to believe that they will keep your body sweat-free all night long.
Unfortunately, they don’t. Due to the synthetic nature of them, the material doesn’t absorb and wick moisture as well as cotton.
Pure Egyptian Cotton, on the other hand, is one of the best materials for keeping cool at night. Generally speaking, cotton is the king at helping your body maintain its core temperature.
Real Egyptian Cotton Sheets Don’t Pill Easily
You’ve been bargain hunting for a great pair of bed sheets for months. You’ve gone into multiple stores to feel and test them, and you’ve even bought and returned pairs to see if they helped give you a comfortable sleep.
You finally settle on one and think you’ve hit the jackpot. But after just a few wash cycles, you notice lint building up like crazy. Your sheets are pilling.
When your sheet fibers start to come apart and form lint balls that make your sheets feel rough, it’s called pilling:
Depending on what sheet material you pick, this can happen after just a few weeks of usage. But with Egyptian Cotton sheets, pilling isn’t a common problem. Due to their longer staple lengths, the cotton itself is much more durable and resistant.
With normal cotton sheets, you might find yourself needing two or three sets of sheets to rotate each month to avoid pilling.
With Egyptian Cotton sheets, that’s not the case.
Although they’re slightly more expensive, they will last far longer and provide superior comfort to give you a better return on your investment.
Egyptian Cotton Sheets Are Easy to Care for and Maintain
Higher-end sheet products usually come with a very serious question:
How do these sheets hold up in a conventional washer and dryer?
For residents who live in dense urban cities, drying your sheets on a line in the outdoors likely isn’t feasible. On top of that, it takes hours to ensure that they fully dry in order to avoid bacteria growth.
But can you just toss high-quality Egyptian Cotton sheets in the washer and dryer and still keep them feeling brand new?
Absolutely.
With Egyptian Cotton sheets, you can wash them in warm water regularly in any conventional washing machine and tumble dry them on low to medium heat.
If you want your sheets wrinkle-free, remove them from the dryer quickly or simply iron them. Unlike flannel, Egyptian Cotton can withstand more heat without pilling and damaging the product.
Other sheet fabrics like linen and polyester can give you problems when you wash them, such as potential pilling and melting of the material.
Egyptian Cotton is extremely durable, and it’s is one of the easiest sheet types to maintain for years to come without paying exorbitant dry cleaning prices.
We recommend washing your sheets or rotating them once a week to avoid a buildup of dead skin and hair and to maintain overall cleanliness.
Choosing the Right Egyptian Cotton Sheets for You: Price, Thread Count, and Quality Standards to Look for
Choosing a standard pair of bedsheets is already complex enough as it is.
With countless thread counts (pun intended) and industry buzzwords to capture your attention, Egyptian Cotton sheets are often the same.
Many retailers sell them, and they mostly promise the same thing.
But the trick is finding a company that sells them at a fair price while still producing them with 100% Egyptian Cotton.
Do you have to spend $500 to get high-quality Egyptian Cotton sheets? Of course not!
We can prove it, too. We currently sell 100% Egyptian Cotton sheets at a 400 thread count for $56.97.
Cozy Array’s 100% Egyptian Cotton 400 Thread Count Bed Sheet Set
So, why the heck are companies charging upwards of a thousand? For one reason: Branding.
Egyptian Cotton is known as a luxury good that only royal families can afford. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s simply marked up like cologne or perfume.
Your top designer perfumes sell for anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars for a small bottle. But the cost to produce the actual perfume is only two dollars!
Similarly, Egyptian Cotton isn’t vastly more expensive to produce to the point where $500 sheets are barely profitable for a company to sell. Instead, they are simply squeezing profit from eager consumers for branding.
Keep in mind these three essential things to look for when buying Egyptian Cotton Sheets:
- Honest Pricing: Look for a trusted brand that isn’t price hiking you. More expensive doesn’t correlate with better quality. 400 thread count 100% Egyptian Cotton sheets shouldn’t cost more than $100. In fact, Cozy Array sells them for less than $59.99.
- Quality Standards: Make sure that the product description lists the contents as being “100% Egyptian Cotton.” You don’t want any blended cotton as this can disrupt the natural feel of real, 100% Egyptian Cotton.
- Thread Count: Don’t be fooled by retail outlets charging hundreds of dollars for 2,000 thread count sheets. 400 thread count Egyptian Cotton is going to please just about any consumer need. While you can go higher, that doesn’t necessarily mean better. It will simply guarantee a higher price.
Now You Can Get 100% Egyptian Cotton Sheets Without Breaking The Bank
Egyptian Cotton bed sheets are touted as the holy grail of bedding, and for good reason: they are durable, soft, smooth, and keep you cool at night.
But companies often prey on the consumer’s lack of knowledge about Egyptian Cotton as a way of jacking up their price point and making a quick buck.
Egyptian Cotton sheets can come in many different thread counts, but the most common one that you will see (even with hotel chains!) is the 400 thread count sheet.
It’s versatile, cool, and very durable. Plus, it doesn’t cost you hundreds of dollars for a single sheet.
Now that you know the history of Egyptian Cotton and what to expect, you can bargain hunt for sheets that won’t drain your bank account.