Choosing the perfect comfortable luxury bedsheets for you is not just a matter of choosing the right fabric fibres but also the right weave, and during what has already proven to be an especially hot summer, this choice can prove vital for a good night’s sleep.

It is not just a matter of heavy duvets and thick material but requires a material that is designed to be wickable and breathable whilst also being durable, crisp and soft to the touch.

In this case, percale is the perfect choice for many people as it reduces the need for compromise in terms of style and feel whilst also having benefits that are immediately apparent.

What Is Percale?

Rather than being a type of fabric fibre, percale is a type of loose weave that can be made from various fibres, although it is typically made from either cotton, polyester, or a blend of the two.

Percale is a plain-weave fabric with a thread count typically between 200 and 350 (although it can vary), providing the perfect balance that makes it feel smooth to the touch but without being so high as to be too warm.

It has commonly seen use in hotel rooms, as it combines practicality, crisp luxury, a soft silky feel and versatility to create a particularly distinctive feel that hotel guests return to time and again.

Where Did Percale Come From?

Percale was initially created in India, similar to the similarly beloved cashmere. However, rather than being produced in the northernmost part of the subcontinent, it was produced on the east coast, in places such as Cuddalore, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Exactly when it originated is unclear, with some theories claiming that the original term came from the Persian word for rag (pargalah), which could be traced to the Mughal Empire.

Other theories link it to the Catalan word ‘perxal’, which has been traced as far back as 1348 in Valencia and was derived from the former French province of Perche.

In any case, they first became widely known to the Western world as mauris, a cloth imported to France from India starting in the 17th century, before it started to be produced in the burgeoning French textile industry jump-started by the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.

Why Is It So Useful In Summer?

The loose weave which forms a tiny but noticeable lattice is the secret that makes it so effective at drawing moisture away from the body through air pockets.

The principle works by keeping the sweat on the surface using a concept known as capillary action, transferring sweat from your skin and into the material, attracting material and then repelling it, making it easy to evaporate and keeping whoever is lying in the bedsheets cool and dry.

Most bedsheets that pride themselves on their cooling properties are made from some kind of percale weave, and it is often used in hotel bedding precisely because of this cooling property that helps keep guests warm in summer but cool in winter.

This breathability, combined with its excellent durability without pilling, makes it an ideal aid to help you sleep in summer.