2 Ways to Spot Great Quality vs. Poor Quality in Bamboo Sheets

The popularity of bamboo sheets has increased drastically in the recent years. While the benefits of bamboo sheets are quite obvious, many individuals have a hard time distinguishing a good quality bamboo from a bad quality bamboo. Not all bamboo sheets are created equal. That’s why it is important to identify the material and weave of the bamboo sheet in order to choose the best one.

By knowing the type of material and weave, you can easily distinguish the quality of bamboo sheets:

1. Material

The following varieties of bamboo fabric are commonly available:

100% Bamboo Viscose

A vast majority of bamboo sheets available in the market are made from 100% bamboo viscose. It's because bamboo viscose offers the most benefits. They're not only soft but also very durable. However, make sure that you buy 100% bamboo viscose sheets from a manufacturer that uses strict effluent treatment protocols.

100% Bamboo Lyocell

Another popular material used in bamboo sheets is bamboo lyocell. Sheets made from 100% bamboo lyocell material are highly sustainable. Bamboo lyocell material is produced by dissolving raw bamboo with the use of non-toxic solvent. While durable, sheets made from 100% bamboo lyocell are relatively less soft than 100% bamboo viscose sheets.

Bamboo blended with cotton

Often bamboo is blended with cotton in a specific ratio in order to achieve the benefits of both materials. The most common blend is 70% bamboo viscose and 30% cotton, or 60% bamboo viscose and 40% cotton. Blending bamboo with cotton makes the fabric relatively stronger than 100% pure bamboo. However, in doing so, the softness of the material is compromised.

2. Weave

Apart from the type of material, you can distinguish great quality bamboo sheets from poor quality bamboo sheets by identifying the weave of the fabric used. The weave affects how the fabric looks and feels. Bamboo sateen and bamboo twill are the two most common weaves available in the market.

Bamboo Sateen

Sateen is a three-yarn-over and one-yarn-under weave used to produce lustrous, smooth, and higher thread count bedding with a close, thick texture.

Bamboo Twill

Twill is identified by a twill line or diagonal rib. Bamboo twill is short, tight, and very fine weave. While not as soft as bamboo sateen, bamboo twill is still softer than bamboo cotton blend sheets.

Tips to Choose the Best Bamboo Sheets

The following are some tips to choose the best quality bamboo sheets:

• Always makes sure to check what type of material the sheets are made of. Choose bamboo viscose sheets over bamboo lyocell sheets for extra softness and durability.
• Bamboo sheets blended with cotton material are not recommended as they are not as sustainable as the other types of bamboo fabrics.
• If the softness of the sheets is your main concern, then it is recommended that you go for bamboo sateen. This weave is feathery soft as it has a higher thread count as compared to bamboo twill.
• Bamboo twill weave is a good choice if you want the sheets to be a bit sturdy.