For some people, linen can feel lovely in the heat, and the texture is a bonus if they prefer a little bite on the skin (I see this with bath towels, too). Linen has a distinctive, carefree style. It looks more relaxed than cotton.If you want a neat-as-a-pin “nice hotel” vibe, cotton is the way to go. If you prefer to channel a free-spirited bohemian style, that’s probably linen — and here’s what you need to know:Linen is a natural fiber made from flax (Linum usitatissimum), also grown for linseed oil and flaxseed. When it’s used for linen (fiber flax versus seed flax), it’s cultivated for long stems that are harvested and broken down for the fibers inside. The longest fibers are woven into the linen we use for bedding and clothes. The shorter fibers are used for all kinds of things, from cigarette papers to US bills.Flax fibers are thicker and stiffer than cotton, which helps make linen breathable. It cannot be woven as densely as cotton — therefore naturally leaving a lot of space in the weave for air to breeze through, even though linen itself is generally heavier.Whether linen feels cooler than cotton percale for hot sleepers depends on the person. When I’ve held both fabrics up to fans, both let plenty of air pass through, though linen slightly more. But if you’re sensitive to textured fabrics, even the finest linens might feel hot and itchy.Our testers who like linen tend to deeply love it, and for those who prefer cotton, I’ve never converted anyone (including myself, I remain #teamcotton as a sensitive-skin girly).Those thick, stiff fibers also mean linen isn’t as soft, smooth, or flexible as cotton, and it’s why linen tends to be rumpled or wrinkled. It has a lot of tensile strength (great for tug of war!), but it’s prone to thinning and tearing from friction, which happens in the wash and as you move while you sleep — fitted-sheets are especially vulnerable.Over the years, several Wirecutter journalists and readers have reported that their own fitted linen sheets (non-picks, former picks and, occasionally, current picks) have ripped in as little as a year. We’ve used the fitted-sheets on some of our test sets for as long as four years (flat sheets for as long as eight), and they’ve resisted damage so far. We’re still testing them and will update this guide accordingly.
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