March 10, 2021

Best Sheets for Winter in Australia

If you're struggling to stay warm while you snooze, you've come to the right place. In this post, we'll cover the best fabrics for winter sheets to help you get a good night's sleep throughout the cold season.

Table of contents

Introduction

Criteria to look for in winter sheets

Bamboo sheets

Flannel sheets

Fleece sheets

Cotton sheets

Our recommendation

Sources

What to look for when choosing your winter bedding sheets

During winter, temperatures in Australia can drop to as low as negative 23 degrees Celsius (we're looking at you, Cooma). While most places don't get this cold, for many Winter catches them off guard. That moment when you wake up one night and you are half frozen is the exact moment you will wish you invested in some toasty bedding. Having the right winter sheets will keep you comfy even during the frostiest nights.

When choosing winter bed sheets, it can be tricky to find a sheet set that ticks all the boxes. Many people will go with a gut shot on what that they think will keep them warm for the season, but there are a few more aspects to consider other than temperature!

Here's our winter sheets criteria for judging whether they are worthy or not for the cold season.

Comfort

What good is having a warm sheet if it's not going to keep you comfy while you snooze? Some sheets can keep your body heat in check but they can also keep you up at night, especially if you're a light sleeper. In terms of comfiness, try and find a sheet with a high thread count or a weave designed to be smooth and have low irritability. Even more important for people with sensitive skin.

Typically when the thread count is high, the fabric tends to be softer to the touch and gives you the good night's rest you're after.

Maintenance

The best sheets are the ones you don't need to constantly care for. Sure, you'll need to wash them regularly ( we would hope you wash them regularly), but you want a sheet you can throw in the washing machine and dryer without worrying about shrinkage.

Cost

Let's face it, a good sheet set isn't cheap. However, you can still find high-quality sheets for winter without breaking the bank. That said, you don't always want to go with the cheapest option because you're likely to sacrifice quality. You spend a lot of time in your bed, so it's best to invest a reasonable amount of cash towards your new sheet set.

Our shortlist: Top bed sheets to keep you warm during winter in Australia

Bamboo sheets

Bamboo is an extremely versatile plant that has many uses. Bamboo bed sheets are more prevalent than ever since they are incredibly eco-friendly. However, many people still don't know the benefits of bamboo bedding.

When it comes to bedding made with bamboo, people always question the comfort. The image of the hard wooden plant in their backyard is a tough image to move past. That said, after bamboo undergoes its transformation into fabric, it tends to be far more comfortable than other popular fabrics. Organic bamboo sheets are incredibly soft, and often softer than cotton sheets.

The other major benefit of bamboo sheets is they are extremely breathable. This allows for phenomenal temperature control due to the sheets moisture wicking capabilities. With bamboo, you can stay comfortable and warm no matter the weather.

The final major reason (there are so many) why people love bamboo for their sheets is its naturally hypoallergenic and contains antibacterial properties. Which lowers the chance of contracting harmful bacteria through sheets and also reduces allergies from dust mites.

Our major con which we will call out is the requirement for regular care. Washing bamboo sheets is a delicate process and you need to avoid using dryers or hanging them in direct sunlight. Mild detergents are also needed.

If you don't do this correctly, the sheets can shrink.

Flannel sheets

When you think of flannel, it's almost impossible to not picture the lumberjack-like clothing. However, flannel sheets are one of the best choices for warmth but overall does that make flannel a suitable choice of sheets for winter?

For starters, flannel products are exceptionally warm and breathable fabric. Therefore, you can expect to stay nice and warm as the weather gets cold. Its breathability helps to keep you warm without waking up to any unpleasant nightly sweating.

In terms of softness, a lot of people dismiss flannel, but it holds its own. While flannel doesn't have a high thread count like silk, it's a naturally soft fabric.

Flannel bed sheets are extremely easy to care for. You can wash them in either warm or cold water and hang them up to dry. One noteworthy aspect of flannel is that it doesn't wrinkle as easily as other fabrics. So, your sheets will look well-pressed at all times.

Fleece sheets

Wool used to be one of the leading fabrics for bed sheets until manufacturers took things to a whole new level with the creation of soft, warm, and durable bed sheets made from fleece. Fleece products are extremely breathable, lightweight, and easy to wash. One reason why fleece is a better choice than wool is that it's less itchy due to its soft-napped nature.

However, since fleece is hydrophobic (repels water), it reduces build up of soap and detergents after washing. Therefore, fleece tends to have an outdoorsy odour to it. The smell isn't necessarily bad, but it won't smell as fresh as other sheet types.

If you're after something durable, warm, and eco-friendly, fleece may be the way to go. Another reason fleece sheets are gaining popularity is they come in several different designs and colours. Since fleece products were originally designed for outdoor clothing, you can count on it to keep you nice and toasty during a cold winter night.

Cotton sheets

Cotton is a naturally breathable fabric. Whenever you go to sleep in the winter, your body temperature rises quickly if you're covering yourself with a deep-sea of thick blankets. Therefore, it ensures that you don't wake up to a hot puddle of your own sweat. The natural ventilation can improve your sleep quality and prevent you from tossing and turning.

While cotton itself doesn't keep you incredibly warm, it's a fantastic sheet to pair with a thicker blanket. It works sort of like a body temperature mediator where other sheets are simply too warm. Cotton is also an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin but perhaps not as good as bamboo. Comparing the two is a long discussion and we recently wrote on the main differences between cotton vs bamboo sheets. 

Cotton is 100% machine washable, but it's best to hang them out to dry if you can. You can technically dry your organic cotton sheets in a dryer on tumble mode, but it's not ideal. Cotton tends to wrinkle easily and is highly susceptible to heat damage.

Regular cotton sheets are quite affordable for someone looking to deck out their winter bed on a budget. However, high-quality and organic cotton can be quite expensive. That said, investing in high-quality cotton sheet sets can pay off long term since they last for several years.

Our recommendation

With all the excellent options for a winter sheet set, it is tricky to choose the best one. However, when it comes to meeting all the essential requirements (warmth, durability, comfort, etc.) bamboo bedding and sheets are the way to go.

You know every time you go to sleep, you'll be nice and snug. Not only are bamboo sheets great as winter sheets, but it also makes you feel nice and cool during the brutal Australian summers. As a result, getting your hands on a bamboo sheet set is a total win-win for all types of weather.

We hope this article helps you understand the difference between each type of bed sheet. Sleep tight!

Sources

• Australia's Coldest Town, The News Daily 2019
• A Preliminary Study Of Properties Of Expansion And Shrinkage Of Bamboo Sheets, CNKI (2021)