They say that you should invest most in the things that separate you from the ground: shoes, mattresses, parachutes. I say that should extend to the things that separate you from the things that separate you from the ground: socks, sheets, those backpacks that hold your parachute. 

Let’s focus on sheets. In theory, you’ll spend about ⅓ of your life in them, so you want them to be comfortable. That’s why my new favorite material is sateen – it’s silky smooth, breathable, and often fairly affordable. But there’s a lot of sateen out there, and some of it is a straight up nightmare. So, I decided to test two top-rated brands, Brooklinen and Ettitude. Read my comparison below, or click here to go straight to the winner.

What Even Is Sateen?

There’s a million and one different types of sheets out there. For years, I’d been a linen fan. But I know people who swear by percale, those who live for the high-thread count Egyptian cotton, and even some absolute monsters who sleep in *shudders* Jersey-knit (aka “t-shirt sheets”)…

And then there’s sateen, which is very close to satin – not super surprising given the name. Both refer to the weave of the fabric, rather than the cloth itself. They use a four over, one under weaving pattern that provides them with their luxurious softness and sleek shine. Where the two differ is the materials they’re made from. 

Satin is made using filament fibers such as silk, nylon, polyester, or a combination of multiple. Sateen on the other hand uses spun yarns. These are traditionally fabrics like cotton or rayon, though Ettitude throws a curveball into the mix with their CleanBamboo®. Sateen is simultaneously more durable than satin and more breathable, both incredibly important qualities in bedding. 

Maybe most importantly, sateen provides a smooth, silky texture that’s an absolute joy to slide into and wrap yourself up in at the end of the day, while the knit and materials allow it to dissipate heat well, making it a perfect all-weather fabric.

BTS: Behind The Sheets

Brooklinen

Brooklinen is all about the cotton. Their Luxe Sateen Core Sheet Set is made using 480 thread count long-staple cotton. In case you’re not a fabric nerd, long-staple cotton provides a cotton fiber that can be spun into stronger, finer yarns, and produce weaves that are both smooth and supple.

Here’s the full sheet geek breakdown: 

Colors - With 16 options (4 of which are seasonal), Brooklinen takes the win in the variety department.

Packaging - Brooklinen’s sheets come wrapped in plastic. Mine unwrapped with a distinct plastic odor that disappeared after the first wash. 

Breathability - Try this at home: put your lips up to your flat sheet and then blow through it. I found that my Ettitude sheets allowed air through more easily.

Fitted Sheets - Good stretch. Didn’t bunch. Cute tag in the corner that says “Short Side”! 16” deep. 

Pillowcases - I prefer the envelope closure on a sham for how it looks, but no luck with either set. That being said, these do have that nice little flap that helps hide the pillow.

Duvet Cover - Brooklinen’s duvet cover has a hidden closure to tuck the mess away + ties in each corner for your duvet. The only downside for me is the buttons which are a clear plastic.

Care - Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low. Sateen tends to pill so be careful about using fabric softeners! My Brooklinen sheets softened up a bit after wash 1, but even more after wash 2.

Trial Period - 100 days. Technically, this is a win for Brooklinen, but honestly, I don’t know who needs a full 100 days to try sheets out.\

Ettitude

Ettitude, on the other hand, manufactures their own CleanBamboo®, a custom-patented, hypoallergenic, and naturally antimicrobial material that’s ideal for sensitive skin. 

They’ve also put some science behind their CleanBamboo®, with tests revealing that their sateen sheets offer 17% greater breathability when compared to cotton and are 24% faster at wicking away moisture.

Here’s the full sheet geek breakdown: 

Colors -  Only 10 options, but I do actually like all of Ettitude’s colors. No patterns like Brooklinen has, but that’s not my style anyways.

Packaging - Etittude ships in a nice drawstring bag that feels like it’s probably just made of the same sheet material. It’s nice for storage when you’re switching between sets!

Breathability - My “blow through the sheet” test gave me more airflow with Ettitude, which tracks with my experience sleeping in them! Way more breathable and comfortable.

Fitted Sheets - Sheet depth, baby! Ettitude’s set is 17” deep for Queen and above which is great if you’ve got a thicc mattress or a mattress topper.

Pillowcases - One day someone will sell me four pillowcases in a set! Until then, I’ll be content with quality pillowcases like these that include a flap to hide your pillow. 

Duvet Cover - Also a hidden closure and also includes ties in all four corners. Ettitude uses plastic buttons that match the duvet cover color which is a nice little touch.

Care - Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low. Sateen likes to wrinkle so you can iron or steam if that’s a problem for you. I found that my Ettitude sheets felt even softer after the first wash!

Trial Period - 60 days. Less than Brooklinen, but way more than I needed. I was completely sold after just a couple nights!

Whose Sateen Reigns Supreme?

At the end of the day, only one thing really matters when you’re comparing sheets: which set is most comfortable? 

To make it an honest test, my partner and I spent a week sleeping in both the Brooklinen and Ettitude sheets. I sleep hot, she sleeps cold. She moves around a lot, I’m pretty static. We pretty much tick all of the boxes, so this felt like as thorough a test as possible.

Brooklinen – Comfort level: 7/10

I have to say that this 7/10 rating for Brooklinen is very much a matter of relativity. They’re silky smooth, they do a good job of letting heat pass through, and while I thought I’d be iffy on the shiny finish, I actually came around on it once I saw it on my bed.

Basically, they’re a huge win for sateen! The week I spent sleeping on them honestly felt like the most luxurious week’s sleep I’d had in a long, long time. I found myself looking forward to hopping into bed. I honestly thought they were the perfect sheets. But then I tried Ettitude…

Ettitude – Comfort Level 9/10

Who knew that bamboo was the epitome of luxury? I sure didn’t! I’ll be honest, I went into this test feeling like the claims Ettitude makes about their CleanBamboo® Lyocell material (a next-gen, extra-green, silky-soft bamboo preparation) were maybe a little inflated. Dear reader, they were not.

This was, hands down, the best temperature regulation I’ve ever experienced in a sheet.

Not only did I sleep cool, but my notoriously frigid-footed partner stayed appropriately toasty. And for the first time in ages I woke up without feeling like I’d sweated my way through the night! The Brooklinen sheets couldn’t compete on that front. 

But what really sold me on Ettitude was the feel: buttery, velvety… cliché descriptions fall short. Imagine you’re a slippery smooth eel slithering through cool waters over river rocks worn perfectly round. That’s what it feels like sliding into these sheets. Every. Single. Night. Oh yeah. If there’s such a thing as personal heavens, mine is made of these sheets.

Everyone Should Sleep Like This

I am never going back to linen. I’m officially done with percale. I’m even breaking up with inferior sateen. Because I have never slept as well in my entire life as I do in my Ettitude sheets. Seriously, I’m considering bringing them with me on vacation next month because these sheets are so soft that hotel sheets seem criminal.

If you sleep hot, you should try these sheets. If you sleep cold, you should try these sheets. If you’re not sleeping well, you should try these sheets. If you think you do sleep well… you’re wrong and you should try these sheets. Try these sheets! And thank me later. Especially since you can take $75 off orders of $300 or more at Ettitude with code: PRIMARY75