I’ve personally slept on and reviewed nontoxic bedding for years — these are my favorite linen sheets that are sustainable, breathable, and affordable, too.
On the hunt for those perfect bedsheets that’ll have you longing to slip into bed every night? You’re probably overwhelmed by the choices. Percale, washed cotton, sateen, bamboo — the options feel endless. But during the warmer months, linen is our unparalleled favorite for outfitting our beds so we stay cool and comfortable despite the heat.
Below, we’ll shine some light on linen sheets for you — from their sustainability credentials to how they feel compared to other sheets and their price points. Spoiler alert: All of the options below are great since we’ve tested them to make sure they’re soft, cooling, and durable.
Plus, take a look at some of the photos below. We’re swooning over the earth-inspired tones and dreamy color palettes!
Why consider linen sheets?
Made from flax, one of the most breathable fibers out there, linen sheets are fantastic at temperature regulation, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If we’re looking at breathability, most forms of polyester are at the bottom of that list, because they don’t allow air to circulate through as well as natural fibers do. Cotton is nice and light, especially when done in a percale weave — but linen is even more breathable than cotton, and feels cool and crisp to the touch. It typically has a heavier weight than cotton, too, making for a super cozy bedding situation that is durable, too.
Linen is also one of the most sustainable fabrics to produce. The flax plant doesn’t require much water or pesticides, making it more sustainable than even most organic cotton. And since the entire flax plant can be woven into linen, almost no waste is left over.
Our methodology & criteria:
The Good Trade was sent linen sheets for review and I’ve personally tested all of the options below, sleeping on them for one night each and seeing how they softened and held up in the washer and dryer, too. All of the options meet the criteria outlined in the section below. Read on after that for my notes on how each brand did.
- ORGANIC | All of the sheets included here are made from organic flax and other natural plants that were grown without any harmful chemicals to keep you, the workers who make your sheets, and the earth safe.
- SUSTAINABLE & ECO-FRIENDLY | Each brand is thoughtful about how its linen sheets are produced, from sustainably sourced materials to eco-friendly manufacturing processes to treating their employees fairly.
- AFFORDABLE | Most linen is produced ethically in Europe, making it one of the more expensive fabrics. We’ve included options at various price points, starting at less than $200 per set, so you can find something great within budget. Note that the pricing for each set includes a queen-size top sheet, a queen-size fitted sheet, and two pillowcases.
- COMFORT | Linen is known for its breathability. But besides that, I was also noticing the texture of each sheet — its weight and how soft it was (linen is notoriously rough pre-washing).
The best night’s sleep starts with a solid foundation, so be sure to take a look at our organic mattress and organic pillow guides. And if you want to add more linen texture to any room of your home, check out our favorite linen curtains.
Best Overall | Most Affordable | Softest Linen Sheets
1. Brooklinen
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $319 for a queen set
Made in Portugal of 100% European flax, Brooklinen’s washed linen sheets are lighter weight than many other options, and that makes them feel so cozy to the touch. While they aren’t the silkiest feeling on the list (that would be Cultiver, up next!) they have this plushness that makes you want to wrap up in them, and they’re nice and airy with a fairly light weight of 145 gsm. The sheets are stonewashed and dyed in small batches to minimize shrinkage (which is why you might see some color variation), and I loved the cream option I went with — the color was bright and warm without being too yellow to match the rest of my bedroom. The sheet set has all the little details that I so appreciate in bedding, like envelope closures on the pillowcases and “long” and “short” side tags on the fitted sheet. The bedding is Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, and, like all Brooklinen products, is designed to maximize quality and minimize price.
2. Cultiver
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $410 for a queen set
Cultiver chooses the best European flax from all over to be woven into sheets by their manufacturing partners in Portugal and China, but that’s not what makes these so soft (the softest I tried!) — it’s the enzyme wash that does it. This gives them a leg up, making them feel like they’ve been used for years even when they’re brand new. They avoid that slight crunchiness you’ll find with many new linen sheets, and instead start with a nice drape and a silky feel. These have a medium weight of 165 gsm (grams per square meter) and come in a nice wide range of color options, too (14, to be exact!). All of their colors are made with safe dyes since this woman-owned company prioritizes safe working conditions in the making of all its products. Note that there were some loose threads on one pillowcase after washing, but it didn’t seem to compromise the quality at all.
3. Quince
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $170 for a queen set
The most affordable option on this list, Quince’s linen sheet set is made of 100% European flax, just like the others. But the company is all about keeping prices as low as possible, and they even have a transparent price breakdown showing all the costs that go into the product. The sheets feel just as high-quality as any on this list, with a soft, washed finish and medium weight. They already feel buttery and lived in when they get to you, and they’ll only get softer with time — these were some of the softest linen sheets I’ve felt, so you’re definitely getting bang for your buck. Note that they do shed a bit in the wash. The fitted sheets fit mattresses up to 16 inches deep, and the sheets come in 21 different timeless colors and patterns. While the brand doesn’t have the most transparent sustainability specs of the options on this list, its manufacturing partners are committed to responsible production and the bedding came in minimal packaging — just one plastic bag.
4. Sijo
Materials | Organic linen
Prices Starting At | $175 for a queen set
Sijo hits an impressive sweet spot between quality and price — and we’ve had a crush on their bedding for a while. That’s kind of their whole thing — high-quality, sustainably-made bedding that’s as affordable as possible — and their linen sheets are no exception. They were fairly soft to the touch since they come stone-washed, but they’ll still soften even more over time. They have a fairly heavy weight, too, for those who like an extra cozy bedding situation. Sijo sources their small batch hand-crafted linen yarn from Normandy, France, and the sheets are woven in Shanghai, China. We love their trendy color options, too, and the company donates 1% of each purchase to a nonprofit of your choice.
5. Coyuchi
Materials | Organic linen
Prices Starting At | $538 for a queen set
Made with flax grown in France and woven into linen sheets in Portugal, Coyuchi’s sheets are one of the more luxurious options on this list. They’re super breathable and cool to the touch yet strong, with a heavier weight than most linen sheets on the market at 185 gsm. So while they don’t feel quite as soft and cozy to the touch as others, they’re designed to soften with each wash and last you for years and years. The sheets have deep, 15-inch pockets and are GOTS-certified, and the company itself has some impressive sustainability specs, too, supporting fair trade initiatives, and regenerative agriculture. Since flax can only be grown sustainably on the same plot of land once every seven years, they support their flax farmers during off years.
6. Piglet in Bed
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $287 for a queen set
Started in 2017 from a garden shed in rural England, Piglet in Bed now makes a wide range of bedding and home goods with a focus on sustainable materials like linen. The sheets in their linen sheet set are made of 100% French flax linen that keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, but that’s not the best part — their linen sheets and duvet sets come in so many different fun colors and patterns. Along with trendy solid colors, you’ll also find ginghams, plaids, and stripes, and the brand encourages shoppers to mix and match. In fact, your duvet cover, fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcase can all be different colors and patterns. The linen sheets are made in Portugal, and their softness rivals any on this list, too.
7. Kotn
Materials | Linen & cotton
Prices Starting At | $250 for a queen set
Known for their ethically made cotton loungewear, Kotn has a line of linen sheets that are similarly sustainable and high-quality, too. They’re 65% linen and are blended with 35% long-staple Egyptian cotton to increase their softness and durability. Buttery to the touch but stiffer than most linen sheets, these ones will definitely take a few washes to soften up — but they’re really designed to last, and they felt the coolest to the touch of any sheet I tried. And they’re a fairly heavy weight, making them great for cooler climates, too. Kotn’s certifications back up their sustainability claims, too — not only are they B-Corp certified, they have the fourth highest B-impact score of any North American apparel brand. They source their cotton from family-run farms in Egypt and partner with small manufacturers, too, for sheets (and clothing) customers can feel good about.
Through the end of June, readers can use the code TGTBEDDING15 for 15% off bedding at KOTN.
8. Under the Canopy
Materials | Linen & lyocell
Prices Starting At | $226 for a queen set
Another favorite of our editors, Under The Canopy also makes a part-linen, part-something-else sheet set. Their linen eucalyptus sheets are 40% linen and 60% lyocell, a semi-synthetic fabric made from eucalyptus wood. The sheets’ makeup gives them the look and feel of linen with a slightly softer, silkier touch — kind of like linen that’s been well-washed, but that hasn’t pilled or shed in the process. They’re just as breathable and cool as linen sheets, and their lyocell keeps the price down, too, making them one of the more affordable options on the list without any noticeable decrease in quality. Under The Canopy’s vertically integrated supply chain also helps keep costs down while retaining certifications like GOTS and FSC. And if you want to know more about the brand’s other products like their duvet cover and cotton blankets, check out our full Under The Canopy review.
9. West Elm
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $269 for a queen set
West Elm’s European flax linen sheet set is one of the softest on this list — the sheets come garment-washed and have an effortlessly chic, crumpled, lived-in look. They come in a fairly wide range of calming, nature-inspired colors so you’re sure to find a match for your bedroom. Their pricing is on the more affordable side as far as linen sheets go, and they’re made out of European linen in a certified Fair Trade factory in China.
10. The Citizenry
Materials | Linen
Prices Starting At | $299 for a queen set
The Citizenry’s supremely soft stonewashed linen sheets are handwoven by the oldest family-run linen mill in Portugal. These OEKO-TEX certified French flax linens have a medium weight of 160 gsm, and come in 15 different soothing colors. You can even mix-and-match colors and add linen extras — your linen sheets, pillowcases, duvet cover, or quilt can all be different colors. The brand even offers $3 linen bedding swatches if you’re having trouble deciding between different colors (linen sheets are an investment, after all). Like all of The Citizenry’s products, the linen sheets are made in a fair trade certified factory, and the brand even pays the fair trade wage requirement. Read more about their sustainability and ethics practices here.
11. MagicLinen
Materials | Linen, or linen & cotton
Prices Starting At | $276 for a queen set
What was once a small Etsy shop is now MagicLinen, a 20+ person team making some of our favorite linen bedding and apparel from their production facility in Lithuania. Everything from design to finishing touches is done in-house, which supports the local economy and helps keep carbon emissions low. With a weight of 190 gsm, their linen sheets are some of the heavier ones on this list, but they come stonewashed for maximum softness. The brand also makes a linen blend sheet set, which is 55% linen blended with 45% cotton. Their fitted sheets come in regular (10-inch) and deep (18-inch) options, and their color options are vibrant and varied. Maginlinen even offers custom sizes for duvet covers, pillowcases, and sheets, and you can pick up a fabric sample set for $5 if you can’t decide on a color.
Natalie Gale is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!
