What are cotton blend bed sheets? People often find themselves asking that question as they investigate different types of sheets to purchase. A variety of sheet types exist, ranging from viscose rayon from bamboo to 100% cotton to various blends of materials. It is easy to become lost considering thread types, how the sheets are weaved, and just what kind of fabric they are made of. Of course, these things are always important to consider when comparing and contrasting sheet sets. But, what are "cotton blend" bed sheets specifically?

Cotton blend bed sheets are sheets that are made of a blend of materials, mainly cotton and polyester. Any type of sheet labeled "cotton blend" is going to be made primarily of cotton. The important thing to note is the ratio of the blend of materials, as well as what exactly is being blended with the cotton. Polyester is going to be the primary source of secondary material in cotton blend sheets. Polyester used to be regarded as a cheap, inferior alternative to cotton. As cotton prices rose sharply, manufacturers started to find different ways of combining cotton and polyester fibers.

Cotton blend mixtures started to appear and became increasingly popular. They are now widely used by textile rental operators, with most opting for a 70:30 cotton-polyester blend while others prefer an 80:20 ratio. This inclusion of a small amount of polyester is believed to prolong textile life as polyester does not weaken with high levels of bleaching and this small proportion improves both the fabric's tensile strength and its tear strength. The benefits of polyester lie in its superior strength to cotton and in its ability make the fabric more stable thus reducing the amount of shrinkage that a cotton-rich textile will suffer over multiple laundering when compared to 100% cotton. However, to achieve this reduction in shrinkage, the fabric needs to have polyester in both the warp and weft.