Relax into soft and low-maintenance fabric with the best bedding set. This season it's all about comfort and practical fabrics that don't need ironing. Layer cosy seersucker linens for a crumpled and relaxed look. The best bed linen doesn't have to cost a fortune in order to feel luxurious. With a little consideration for the type of material that feels best for you, you can spend all day looking forward to going to bed.
A bedding set comprises of a duvet cover and matching pillows. Add in fitted sheets in a complementary colour, and maybe a textured throw or plush cushions and get that five-star hotel feeling. Design lovers, dress your bed with exquisite sets – floral, animal print and delicate patterns – coordinate with curtains and bedroom décor. Go for brands such as Sara Miller, Cath Kidston and Anthropologie for stylish duvet covers that offer the best in contemporary textile surface design.
The best Amazon Prime Day bedding set deals:
Amazon Prime Day is running from the 16th-17th July, bringing with it two days of epic deals - including the best bedding sets - exclusively for Prime Members. The big event features personalised deals and offers on top brands, so it's always a great opportunity to do some low-cost summer shopping and get your hands on items you've had your eye on for a while, as well as stocking up and saving on household essentials or even prepping early for Christmas. Shop our favourite Prime Day Deals on bedding sets below or keep scrolling to find fantastic products from other brands.
SAVE 22%: Catherine Lansfield Meadowsweet Floral Reversible Duvet Cover Set WAS £26 NOW £20.39
SAVE 16%: Lekesky 100% Cotton Bedding Double Bed Set WAS £34.99 NOW £29.39
Prime Day is a shopping event for Prime members only - if you don't want to commit to a year subscription for £95, you can sign up now to snap up the deals with a 30-day free trial.
Comfort is queen, so choose the fabric with care. Bedding sets that are cotton and linen are ideal for hot sleepers because they're breathable. Natural materials regulate body temperature and wick moisture. Better still, Egyptian cotton shares cotton's qualities but, being hand-picked less stress is put on the fibres, so it's softer, stronger and longer-lasting. French linen, made from French flax is another quality material that offers breathability, durability and comfort. For the best anti-allergy bedding set, silk and satin are hypoallergenic options for sensitive sleepers. Although pricier, they deter dust mites, providing relief from sensitivities. If you get cold at night or want a warm winter duvet, consider flannel or brushed cotton. Finally, many duvet covers include a polyester blend because it's cost-effective, long-lasting, wrinkle-resistant, and low maintenance.
Best bedding set at a glance:
• Best for design lovers: Cath Kidston Story Tree – View on Terrys
• Best linen bedding set: Piglet in Bed Check Stripe Linen Bed Bundle – View on Buy Me Once
• Best luxury bedding set: Dusk – Marseille Collection – View on Dusk
Life isn't always a bed of roses, but your bedding can be. We've rounded up the best bedding sets based on style, quality fabric and durability. So, do peruse before you make your bed and lie in it. You can also scroll to the FAQs for more on fabric weave – including percale and sateen – the benefits of linen, and how to wash your bedding.
Best bedding set
Cath Kidston's Story Tree is a brilliantly quirky design – think adorable sloths with petal headdresses. Have sweet whimsical dreams with the hand-painted design, reproduced in a high-quality surface pattern print. The clarity of the fine brush strokes and the paint-work enlivens the bedding. In addition, this 100 per cent cotton fabric is hardwearing and forgiving and won't need rigorous ironing. The duvet cover and pillowcases feature a double-sided design with a simple flower motif on the reverse. The duvet cover has an elegant button fastening that is easy to close. This is an OEKO Tex-certified MADE IN GREEN product with complete traceability and environmentally friendly production.
Care instructions: Advise to wash dark colours separately, warm wash and do not bleach.
Our review: "The Story Tree bedding set features fantastical animals with butterfly wings, bounding rabbits leaping from flower blooms, and vivid purple and pink hues. A fantastical fever dream of guinea pigs, chinchillas, sloths, toads and white bunny heads. If that sounds as bonkers as a nest of frogs, rest assured that Cath Kidston has pulled this design together beautifully. It's joyful to spot the details in what superficially looks like a cute flora and fauna surface pattern. I particularly admire the spot-on print quality and detailed brush strokes, textures that make it look painterly. It's contemporary and has more sophistication in the illustrations that transcends twee and cute.
"Aside from posing lemurs with luxuriously long tails, the double duvet cover (200 x 200cm) and two pillowcase set (50 x 75cm) that I received were packaged together in a full cardboard box with an aperture to show the design. The outer bag contained 100 per cent recycled content. I spotted the OEKO Tex symbol on the box and a QR code that led me to a MADE IN GREEN traceability report. What sets Cath Kidston bedding sets apart is the outstanding quality of the original surface pattern design on durable and comfortable fabric that's been ethically produced."
Pros
- Enchanting and original design
- Durable fabric
- Ethical production
- High-quality print
Cons
- Design may not be to everyone's taste
| Material: | 100% cotton |
| Size: | Single, Double, King Size |
- Holly Marler, Cath Kidston's Creative Director, hand-paints the design
- OEKO Tex-certified MADE IN GREEN
Best easy-care bedding
For an affordable non-iron option that has a stylish and luxury look – go for the Nimsay Home Jasmine Seersucker Bedding Set. The crimped fabric feels fresh as the fabric offers breathability for better temperature regulation and wicking. If you're suffering with hot flushes this is an effective bedding set for getting some relief. The cotton polyester blend makes it soft and durable, as well as easy to care for. In addition, this is an OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 product that certifies no harmful chemicals were used in its production and that natural resources have been used responsibly.
Customer review: "Bedding is very comfortable and a great value for money. Feels a lot more expensive than it is."
Pros
- Non-iron
- Breathable
- Durable
- Great value
Cons
- Thin fabric
| Material: | Cotton polyester blend |
| Size: | King (Super King and Double also available) |
- Pillow cases are standard size
- Available colours: Dove, Blue, Rose, Slate, White, Cream
Best budget bedding set
www.johnlewis.com
Sleep soundly at night with great value bedding from John Lewis, that's 100 per cent cotton for breathable and temperature-regulating duvet covers and pillowcases. John Lewis ANYDAY Pure Cotton is 180 thread count with a button fastening. The fabric is robust and can be tumble-dried and ironed. Other colours available: Nettle, Mimosa, Navy, Steel, White, Slate Blue and Blush Pink.
Customer review: "Bought this for the guest bedroom and the Natural colour goes perfectly with the decor. Washed it immediately and was delighted to find it kept its shape, fabric tension and colour brilliantly. Yes, I had to iron it, (double duvet takes about 10 mins with a dampish fabric) but it folded up really easily."
Pros
- Great value
- Range of colours
- Complement any décor
Cons
- Needs a few washes to soften
| Material: | 100% cotton |
| Size: | Double (Single, King, Super King available); Additionally: Standard pillowcase pair, Oxford pillowcase pair |
Best bedding brand for colour and pattern
www.marksandspencer.com
Combine the aesthetic appeal of a vibrant surface pattern with the softness of sateen and you get Sara Miller Smokey Birds Bedding. With rich and lustrous tones, the tropical birds on metallic branches will add sophistication to any bedroom and set the ambience. The button fastening duvet comes with matching standard-size pillowcases. Sleep comfortably through the night on 220 thread count pure cotton sateen... and wake up feeling a million dollars.
Customer review: "So beautiful and stylish, glad I bought this to create a stylish bedroom."
Pros
- Vibrant colours
- Stylish
- Matching items available
Cons
- Fabric is a little stiff
| Material: | 100% Cotton Sateen |
| Size: | Single, Double, King Size, Super King |
- 220 thread count
- Button fastening
- Matching curtains available
Best flannelette bedding
www.justlinen.co.uk
Christy Turin Brushed Cotton Grey is a calming and comforting flannelette duvet cover and pillowcase set. Cotton flannelette, or flannel, is a soft and warm fabric made from brushed cotton fibres. It has a napped surface that creates a cosy and insulating feel – ideal for winter bedding. This striped design is a neutral hue that will complement any bedroom décor, but we think it would be ideal in a coastal retreat for your winter hols.
Care instructions: Gentle machine wash 40°C and tumble dry on low.
Pros
- Warming fabric
- Soft
- Neutral design
Cons
- Not available in other colourways
| Material: | 100% Cotton flannelette |
| Size: | Single, Double, King, Super King |
- Currently on offer with 60% off
Best silk bedding set
www.soakandsleep.com
Spun by silk worms fed on Mulberry leaves, this Ivory Pure Mulberry Silk Double Duvet sounds like the stuff of a Midsummer Night's Dream. But the legendary qualities of silk are fact. This naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic fabric draws heat away from your skin, so it's temperature regulating too. The sumptuous and lustrous satin weave looks and feels luxurious. This is a double duvet cover from Soak and Sleep (with matching pillowcases available). A zip closure keeps the extremely smooth duvet cover and pillowcases in place.
Care instructions: Either wash by hand or on a delicate cycle in your washing machine – maximum temperature 30°C. Air dry for best results. Make sure this bedding is completely dry before ironing and iron on the coolest setting.
Customer review: "Bought these in the summer sale and have been very impressed with the quality. They seem more sturdy than one I had purchased somewhere else. I have dust mite allergies and find this is a great way to keep from waking up with a stuffy head."
Pros
- Kind on hair and skin
- Eases dust allergies
- Cooling
Cons
- Delicate, take care when washing and drying
| Material: | 19 momme 100% pure mulberry silk |
| Size: | Double |
- Naturally hydrophobic – doesn't pull moisture away from your skin so your skin stays hydrated
- Two year guarantee
FAQs: Best bedding set
Along with "How to use an ironing machine", there's a fantastic quote about household management from Mrs Beeton's Family Cookery Book in a chapter on 'Laundry Work': "White linen and collars, sheets and body-linen should be placed in one heap, fine muslins in another, coloured cotton and linen fabrics in a third, woollens in a fourth and the coarser kitchen and other greasy cloths in a fifth." Forget soaking, boiling, starching and wringing machines – thank goodness modern fabrics take the labour out of doing the laundry.
What is percale fabric?
When a fabric is percale, it refers to the type of weave that was used to make the sheet. Percale is a closely woven cotton fabric known for its crisp, cool, and smooth texture. Expect high-quality bed linens due to its durability and comfort. In addition, percale fabric is breathable and has a crisp texture that promotes better airflow. Percale is woven in a simple way, with one thread over and one thread under. This weave makes it strong, durable, matte, and crisp. To be called percale, it must have 180 or more threads per square inch.
What is sateen fabric?
Sateen again refers to the way the cotton fabric is woven in a way that creates a smooth surface with a subtle sheen. Sateen's smooth and luxurious feel enhances comfort, potentially contributing to improved sleep quality and overall well-being due to its softness. It's breathable, soft and durable. Sateen is woven differently than regular cotton. It uses treated cotton fibres, not natural threads, and up close has a diagonal pattern. It blends satin's luxury with cotton's strength.
What is Egyptian cotton?
Egyptian Cotton is a high-quality cotton, picked from a specific species gossypium barbadense, known for its extra-long staple fibres. It produces soft, durable, and luxurious textiles, often used in premium bedding and linens. Egyptian Cotton's softness and breathability can contribute to improved sleep comfort. As we spend a third of our life in bed, it's well worth the investment.
What is French linen?
French linen refers to linen fabric and products made from flax plants cultivated and processed in France. It's prized for its quality and luxurious texture. French Linen's breathability, durability and natural comfort may promote better sleep and overall wellbeing.
What are the benefits of linen bedding?
When looking for the best linen bedding set, consider factors like thread count, weave type and the specific features offered by different brands. Thread count is less relevant for linen than for cotton because linen fibres are thicker, but a higher thread count can still indicate a smoother and softer finish. The weave type can also affect the texture and appearance of the linen.
Linen is naturally hypoallergenic, which means it's less likely to irritate sensitive skin or trigger allergies. In addition, linen has exceptional breathability and moisture-wicking properties. It's naturally temperature-regulating, which means it can keep you warm in winter and cool in warmer weather.
Linen bedding often has a luxurious texture that feels crisp yet soft against the skin. The natural, slightly textured appearance of linen offers a relaxed look, in contrast to formal starched whites. It withstands frequent washing and becomes even softer over time.
How often should you wash your bedding?
While everyone has their own preference for how often to wash bedding, wash your duvet cover once every two weeks. You might wash it more frequently in the summer if you sweat or have dry skin. Allergy sufferers may also wash their bedding more often or choose allergy-friendly options, such as silk sheets.
What temperature should I wash my bedding?
When it comes to bedding, many people ignore the label's washing instructions and opt for a 60°C wash to eliminate bacteria and dust mites. Typically, using 60°C on cotton bedding instead of 40 °C is safe, just less energy efficient. However, if your bedding is expensive or silk-based, it's advisable to strictly follow all instructions to avoid ruining it in the wash. New washing machines and detergents are designed to wash thoroughly at lower temperatures. Some appliances have specific bed linen, anti-allergy and hygiene cycles.
Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Yours, specialising in home appliances. When she's not testing sparkling water makers, she flexes her creative flair as an artist.