I’ve met many supposedly “cooling” sheets in my time as a mattress and bedding tester, and I have been disappointed more often than not. A cooling mattress can’t do all the heavy lifting with temperature regulation, and I’ll forever emphasize that your choice of bedding matters just as much—which is why I’m an unapologetic sheet snob. Which brings me to Bedsure, a brand I stumbled across on Amazon in a last-ditch effort to find some decent sheets when mine bit the dust (rather, my dogs bit holes into them). I was keen on sticking with bamboo, which is an uber-breathable and soft material. Bedsure quickly popped up on my radar with its GentleSoft cooling sheets—they claim to be cooling and soft. At first, I was like, “Sure, Jan. The name is very generic, but it’s an established, woman-owned brand (we love to see it) that was founded in 1979. Bedsure has won plaudits from most of the other major review sites with its line of affordable bamboo rayon sheets, duvet inserts, and down alternative comforters. After a year sleeping on them when not testing another set of sheets, I’m convinced that these are some of the best sheets out there, especially at their price point.
The Soft Stuff
Photograph: Julia Forbes
Bamboo used for textiles usually falls into one of two categories: rayon and viscose. Viscose is technically an offshoot of rayon, but is separate product with its own traits. These particular sheets from Bedsure are made from bamboo rayon, which is woven to be breathable and feel silkier than your standard cotton percale or textured linen. I like bamboo better than cotton because it gives what I call “the baby dolphin effect,” where the silkiness is just glorious to roll around in. But if you are keen on cotton flannel, percale, or even satin sheets, Bedsure makes those too.
I also want my sheets to have some weight to them, and not mimic tissue paper, and Bedsure’s GentleSoft sheets accomplish that as well. Like cotton, growing and processing bamboo can use lots of chemicals to turn a natural woody plant into an ultra-soft fabric. This is where certifications are important, especially if you’re someone who tries to stay away from potentially harmful chemicals and compounds that could be used for things like fire retardants. Bedsure GentleSoft sheets are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified, so we know that these sheets passed third-party safety tests.
What Bedsure has done to set these “GentleSoft” sheets apart from other bamboo bedding is refine the manufacturing process of the bamboo fibers themselves. This includes the use of certified softeners (like organosilicon) and brushing with high-grit sandpaper to make the fibers smooth, cool, and durable. It also uses denser fibers in a twill weave pattern to give it substance. It’s a long process, and Bedsure details all the steps.
I am not an observer in the factory to verify all these steps are actively applied to any particular set of sheets, but I’m happy to share the next best thing—my testing experience.
Sleep Experience
Photograph: Julia Forbes
I have a cooling mattress, the Nolah Evolution Hybrid, and I keep my AC cranked and fan running. All of that is not enough for me, and my cooling sheets need to hold their own too.
My mattress is 15 inches tall, and these sheets are deep-pocketed enough to fit mattresses up to 16 inches. I’ve been sleeping on these sheets for well over a year at this point, and if I’ve set up my bedroom atmosphere correctly, I actually feel a bit chilly when I fall asleep, which is why I go with sheets that aren’t as thin as spiderwebs. It’s no weighted blanket, but it does create a perceivable cocoon around me that isn’t stifling. My husband is not as big a fan of this effect, preferring a crispier percale over anything else. Having been pressed on this, he retreated, agreeing that it’s personal preference and the Bedsure sheets are very nice—especially since they’re so affordable with a price tag below $100.
I’m not usually one on the hunt for certain colors or patterns, as a standard white or gray is just fine by me. But in this particular case, I decided to mix things up and get a deep blue set. It has an ever-so-slight sheen to it, which, coupled with the heftier weave and threads used, makes them feel expensive.
