Cotton, & why it’s a Good (And Maybe Not-too-Good) Fabric for Pillowcases

 

Do you have pillows at home, whether it’s in your bedroom or living room? Yes, pillows are an integral material for use at home, because these help to make your sleeping (or relaxing) time more comfortable, and they also help you wake up feeling refreshed. However, the fabric you choose for your pillowcases also matters, because some fabrics may cause allergies to your skin, while others feel so great on your face or scalp. Here’s a look at why cotton pillowcases are good, or maybe not so good, for you.

 

Cotton is a Natural Fiber

According to podiatrists and even psychiatrists, the hottest topic for most of their patients at the hospital or nursing home is about what type of pillow, and pillowcase is best for sleep comfort.

 

The doctors stress that the specific brand of pillow or pillowcase is not actually as important as the amount of support that a pillow provides for your specific sleeping position or habit, to avoid neck pain.

 

Fabric experts say that cotton is a natural fiber, and is a common choice for pillow casings because it’s soft and breathable. Perhaps one major drawback to using cotton pillowcases is that it tends to absorb water, and takes a little bit longer to dry. Thus, it may not be the best option for sweaty sleepers.

 

Cotton is also cool and absorbent to sleep on, and it also comes in different thread counts, plus it’s quite easy to wash. Although it’s the most frequently used material for pillowcases, there are a couple of downsides to using it, which we will discuss in the next segment.

 

The Potential Downsides of Using Cotton for Pillowcases

Now, let’s look at the potential downsides of using cotton pillowcases. Some folks say that the material bunches up quite easily, and leaves non-permanent crease marks on a person’s face.

 

Others also say that cotton pillowcases are known to absorb the oils from a person’s hair and skin, which can leave them dry, brittle, prone to breakage and literally dirty. However, the good news is that all these issues can easily be addressed by either switching to another pillowcase fabric, or by using cotton variants or blends.

 

For example, there’s the cotton polyester blend.  This type of pillowcase fabric or material comes from a mix of natural cotton and a man-made fiber called polyester. A blended cotton polyester pillowcase is known to shrink less as compared to 100% cotton pillowcases.

 

In addition, this type of pillowcase blend will also come out of the washing machine looking less wrinkled, and does not even require ironing to make a nice, or truly flat finish or look.

 

There’s also a variant called mercerized cotton. This is a special type of cotton yarn that’s more lustrous than conventional cotton. This variant is also stronger, takes dye a little more readily, and makes the yarn more resistant to mold and mildew (and reduces lint too).

 

Mercerized cotton also does not shrink or lose its shape as much as regular cotton. This yarn or fabric also stays shiny even through lots of washing, and also gives a nice, somewhat classier or fancier look to finished items, like pillowcases