Like cotton, linen is a natural fabric, but unlike cotton it has a distinctive, elegantly crumpled look which makes it an ideal choice for bedding as it requires minimal ironing and settles naturally.

• Regulates your temperature as you sleep
• Keeps you cool in Summer, warm in Winter
• Soft and comfortable
• Repels dirt and bacteria keeping your bedding fresher for longer

If you like to choose sustainable materials for your home, linen is one of the most environmentally friendly fabrics you can buy. Flax, the plant which linen is created from, requires no irrigation, is biodegradable and a renewable resource. Plus, all the different parts of the flax plant are used, meaning it’s incredibly sustainable; perfect for helping you choose stylish, cosy and practical bedding that’s also good for the environment.

Cotton is the most used textile fibre in the world. When it comes to bedding, cotton’s lightness and soft, comfortable feel make it ideal for all seasons.

• Light, soft and comfortable
• Naturally hypoallergenic, great for sensitive skin
• Keeps you cool in Summer, warm in Winter
• Durable and sustainable

Caring for your cotton bedding is also very easy. Simply pop your sheets in the machine and wash* at 40° - you can even tumble dry your bedding on a low temperature. If you remove it from the dryer when it’s still slightly damp and dry it flat, you may not even need to iron it. Remember - brand new cotton sheets can feel very crisp at first, but we recommend washing them before putting them on your bed and they’ll soon soften up.

*Some cotton bedding can be washed at a higher temperature - please check individual care instructions.

Choosing bedding made from organic cotton is good for both you and the environment. Organic cotton is grown without pesticides and fertilisers, meaning it’s safer for the soil, water and people who harvest it. As it’s harvested by hand rather than using machines, organic cotton requires a less intensive cleaning process and is finished with hot water and vegetable-based soaps, rather than harsh chemicals.

• No chemicals are used in production making it ideal for sensitive skin
• Naturally hypoallergenic
• Softer to the touch than traditional cotton
• Produced using less water and less energy

Like traditional cotton, organic cotton is a light but cosy fabric, helping you to regulate your temperature overnight for a good night’s sleep. It’s also incredibly durable - high quality organic cotton sheets will last for a long time.

Cotton Percale is a high-quality cotton weave made with very delicate, closely-woven threads. The name ‘percale’ refers to the simple criss-cross weaving pattern, which enables the cotton threads to be woven more tightly, for a smooth, soft and luxurious fabric.

• Durable and breathable
• Collects less dust due to its close weave
• Prevents dust mites penetrating the sheets
• Has a smooth, matt finish

Despite its luxurious feel, cotton percale is also an incredibly low-maintenance fabric. Easy to care for, cotton percale sheets become softer and more comfortable the more you wash them, meaning the older the sheets, the softer they are. It’s also a very durable fabric, meaning typically percale bedding lasts more than three times longer than other natural fabrics.

Cotton sateen, like cotton percale, is a different style of weave using a cotton thread. The sateen weave uses a ‘one yarn under, three or four yarns over’ pattern which exposes more thread surface, leading to a heavier, smoother and more luxurious feel than other cotton weaves with a subtle sheen.

• Feels soft and smooth against your skin
• Has a subtle sheen that mellows beautifully after washing
• Tighter weave traps more warmth
• Has a wonderfully opulent feel

Cotton sateen typically drapes well and has minimal creasing, meaning it is relatively easy to care for as usually it won’t need ironing, as long as it is hung straight whilst drying.

As the name suggests, polycotton is a blend of polyester and cotton. This cost-effective fabric is practical and durable.

• Resistant to tears
• Suitable for washing at high temperatures
• Practical choice for children’s bedding
• Easy to care for, dries with minimal creasing.

Cotton flannel, also known as brushed cotton, is a fabric made out of loosely spun cotton which then undergoes a mechanical brushing process that creates extra softness on the surface of the fabric.

• Wonderfully soft and cosy
• Raised, fluffy fibres help to trap more heat
• Great for use during the colder months

Cotton flannel bedding must often be washed and dried at different temperatures from other bedding fabrics - please read the care instructions carefully.

Made with at least 45% linen, this blend combines the soft qualities of cotton with the natural beauty of linen.

• High-quality and durable
• Offers the luxury feel of linen
• Easy to wash, dry and iron like cotton

Hemp is a strain of the sativa plant species, which people have been weaving into a fabric for centuries. You might imagine it to be coarse and stiff, but in fact, hemp bedding is incredibly soft and cosy, and becomes more so each time you wash it. La Redoute also pre-washes all of its hemp bedding for additional softness.

• Needs no pesticides or herbicides to cultivate
• Thermoregulatory properties due to its hollow fibres, help you stay cool in summer and warm in winter
• Wicks moisture away from the skin, and naturally dispels odours to keep bedding fresher for longer
• Antibacterial, antimicrobial and hypoallergenic

If these aren’t enough reasons to choose hemp bedding, it’s also one of the most eco-friendly fabrics in existence. Growing hemp only requires about ⅓ of the land and ½ of the water compared to growing cotton, meaning its carbon and water footprints are much smaller than other natural textiles. The durability of the weave means your bedding will last a long time, but when you’re finished with your hemp bed linen, the fabric is recyclable, making it a truly environmentally-friendly choice.

The ultimate in lightweight, breathable bedding, cotton muslin is one of the purest, most simple and most gentle fabrics around. Dating back to Ancient India, it was one of the easiest widely-traded fabrics in the world.

• Light and loose weave
• Incredibly soft feel, great for baby bedding
• Ultra-lightweight and airy
• No ironing is required

Washed cotton (or pre-washed cotton) is cotton that’s been made softer after a special washing treatment. It reduces the crisp feel of new cotton sheets, giving a more relaxed and super comfortable feel straight away.

• Softly rumpled appearance – no ironing is required
• Doesn’t shrink or lose shape in the wash
• Has a vintage, washed out look
• Feels like well-loved bedding the moment it’s used

Many of our linen, cotton percale and hemp bedding products are also pre-washed for added softness.

There’s often talk of the difference between ‘natural’ and ‘man-made’ fibres when it comes to bedding - Lyocell (also known as Tencel or Rayon) falls somewhere between the two. Created from wood fibres which is broken down into a pulp and then reformed into fibres which can be woven. Technically, therefore, Lyocell is referred to as a ‘recovered’ or ‘regenerated’ material. It is also biodegradable.

• Soft, sheened appearance
• Light and breathable
• Absorbs more moisture than cotton to help you stay cool, great for sensitive skin
• Exceptionally durable and maintains its shape well

Because the wood fibres for Lyocell fabrics are sourced from fast-growing trees such as eucalyptus, these can be easily replaced in a sustainable fashion. In addition, these trees require much less water than cotton to grow, with no pesticides needed, making it a more environmentally-friendly product that’s sustainably produced from well-managed forests.