Even in Los Angeles, fall is in the air. Seventy-five degree days cool off into the brutal low 60s at night. You laugh but we see it as snuggle time in the City of Angels. At my house, we have an Airbnb cottage we rent out, and autumn is when we switch out sheets and towels. I thought I’d share the results of my obsessive research, based on online reviews, store visits, purchases, and a few returns. Here’s the skinny on the thickest, the softest and the surprisingly affordable–all from brands you’ve probably never heard of.
Best Organic Sheets at an Earthbound Price
I love that Sol Organics works hard to minimize impact on the environment and the wallet, while also keeping things super luxurious. The Minneapolis-based startup’s linens are 100% organic cotton and fair trade-certified, and sold at a reasonable price. Sateen sheet sets begin under $100, and a complete bedding bundle with sheets, duvet cover and pillow sham is $169. All products come with a 30-day trial and free shipping. Sister company Huüt has the same offer on linens, and sells authentic Egyptian Cotton for a song. Sleep without worry, in short.
Possibly the Plushest Towels and Softest Sheets Ever?
The question mark leaves open the possibility that somewhere there is a washcloth or fitted sheet that feels as good against the naked human body as Brooklinen does. But I seriously doubt it. Nearly every review and press link I saw pointed me toward the popular Brooklyn, New York-based online vendor as the best of the so-called “disruptor” bedding brands. Brooklinen uses strong long-staple cotton (apparently, short fibers can poke out of the weave, leading to a coarser, weaker fabric) for softness normally reserved for, say, puppies and baby koalas. On the linens front, the top-of-the-line bundle includes a sheet set, duvet cover and a pair of pillowcases in a smooth-as-buttah 480 thread-count weave, for $243. Brooklinen’s towels make other towels weep with envy. The super-plump, gargantuan bath sheets–we’re talking 40″ x 70″–outsnuggle even the thickest hotel towels you’ve tried (sets begin at $109). No chemicals and fabrics won’t fade. They even come with a lifetime warranty.
Smartest Linens
Born in Antwerp, Loomstead founder Sam Leiaghat grew up in Los Angeles and built his linens company here with the philosophy that great bedding should be available to everyone, not just the rich and splurge-y. He did that by cutting out the middleman and selling direct to consumers. Loomstead also keeps things simple. The company uses natural fabrics, including bamboo, which is hypoallergenic, contains built-in anti-bacterial properties and stays soft without pilling (bamboo sheet/pillowcase sets begin at $139; other sheet sets are as low as $89). Beyond the easy price, the smartest touch might just be the labels at the corners of each Loomstead sheet telling you whether it’s the long or short side–a welcome addition that says something about how carefully Loomstead considers each detail. No wonder the brand is a reviewers’ darling.
Feel-Good Flannel (and Five-Star Towels, Too)
Entrepreneurs Scott and Missy Tannen launched Boll & Branch four years ago after not finding in-store bed sheets up to their liking. In that short time, the Tannens have grown the brand into one of the top names online for linens and towels that are also good for the planet. Boll & Branch works hard to control its supply chain and keep its process transparent. That’s important in an industry that traditionally banked on super-low worker wages overseas and used iffy textiles laced with who-knows-what. The Tannens know their farmers and factory workers and don’t mark up products via retailers since everything is sold digitally. Of course, the true test is in the napping, and B & B flies high there, too. The company’s new organic flannel sheets collection calls itself “the softest on the market,” which at least is a worthy goal (and also may be true). As for towels, the web reaction is strong on reviews. Will B. sums up the consensus: “Excellent towels. Best I have ever purchased.”
