Choosing the right bedding starts with how you want it to feel. The Hudson Grace bedding fabric guide compares washed linen, percale, cotton, and matelassé by texture, weight, weave, and benefits.

Skilled makers in Italy and Portugal craft our bedding from high-quality linen and cotton. Each collection has its own feel. However, all Hudson Grace bedding collections layer together across fabrics, colors, and seasons.

Use this bedding fabric guide to find the collection that best matches how you sleep and how you like your bed to feel.

How to Choose Bedding Fabric

Start with the feel you prefer:

• Choose washed linen for soft texture and year-round breathability
• Choose percale for a cool, crisp, smooth feel
• Choose cotton chambray or Oxford for soft, shirt-like comfort
• Choose seersucker for light texture and airflow
• Choose matelassé for a lightweight coverlet with woven dimension
• Choose Italian washed linen for a richer, medium-weight hand
• Choose European washed linen for relaxed texture and more color

European Washed Linen Bedding

European Washed Linen Bedding feels soft, relaxed, and naturally textured. Made in Portugal from premium flax, it offers breathable comfort from the first night and becomes softer with every wash.

Linen has an open weave that allows air to circulate. As a result, it feels cool during warm weather and comfortable beneath added layers in winter. Our Portuguese washed linen also comes in shades of green and blue, warm neutrals, white, and grey.

Choose European washed linen if you want:

• Soft, relaxed bedding
• Natural folds and texture
• Breathable comfort in every season
• A wide range of colors for mixing
• Linen that becomes softer with regular washing

Italian Washed Linen Bedding

Italian Washed Linen Bedding has a rich, medium-weight hand and a timeless, neutral-led palette. One of Italy’s leading mills spins and custom weaves the fine European flax. Then, a third-generation Italian atelier completes the tailoring and finishing.

Although the fabric feels substantial, it remains breathable and comfortable throughout the year. It also layers beautifully with crisp percale sheets and lightweight matelassé.

Choose Italian washed linen if you want:

• A rich, medium-weight linen
• Fine European flax woven in Italy
• Softness that improves with every wash
• A classic, neutral-led color palette
• Bedding with precise Italian tailoring

Percale Bedding

Percale is a cotton weave known for its cool, crisp feel. Its one-thread-over, one-thread-under construction creates a smooth surface and allows air to move through the fabric. Therefore, percale works well for everyday sleeping and anyone who prefers fresh, breathable bedding.

Hudson Grace percale comes from skilled textile makers in Italy and Portugal. The collections include solid Italian percale, wide bands, piping, scallop stitching, diamond borders, and fine embroidery. Select styles use long-staple, extra-long-staple, or organic cotton for softness and lasting strength.

Choose percale bedding if you want:

• Cool, crisp cotton sheets
• A smooth, matte finish
• Breathable everyday bedding
• Fabric that becomes softer with every wash
• Solid, tailored, or embroidered options

Does Thread Count Matter?

Thread count is only one part of sheet quality. Cotton type, fiber length, yarn, weave, weight, and finishing also affect how bedding feels and lasts. In fact, a higher number does not always mean a better sheet.

For percale, a balanced thread count preserves the crisp, breathable character of the weave. Many Hudson Grace embroidered percale collections use 310-thread-count extra-long-staple or organic cotton. This construction balances coolness, softness, and strength without making the fabric overly dense.

Our 500-thread-count Wide-Band Percale has a smoother, more substantial hand. Meanwhile, our 210-thread-count yarn-dyed stripe percale feels lighter and crisp. Each thread count serves the intended feel of the collection.

Cotton Bedding

All percale is cotton, but not all cotton bedding is percale. Cotton is the fiber, while terms such as percale, chambray, seersucker, dobby, Oxford, and herringbone describe the weave or construction. Each one gives cotton a different texture and weight.

Cotton chambray has a soft, mid-weight feel similar to a favorite shirt. Seersucker has a lightly puckered surface that allows the fabric to sit away from the skin. Dobby looms create small woven patterns, while Oxford and herringbone weaves add soft texture and depth.

Choose cotton bedding if you want:

• Natural softness and breathability
• Comfortable bedding for daily use
• A choice of smooth or textured weaves
• Classic solids and yarn-dyed stripes
• Easy care and year-round versatility

Matelassé Bedding

Matelassé is a woven cotton fabric that creates the dimensional look of quilting without heavy batting. Consequently, a matelassé coverlet adds texture and a finished layer without the weight of a traditional quilt.

Hudson Grace Matelassé Bedding is hand-loomed in Portugal from 100% cotton. Herringbone, paisley, and ribbed patterns add subtle texture, while double-stitched hems and mitered corners provide a clean finish.

Choose matelassé bedding if you want:

• A lightweight alternative to a quilt
• Rich woven texture without added bulk
• A breathable coverlet for warmer weather
• An extra layer over a duvet in winter
• Classic white bedding that works across seasons

What Bedding Is Best for Warm Sleepers?

Percale and washed linen are both strong choices for warm sleepers. Percale feels cool, crisp, and smooth against the skin. Meanwhile, washed linen has an open weave and relaxed texture that allow air to circulate.

For additional layers, choose a lightweight cotton duvet cover or matelassé coverlet. Also, adjust the weight of the duvet insert with the season rather than replacing the complete bedding collection.

Linen or Percale?

Choose linen if you prefer soft texture, natural folds, and a relaxed finish. Linen feels comfortable throughout the year and becomes softer with use.

However, choose percale if you prefer a smooth surface and a cool, crisp feel. Percale also softens over time, but it retains more structure than washed linen.

You can also use both. For example, pair crisp percale sheets with a washed linen duvet cover. The contrast between smooth cotton and relaxed linen gives the bed depth without requiring a matched set.

How to Layer Bedding

First, choose the sheets that feel best against your skin. Next, add a duvet cover in the same fabric or a contrasting texture. Then, finish the bed with pillow shams, a matelassé coverlet, or a throw.

Try these Hudson Grace combinations:

• Percale sheets with an Italian washed linen duvet
• Linen sheets with a lightweight cotton duvet cover
• Solid percale with embroidered pillowcases
• Striped cotton bedding with a white matelassé coverlet
• European washed linen in mixed shades of blue or green
• Neutral Italian linen with crisp white percale

Colors do not need to match exactly. Instead, combine related shades and vary the weave, weight, and texture.

Bedding for a Wedding Registry

A wedding registry should include bedding that feels comfortable, washes well, and works throughout the year. Start with two complete sheet sets, a duvet cover or duvet set, extra pillowcases, and Euro shams. Then, add a matelassé coverlet for lightweight layering.

Percale makes a useful foundation for couples who prefer cool, crisp sheets. Washed linen works well for those who prefer natural texture. Cotton duvet sets and matelassé coverlets also make lasting additions that can move between rooms and homes.

How to Care for Bedding

Always follow the care label for the specific collection. In general:

• Wash linen in cold water and tumble dry low
• Wash cotton and percale in warm or cold water as directed
• Use non-chlorine bleach only when the care label allows it
• Avoid high heat, which can stress natural fibers
• Remove bedding from the dryer promptly
• Use a low or warm iron only when needed
• Embrace linen’s natural folds rather than pressing it smooth

The Hudson Grace bedding fabric guide brings together natural materials, European textile craft, and clear advice for choosing bedding made for the way you sleep.