JUMP TO Section Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Best overall
- Best silk
- Best sateen
- Best linen
- Best flannel
- Best budget
- Best luxury
- Other pillowcases we tested
- Pillowcase FAQs
- Our pillowcase testing methodology
- Check out our other great bedding guides
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There are lots of reasons for purchasing pillowcases separately from sheet sets. Maybe you have an abundance of pillows you need to cover or just prefer a different material under your head. Sweaty or drool-prone sleepers might also prefer to change their pillowcases more often. Luckily, many bedding brands sell pillowcases separately.
In our testing for the best sheets, we slept on dozens of pillowcases in every material from cotton to linen to flannel. While we think cotton nicely balances durability, comfort, and affordability, flannel, linen, and silk have their own benefits. What ultimately suits you largely depends on your sleep style and budget.
Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches home products.
Our top picks for pillowcases
Best overall: L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcase Set - See at L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean's percale pillowcases are light and crisp yet soft, proving that you don't need a high thread count to get great quality.
Best silk: Celestial Silk 25 Momme Pillowcase - See at Amazon
Celestial Silk's pillowcase is an impressive 25 momme weight that's smooth and lustrous, with a hidden zip closure so your pillow doesn't slide out at night.
Best sateen: Cuddledown 400-Thread Count Sateen Pillowcase Set - See at Cuddledown
Cuddledown's soft sateen sheets are made of long-staple cotton and come in an impressive 26 colors with a light lustrous sheen.
Best linen: Sijo LuxeWeave Linen Pillowcase Set - See at Amazon
Breezy and beautiful, Sijo's linen pillowcases are perfect for summer or those who sleep hot.
Best flannel: L.L.Bean Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Pillowcase Set - See at L.L.Bean
L.L.Bean's Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Pillowcases live up to their name and aren't weighty enough to overheat you.
Best budget: Threshold Solid Performance Pillowcase Set - See at Target
Threshold's affordable pillowcases are comfortable, well-designed, and, available in a range of colors.
Best luxury: H by Frette Sateen Classic Pillowcase Set - See at Amazon
As smooth and sumptuous as five-star hotel sheets, H by Frette's pillowcases are the most luxurious we tested.
Best overall: L.L.Bean 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% Pima cotton, percale weave
- Thread count: 280
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash in warm water with like colors. Use only non-chlorine bleach if needed. Tumble dry on low and remove promptly.
Pros: High-quality, very soft, comfortable, accessible price
Cons: Few prints and patterns
L.L.Bean's percale is our favorite sheet set, and the accompanying pillowcases are great whether or not you have the matching sheets.
Made of 100% Pima cotton, the soft yet crisp pillowcases work well all year. With the percale weave, the material feels nice and light against your skin.
Available in seven colors, the pillowcases are easy to coordinate with existing sheets. However, we wish there were more prints and patterns. L.L.Bean also offers a lifetime guarantee on its sheets and pillowcases.
Best silk: Celestial Silk 25 Momme Pillowcase
- Material: Silk
- Momme: 25
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 1
- Sizes available: Standard, queen, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash on a cold, delicate cycle with a mild, pH-balanced detergent. Air-dry indoors.
Pros: Luxurious feel, potential benefits for skin and hair
Cons: Requires a bit more upkeep than cotton
Celestial Silk's pillowcase is made from high-quality, 100% Mulberry silk that's thicker than similar pillowcases. Instead of thread count, like cotton, silk is measured by weight with a momme count.
We found the 25 momme pillowcase from Celestial Silk to be a more comfortable and durable silk pillowcase compared to many popular 19 momme options. Its charmeuse weave gives the front of the fabric a smooth luster, though the back is dull. A hidden zipper helps keep your pillow in place inside the case, though there's an option for an envelope closure instead.
While some tout silk pillowcases as great for skin and hair, it's difficult to verify these claims. Insider's Mara Leighton tested the pillowcase and found it made her hair significantly less frizzy, though she wasn't sure she noticed if it was more hydrated.
Read our full Celestial Silk pillowcase review.
Best sateen: Cuddledown 400-Thread Count Sateen Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% long-staple combed cotton, sateen weave
- Thread count: 400
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash warm. Wash dark colors separately. Do not bleach. Tumble dry low. Remove promptly from dryer and iron warm if desired.
Pros: Soft, many colors available, generous guarantee
Cons: May be too warm in summer
Cuddledown's long-staple, 400-thread count cotton pillowcases have a sateen weave that's both thick and soft. They're available in 26 deep or vibrant hues, and the fabric has a touch of luster. After being washed several times, the pillowcases remained exceptionally soft and didn't pill. The color remained vivid as well.
During the winter and cooler parts of spring, the pillowcases feel warm yet light. They aren't as crisp as percale or linen for summer, so they may not work as year-round pillowcases for some.
Cuddledown's pillowcases are Oeko-Tex-certified, meaning they meet safety standards to ensure they're not made with harmful substances. The company's guarantee lets you return them if you're not satisfied.
Best linen: Sijo LuxeWeave Linen Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% French flax
- Thread count: N/A
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash in cold water on the gentle cycle. Tumble dry on low. Remove from dryer when slightly damp and hang or lie flat. They can also be hand washed or dry cleaned.
Pros: Stay cool and dry, wrinkles look good instead of messy
Cons: Fewer colors than competitors, may shed somewhat
While linen wrinkles easily and can feel a tad rough, it gets softer over time. Linen pillowcases are also breathable and stay dry on the warm nights. Sijo's are our pick for linen because they're comfortable, cool, durable, and relatively affordable. They got softer and better after several washes, and they're light and airy.
Since they're linen, the pillowcases tend to wrinkle. The effect looks casual and unfussy instead of shabby, though. Unfortunately there was some shedding with the first few washes. While that's expected with linen, it can be annoying to pick fibers off the sheets and pillowcases.
Sijo's linen sheets are mostly pastel hues, though there is a deeper green and a striped set. Some competitors do have quite a few more options when it comes to colors and patterns.
Best flannel: L.L.Bean Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% brushed cotton
- Weight: 5 oz.
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash in cold water. Tumble dry on low.
Pros: Several patterns and colors, not overly heavy, doesn't fade or pill, velvety feel
Cons: Pillowcases are open-ended so pillows slide around, may not be warm enough for extreme cold
We love L.L.Bean's sheet set enough to name them the best overall pick in our guide to the best flannel sheets. Weighing 5 ounces per square yard, the sheets are lighter weight flannel but are thicker than sateen and percale sheets. The balanced thickness supplies comfortable warmth without overheating. Even in the summer, our tester found them cool enough to sleep on.
The flannel sheds a lot of lint in the dryer, as is typical of flannel. After each laundry cycle, the lint decreased significantly. The pillowcases remained buttery soft and didn't pill. And the sage color hasn't faded after several washes.The Ultrasoft Comfort Flannel Sheets are available in many colors and patterns, including stripes, floral, and checkered.
Best budget: Threshold Solid Performance Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% cotton, sateen weave
- Thread count: 400
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash in cold water. Tumble dry on low.
Pros: Affordable, good value
Cons: Traps body oils; strong, unpleasant smell out of the package
Surprisingly smooth and soft for something so budget-friendly, these pillowcases from Target's Threshold brand are available as part of a set or separately. Made from 100% cotton and with a 400-thread count, they offer great value for the price. You won't mistake them for hotel-quality, but you should still be comfortable.
However, our tester notes that they trap body oils more than other sets, which could be a problem if you're looking for a pillowcase to combat acne. Many washes seems to alleviate most of the greasy feeling.
The pillowcases also have a strong chemical smell that lingers even when they're aired out for a few days, so wash them before putting them on your pillows. But for an affordable set of pillowcases, these are hard to beat.
Best luxury: H by Frette Sateen Classic Pillowcase Set
- Material: 100% extra-long-staple cotton, sateen weave
- Thread count: 300
- Number of pillowcases in a set: 2
- Sizes available: Standard, king
- Care instructions: Machine wash in hot water. Tumble dry on low. If desired, remove before completely dry and iron to remove wrinkles.
Pros: Luxury hotel quality, good materials, washes well, luxurious feel
Cons: Only available in white
You can find Italian luxury brand Frette's sheets and pillowcases in hotel chains like the Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and Kimpton. H by Frette is the brand's consumer line, which has pillowcases and sheets in sateen or percale, though they only come in white.
Frette's pillowcases are 100% extra-long-staple cotton. The thread count might seem low compared to other linens on this list, but they pillowcases feel very soft. The material is also very durable.
Sateen sheets can be too warm for some, but Frette's feel a bit cooler than other sets we tried. The pillowcases have a light gloss and silky feel, even after many washes. There's no question these are pricey pillowcases, but the experience of sleeping on them is heavenly.
Other pillowcases we tested
Other pillowcases we recommend
Riley Percale Pillowcase Set: Riley's percale pillowcases are softer than other percale sheets, with the exception of L.L.Bean's. They're cool and wash well, and they come at a decent price.
Brooklinen Sateen Pillowcase Set: It was a close call between Brooklinen and L.L.Bean. We still highly recommend Brooklinen, but the sateen pillowcases we tested (part of Brooklinen's most popular set) may be too warm for. Ultimately, we went with the cooler percale from L.L.Bean. Read our full review of Brooklinen sheets here.
Snowe Percale Pillowcase Set: Snowe's crisp percale pillowcases are reminiscent of a light button-down shirt. While they look sophisticated, they're not as soft as other percales. During the middle of summer, they did keep me cool and comfortable.
MagicLinen Linen Pillowcase: MagicLinen is a former top linen pick, but we found Sijo's option to be more comfortable and affordable. But if you want more colors and styles, MagicLinen makes airy and durable pillowcases, though you will pay a little more. You can find ruffled shams, button pillows, and more styles, tool Read our full review of MagicLinen sheets here.
Boll & Branch Signature Hemmed Pillowcase Set: Boll & Branch's comfortable and durable pillowcases are also sustainably made. They're made from cotton that's GOTS- and Fair Trade-certified. The colors are all fairly muted and neutral for a chic look. Read our full review of Boll & Branch sheets here.
Brooklinen Linen Pillowcases Set: Each set of Brooklinen's linen pillowcases are made of Portugal linen and are individually garment-dyed. Brooklinen's pillowcases are comfortable and come at a better price than our top pick.
Bed Threads French Flax Linen Pillowcase Set: For fairly priced linen pillowcases, we like Bed Threads' offerings. There are lots of beautiful colors to spruce up your bedroom, and they're quite soft.
Parachute Linen Pillowcase Set: Some of the softest linen sheets we've tried, Parachute's set doesn't have the scratchy breaking-in period you sometimes get with this fabric. The material is light and airy, and the color has held up very well after multiple washes. It's one of our favorite sets when the weather is warm.
What we do not recommend and why
Crane & Canopy Embroidered Pillowcase: As with L.L.Bean and Brooklinen, these soft pillowcases made from high-quality cotton with a similar thread count, but they're pricier. Since the Crane & Canopy pillowcased disn't have much else to set them apart, we think L.L.Bean and Brooklinen offer a better value.
Ettitude Signature Sateen Pillowcase Set: Ettitude's pillowcases are made from 100% organic bamboo and are silky and cool. But the pillowcases had more pilling and abrasion after washing than with other materials.
Bespoke Post Classic Percale Pillowcase Set: Percale is meant to be light and crisp, but Bespoke Post's percale pillowcases rustle loudly when you move. They also held onto body oils, so you'd need to wash them often.
Pillowcase FAQs
What does thread count mean?
Thread count is the number of yarns in a square inch of fabric. It can be a measure of quality, but manufacturers can artifiically inflate the number. You should pay attention to material type, too. Read more about thread count here.
How often should pillowcases be washed?
You should wash your pillowcases and other sheets weekly to get rid of body oils, dust mites, bacteria, and other soils. If you tend to sweat or drool a lot, you may want to wash the pillowcases more frequently.
What is long-staple cotton?
The fibers in long-staple cotton are longer, and the resulting yarn is smoother and stronger. Short-staple cotton is rougher because its fiber ends stick out more. If the label doesn't specify, then the material is probably short-staple cotton.
What is Egyptian cotton?
Egyptian cotton has a reputation for being luxurious because much of it is long-staple, but some cotton grown in Egypt is short-staple. Make sure the label specifically says "long-staple cotton."
What is pima cotton?
Pima or Supima cotton is an extra-long-staple cotton grown in the US. It has a fiber length of at least 1.5 inches and is smoother, more flexible, and more pill-resistant than long-staple cotton.
What is percale?
For cotton sheets, percale refers to a weave where one thread is woven with another in a tight grid pattern. The fabric is light and airy, generally a more breathable option for summer.
What is sateen?
Sateen is a cotton weave with three or four threads woven over a single thread into a looser grid pattern. Smooth and silky, the fabric usually has a light sheen. It's less breathable than percale and may not be the best for hot sleepers.
What is lyocell?
Lyocell or Tencel is a fiber made from wood (often eucalyptus) pulp that is silky and breathable.
What is linen?
Linen is a rougher fiber made from flax plants. The fabric is cool and breathable but wrinkles easily.
What is flannel?
Flannel fabric is made with thickly woven wool or cotton that's brushed for a soft and fuzzy texture. It feels warm and cozy.
What is Oeko-Tex certified?
Some of our pillowcase picks have a Standard 100 by Oeko Tex certification, meaning the final product was independently tested for over 100 harmful chemicals and is safe for human use. It's widely used and known in the textiles industry.
What is STeP by Oeko Tex?
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification is for basic safety, but STeP by Oeko Tex is about the manufacturing process. It looks for environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and safe practices during the production process.
What is GOTS?
The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification is used for organic textiles. GOTS-certified pillowcases contain at least 95% certified organic fibers and meet certain environmental and social standards during processing and manufacturing.
Our pillowcase testing methodology
We tested pillowcases and their accompanying sheets over several years.
Check out our other great bedding guides
- The best pillows
- The best pillowcases
- The best duvet covers
- The best weighted blanket
- The best flannel sheets
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
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