I have bought a new set of percale sheets every year; this year I went crazy and bought cream instead of plain white.
I love these sheets because they are a very nice combed cotton -- not the sateen-y sheets that are everywhere, which can have very high thread count, but very low quality thread. So I was delighted to locate these at LL Bean.
However -- the cream ones from this year do not have the same feel to them, not sure how to describe the difference. Slightly more "sateen-y"? I did check the stitching along the side, just as a quality-control, and the stitching is about 50% fewer stitches per inch, which is a quantifiable difference.
I am writing this review to let people know that unlike some other reviewers, I do not find these sheets rough or scratchy in the slightest. They are not sateen, obviously, but you should know that if you're buying them. They're sturdy, yet soft, and feel unbelievably crisp and smooth. I haven't noticed any noticeable crinkling sounds that other reviewers mentioned, either. I requested these sheets as a birthday present, and couldn't be happier!
A++.....I've had these sheets for several years and they continue to impress me. Well-made, substantial, smooth, comfortable. Mine are white, so I don't know how the colors fare over time. I dry them on low heat and they come out unwrinkled. Two different guests have asked about the sheets and then gone on to buy them for themselves. These aren't for you if you love sateen... they have all the great features of percale as it's meant to be.
My family and I have been huge fans of Bean's percale cotton sheets. They have a wonderful heft and are crisp. Sure, they wrinkle, but what doesn't if it is 100% cotton? I loved the blue windowpane pattern, and ordered the sheets, encouraged by the good reviews. What a huge disappointment! The fabric, made in China, is very thin and the finish actually felt like very fine sandpaper! I assumed that they added a finish to help prevent wrinkles, so washed the sheets several times. No change! I went back to my linen closet and pulled out the wonderful Tonal sheets, that are no longer available from Bean's. What a difference, and what a shame that these sheets had to,be returned. Please bring back the Portugese made hefty, smooth yet crisp cotton percale linens. V
