Percale Bedding
Percale is a densely woven cotton in a plain weave. It feels cool, dry and matt against the skin, making it particularly suited to those who tend to sleep warm and prefer a fresh finish without sheen. At VON SCHÜTZ, our percale is woven in Northern Italy from combed American cotton. Every bedding set is sewn to order, in our standard sizes or made to your own dimensions.
Combed American cotton · Woven in Northern Italy · Sewn to order
Questions about percale bedding
What is percale bedding?
Percale bedding is made from densely woven cotton in a plain weave, giving the fabric its matt, smooth surface and cool feel.
At VON SCHÜTZ, our percale is woven in Northern Italy from combed American cotton. Every set is sewn to order, in the standard sizes offered in our collection or made to your own dimensions.
What does percale mean?
Percale refers to a weave, not a fibre: a closely woven plain weave in which warp and weft cross one over one. The name derives from the Persian pargalah, meaning “fine cloth”.
The character of a percale depends on the fineness of the yarn and the density of the weave. Our Unico percale has a thread count of 230.
What is percale cotton?
Percale cotton is cotton woven in a percale weave. At VON SCHÜTZ, our percale is woven from combed American Pima cotton, a long-staple fibre that can be spun into the fine, strong yarn suited to this dense weave.
What is the difference between percale and sateen?
Percale has a matt finish, while sateen has a subtle sheen. In a percale weave, warp and weft cross one over one; in a sateen weave, the threads float over several interlacing points.
This gives sateen its characteristic lustre and fluid drape, while percale feels cooler, drier and crisper to the touch.
Is percale bedding warm or cool?
Percale feels cool against the skin. Its smooth, closely woven surface allows air to circulate, while the cotton absorbs moisture and releases it again. These qualities make percale particularly suited to warmer nights.
It remains breathable beneath duvets of different weights, while the duvet itself determines the degree of warmth.
At what temperature should percale bedding be washed?
White percale bed linen may be washed at up to 60°C, while coloured bed linen should be washed at up to 40°C. Wash coloured sets with similar colours and keep the zip closed.
Percale bed linen may be tumble-dried at a low temperature. The lower wash temperature helps preserve the depth of the yarn-dyed colours.
Does percale bedding need to be ironed?
No. A naturally creased surface is part of percale’s character. It creases more readily than sateen, reflecting the fabric’s dry, crisp feel.
For a smoother finish, both white and coloured bed linen may be ironed at up to 150°C.
Which sizes are available for percale bedding?
Our standard duvet cover sizes range from 135×200 cm to 280×240 cm. We also make any custom size that is technically feasible, including dimensions such as 285×280 cm.
Send us a brief enquiry with the width and length in centimetres, and we will confirm the price before you place your order. A complete overview can be found in our bedding size guide.