Percale is a closely woven, plain weave, spun fabric made from both carded and combed yarns. Percale sheeting is the finest sheeting available and is made from a high thread count. Used for sheets and duvet covers, percale implies soft and luxurious linens. Percale refers to the weave of the fabric and not its composition. Some lower quality versions can therefore contain polyester while still being termed percale. A fabric can generally be termed percale if its thread count is higher than 180. Below 180, the fabric is simply termed as cotton or polycotton.

This is a measure of the number of threads - warp (lengthwise) and weft (widthwise) – that are woven into one square inch of fabric. The higher the tread count of a fabric, the finer the threads from which it is woven. High tread count fabrics are softer and more luxurious.

Pure cotton, as the same suggests, is free from man-made impurities such as polycotton. It consist only of soft silky fibers from cotton plants. Pure cottons enable luxurious and cool sleeping because they are soft and have an exceptional ability to absorb and remove moisture.

Polycotton is a blend of polyester and cotton that gives breath ability and is lightly brushed for a soft handle. It is bought where the effort of ironing outweighs the need to sleep comfortably. Just like polyester containing clothing, polycottons are rough and waterproof in addition to their propensity to ball and pill excessively.

Polyester consists of any of a number of synthetic resins, produced by a reaction of chemical substances found mainly in petroleum. Manufacturers use it in their cloth because it is a cheap alternative to cotton. Such cloth is often marketed to consumers as being easy-ironing without disclosing is chemical components and disadvantages.

Simply put, Egyptian cotton is percale produced in Egypt according to high quality standards. Similarly, percale is Egyptian cotton which isn’t produced in Egypt! There is little truth to the adage that Egyptian cotton is superior to percale.Both terms refer to luxurious high quality linens.