If you’re in the market for cozy, cooling bedding, you’ve probably come across eucalyptus sheets at some point. We set out to find the best sheets made with eucalyptus fibers—and made an important discovery along the way. Here’s your under-the-covers guide to the popular material.
What are eucalyptus sheets?
Unlike other sheet materials like cotton, trees like eucalyptus are not naturally soft. In order to be turned into sheets, they need to go through a lot of processing. Oftentimes, they get turned into wood chips that are separated into thin fibers, mixed with chemicals until they turn to a pulp, and then dissolved and run through an extrusion process until soft strands emerge.
Some of the chemicals used in this processing can be harmful to people and the planet. They’ve been linked to polluted waterways and coronary heart disease, leukemia, Parkinson’s, and stroke in factory workers.
As such, when shopping for any sort of wood fiber fabric, it’s important to choose one that was created using more sustainable, closed-loop processing. Lenzing, a fiber production company based in Austria, is the leader in this field. They make two TENCEL™ branded wood fiber options: modal and lyocell.
While both are created using closed-loop practices, lyocell tends to be the more sustainable option. The fiber is biodegradable, compostable, USDA-certified biobased, and made using a process that reuses about 99.9% of water and solvents, explains Lenzing’s U.S. Marketing & Branding Manager, Ericka G. Garcia.
Many eucalyptus sheets—especially the ones that are marketed as eco-friendly—are made from Lenzing. And while eucalyptus is one wood fiber used in the company’s yarns, it’s not the only one; meaning your “eucalyptus” sheets are more likely a blend of eucalyptus, beech, birch, and other wood pulps.
“Eucalyptus is one of the wood sources used, but it’s not the entire wood source,” Garcia clarifies on a call with mbg. “People like it because it sounds very pretty…but it’s actually not a fiber content that you can label your product with per the FTC.”
Lenzing sources all of its wood from PEFC and FSC forests that are certified not endangered, so you can still feel good about their sheets—but just know that it’s not only eucalyptus you’re sleeping on, and brands should be more transparent about that.
How do they compare to other sheets?
Once processed, eucalyptus and other woods can make for a super-absorbent material that disperses moisture to keep hot sleepers cool. It tends to be less stiff than cotton but similarly soft (the higher the thread count, typically the softer the sheet). On average, it’s also more breathable than wool and more comfortable than polyester.
Garcia points out that Lenzing’s yarns also blend well with other materials. Often, manufacturers will pair them with cotton for a soft, cool combo or a wool knit for a warmer winter sheet. These blends tend to be more affordable than 100% lyocell, which can be on the pricey side.
These sheets all feature eucalyptus materials in one way or another—whether they’re made from 100% lyocell or a blend to bring down the price. Every one of them has earned rave reviews from sleepers who run hot, and they all show commitment to responsible sourcing and processing.
For easy price comparisons, you’ll find Queen prices listed unless sold out.
1. Sijo Eucalyptus Sheet Set
You can test out this 100% TENCEL™ lyocell sheet set from Sijo for up to 30 nights and send it back if you’re not happy with it. But if the nearly 400 5-star reviews are any indication, you’ll love these sheets’ cool, silky softness.
Another 100% TENCEL™ lyocell option, this set from Eucalypso Home is spun using a unique method that the company claims makes their 600-thread-count sheets even softer and more absorbent.
Buffy colors its TENCEL™ lyocell sets with plant-based natural dyes from ingredients like gardenia and pomegranate that maintain their soothing hues even after going through the laundry. The company offers a seven-night trial to try out the 300-thread-count sheets, free of charge.
This 320-thread-count set from West Elm is made from 100% TENCEL™ lyocell yarn that’s been processed in a Fair Trade Certified factory. The company earns points for accurately advertising that their sheets are made from a variety of botanical fibers, not only eucalyptus.
This blend of cotton and TENCEL™ lyocell is a bit thicker than a 100% lyocell sheet but still breathable and absorbent. It would make for a great winter sheet set, and at $72 for a king, it’s affordable to boot.
Casper’s 100% TENCEL™ lyocell sheets get their wow factor from a unique grid design that’s meant to up their breathability, making them a super-cooling pick for hot summers and sweaty sleepers.
Sheets that contain eucalyptus tend to be soft, breathable, and great for sleepers who run warm. Sheets made using a closed-loop production practice will be more sustainable, and ones that have been blended with other yarns will be more affordable but still super soft. Promise, it’ll only take one night to forget you’re sleeping on bark.
