To determine the best cooling pillowcases, we spent hours researching popular options, considering materials, care instructions, at-home trial period, and style. We also paid attention to each product’s cooling method, noting whether a pillowcase was simply breathable or genuinely cooling. We also consulted three experts—Dr. Pamela Peeke; Patrick Deighan, director of e-commerce and marketing for Fieldsheer; and Dr. Ellen Vora, a sleep and emotional health expert—on how cooling pillowcases work and what to consider when buying them. Our top pick, the Coop Home Goods Cool Side Pillowcase, is a genuinely cooling pillowcase you can test for months before making a commitment, thanks to its 100-day trial period. Here are the best cooling pillowcases for cooler, more comfortable nights. Who it isn’t for: People who want a traditional pillowcase that matches their sheets. Coop Home Goods is known for its popular cooling pillow, but the brand’s Cool Side Pillowcase is a standout product too. Whereas other cooling pillowcases are made from breathable materials, this option is genuinely cooling. It’s made from Coop’s Lulltra Cool fabric, a proprietary blend of bamboo-based rayon and polyester. These fabrics are woven together to form a dual-sided jacquard, which feels cool on one side and cozy on the other. The cool side of the pillowcase feels cool to the touch and silky smooth, and it wicks heat away from your body to keep you cool throughout the night. The pillowcase’s cozy underside is textured for traction, so it won’t slide around as you sleep. To top things off, it’s hypoallergenic and easy to clean. Best of all, Coop offers a 100-night trial period, so you can take the pillowcase for a lengthy test run before committing to it. Product Details:
Material: Rayon from bamboo, polyesterSizes: Queen, kingTrial Period: 100 daysCare: Machine wash cold separately; tumble dry low
Who it isn’t for: People who want to match their pillowcase to their bedding and people who want to avoid synthetic materials. Pillowcases made with cooling technology tend to be expensive, but Elegear’s Cooling Pillowcases are surprisingly affordable. They stand out for their double-sided design: one side is made with Arc-Chill fabric, a cooling, silky smooth material, while the other is made with cozy cotton. Arc-Chill fabric is designed to absorb body heat and cool you down, as well as reduce friction (similar to silk pillowcases), so you can stay comfortable and wake up without creases on your face. Just take note that it’s made of synthetic materials (nylon and polyethylene, a plastic), so it’s not a good choice for those trying to stick with natural materials or organic bedding. These pillowcases come in sets of two—a detail that makes their budget-friendly price point even sweeter. And since they come in seven striking colors and two sizes, there are plenty of great options to stock up on. The only issue is that they might be hard to match with your existing bedding, but they more than make up for it in comfort. Product Details:
Material: Nylon and polyethylene, cotton Sizes: Standard, queen Trial Period: 30 days Care: Machine or hand wash
RELATED: The 8 Best Cooling Blankets for Hot Sleepers Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want to spend a lot on a pillowcase. Boll & Branch’s Percale Hemmed Pillowcase Set offers the best when it comes to luxury. Since they’re woven from long-staple organic cotton, you can expect them to feel refreshingly breathable. But since they also boast a percale weave, they’ll feel cool to the touch and stay crisp throughout the night. They’re definitely a splurge buy, but worth it if you want to rest your head on a truly high-quality material. Each pillowcase comes with an extra-long hem and hand-finished detailing, two elegant details that leave the set feeling even more luxurious. And since the pillowcases come in 10 versatile colors (and the matching sheets come in seven sizes), you shouldn’t struggle to find a pair that suits your space. Product Details:
Material: Organic cottonSizes: Standard, kingTrial Period: 30 daysCare: Machine wash cold; dry on medium heat
Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want to spend a lot on a pillowcase. Made of 100 percent organic cotton, Coyuchi’s Organic Crinkled Percale Pillowcases are undeniably luxurious—but it’s their range of certifications and gorgeous color options that set them apart from competitors. They’re not only GOTS-certified organic, but they’re also certified by Made Safe and Fair Trade, so you can be sure they’re made ethically with the highest quality materials. Plus, these pillowcases feel remarkably breathable and lightweight thanks to the percale weave. Unlike other percale pillowcases, though, this fabric is washed and woven for a crinkled, broken-in feel that’s soft and relaxed (kind of like linen). They’re available in two classic sizes and nine striking colors, including both neutral and more unique options. Product Details:
Material: Organic cottonSizes: Standard/queen, kingTrial Period: 30 daysCare: Machine wash cold; tumble dry low
Who it isn’t for: People who prefer a pillowcase with a smooth and silky feel. Linen is a breathable textile that’s perfect for hot sleepers. The only problem? It can feel textured or coarse at first, especially to those who are used to cotton. But since Parachute’s Linen Pillowcases are garment-washed for added softness, they should give you the broken-in feel you’d usually only get after long-term use. Although linen is known as a summer-friendly fabric, it’s also a great insulator. So on the rare night when you’re feeling cold, these pillowcases should warm you up without trapping any heat. Plus, since linen is designed to look and feel relaxed, its care routine is characteristically low-maintenance. Simply toss the pillowcases in the laundry, and ignore any wrinkles you end up with—they’re part of the linen look. These pillowcases are available in 12 different colors and two standard sizes, as well as two different closure styles: back envelope or side open. Product Details:
Material: European flax Sizes: Standard, king Trial Period: 60 days Care: Machine wash
RELATED: We Spent 3 Months Testing Linen Sheets—Here Are the 10 Best Sets We Found Who it isn’t for: People who don’t want to do any extra care for their pillowcase. Eucalyptus fibers have become incredibly popular for bedding—and it’s not hard to see why. Tencel lyocell, a form of rayon made from eucalyptus wood pulp, is known for its smooth texture, light weight, and cool-to-the-touch feel. Made entirely of Tencel lyocell, Sijo’s Eucalyptus Pillowcases are sleek, soft, and breathable. You can expect them to feel invitingly smooth and refreshingly cool, plus have hypoallergenic and antimicrobial properties. The only downside? Tencel lyocell can be delicate, so you’ll want to be gentle when washing and drying your pillowcases. Sijo recommends hand washing and air drying, because high heat can damage the fibers over time, or washing on a gentle cycle and drying on low heat. These pillowcases come in seven pretty colors and two standard sizes. Product Details:
Material: Tencel lyocellSizes: Standard/queen, kingTrial Period: 30 daysCare: Hand wash or machine wash on gentle cycle; tumble dry low or hang dry
Who it isn’t for: People who want a low-maintenance pillowcase that isn’t prone to pilling and wrinkling. Ettitude’s Signature Sateen Pillowcases may look like they’re made of silk, but they’re actually woven from the brand’s CleanBamboo fabric, a form of lyocell made from bamboo. The result is a set of pillowcases that feel smooth like silk, breathable like cotton, and cool-to-the-touch like eucalyptus—a combination that’s pretty tough to beat. Unlike other bamboo pillowcases, Ettitude’s pillowcases are spun into a silky sateen weave. While cotton sateen tends to be heavy (especially compared to percale), bamboo sateen provides the best of both worlds. Though luxuriously smooth, this fabric is durable enough to machine-wash and -dry, but it is prone to wrinkling, so you’ll want to take extra care to cut down on creases. Product Details:
Material: Bamboo lyocellSizes: Standard, kingTrial Period: 30 daysCare: Machine wash cold; tumble dry low
Who it isn’t for: People who want a pillowcase with a crisp feel. Silk is one of the most coveted pillowcase materials around due to its luxurious comfort, gentleness on the skin, and benefits for hair care. It’s also lightweight, breathable, and cool to the touch, making it a great option for hot sleepers. Brooklinen’s Mulberry Silk Pillowcase is made of pure mulberry silk, one of the highest-quality silks around. Spun into a soft but sturdy weave, this silk is smooth enough to cozy up with and durable enough to toss in your washing machine. And since it’s insulating, it’ll cool you down on hotter nights and help you warm up when you’re cold. Available in a variety of solid colors and striking prints, this pillowcase is worth snapping up. Just be aware that it’s sold individually, so it’s on the pricey side (which isn’t unusual for silk). On the other hand, it’s also backed by a 365-day return policy, so you can sleep on the pillowcase for a full year before deciding whether or not to keep it. Product Details:
Material: Mulberry silk Sizes: Standard, king Trial Period: 365 days Care: Hand wash or machine wash cold; lay flat to dry
RELATED: 15 Silk Pillowcases That Help Prevent Fine Lines and Frizz Who it isn’t for: People who want to stay away from synthetic materials. Unlike many of the other pillowcases on this list, Sleep Number’s True Temp Pillowcases aren’t just breathable and cool to the touch. They’re designed with a technology designed to cool you down when you’re hot and warm you up when you’re cold, keeping you at an ideal sleeping temperature all night long. They’re also made to wick moisture and heat away from your body to keep you comfortable as you sleep. These pillowcases are made of a combination of cotton, polyester, and spandex spun into a sateen weave, so you can expect them to feel silky smooth. The pillowcases are available in six versatile colors and two classic sizes, and since they’re backed by a 100-day return policy, you can test them for three months to make sure they really work for you. Product Details:
Material: Cotton, polyester, spandex Sizes: Standard, king Trial Period: 100 days Care: Machine wash cold; tumble dry low or line dry
RELATED: These Cooling Bed Sheets Are the Secret to a Sweat-Free Night—Here Are the 14 Best Sets
How to Shop for Cooling Pillowcases
Material
Natural materials like cotton, linen, and plant-based fibers tend to be considered cooling thanks to their inherent breathability and lighter weight. When it comes to cotton, you’ll want to be sure you’re sticking with a percale weave, which is crisp and cool to the touch. Although synthetic materials like polyester are generally considered to be heat-trapping, performance synthetics are equipped with heat-wicking technology that will cool you while you sleep. There are tradeoffs with each of these materials, so focus on finding the combination of comfort, breathability, cooling capability, and value that best meets your needs.
Style
To be truly useful, a cooling pillowcase can’t just be comfortable—it also needs to suit your bed. So as you shop, pay attention to pillowcase size, color, print, and style. Most cooling pillowcases come in two basic sizes (standard/queen and king), and many are available in multiple colors and prints to suit whatever bedding you already have. If you have a preference for closure style, like side envelope or back envelope, be sure to note that as well. (Some brands even let you choose what kind of closure you want when you buy your pillowcase.)
Care
If you plan to sleep on your cooling pillowcase every night, you probably want it to be convenient to clean. After all, pillowcases should be cleaned on a weekly basis, so if you’re low on time, a weekly hand-washing session may not be on the menu. Many cooling pillowcases are machine washer- and dryer-friendly, but some aren’t—so be sure to set expectations before buying. And take note of other care instructions, as some pillowcases shouldn’t be paired with dryer balls, others need to be ironed to avoid wrinkles, and so on.
Return Policy
Comfort is a matter of personal preference, so it’s hard to tell how much you’ll like a pillowcase until you get the chance to sleep on it. Thankfully, many cooling pillowcases are backed by generous trial periods and return policies. These policies give you anywhere from 30–365 days to sleep on a cooling pillowcase before you actually have to commit to it, making the process of finding a great pillowcase much easier.
Questions You Might Ask
What’s the best cooling material for a pillowcase?
When considering materials for cooling pillowcases, you’re often weighing cooling capability against breathability, so it’s tough to say which material is the coolest. “Traditional materials, like cotton, silk, and satin, [are] the least cooling but are highly breathable,” Deighan says. “Some synthetics, like microfiber, offer the highest level of cooling but limit breathability, so heat may get trapped.” What Deighan calls “semi-natural” materials, like bamboo-based lyocell and eucalyptus-based lyocell, fall somewhere in the middle—offering some amount of cooling and some breathability.
Do cooling pillowcases really work?
Cooling pillowcases can be effective. But remember, cooling pillowcases fall into two categories: breathable pillowcases and genuinely cooling pillowcases. “Cooling textiles absorb moisture, spreading it across the fabric and allowing it to evaporate,” says Dr. Vora. Meanwhile, breathable pillowcases encourage airflow. If a cooling pillowcase is made from a heat-wicking fabric or equipped with cooling technology, it may genuinely cool you. If it’s simply made from a breathable material—like cotton, linen, or satin—it may cool you less directly, by keeping heat from getting trapped in your bed. Keep in mind, though, that a pillowcase won’t do much if your pillow is exceptionally heat-trapping or your room is at a higher temperature. There isn’t one single fix for sleeping hot, so you might need to make a few adjustments in order to sleep more comfortably.
Does thread count matter for cooling pillowcases?
Thread count is often used as a quality indicator for pillowcases, but it’s a misleading measurement. In fact, you want a lower thread count, especially if you sleep hot. Thread count is the number of threads woven into a square inch of fabric, so a lower thread count results in more breathability. In general, you want to stick with bedding that has a thread count between 200-400, as a higher thread count means the brand has had to do some magic in order to get the number that high.
Take Our Word for It
This article was written by Lindsey Lanquist, a contributing writer for Real Simple with seven years of experience writing lifestyle content. To create this guide, Lindsey spent hours researching highly rated cooling pillowcases. For expert advice on how cooling pillowcases work and what to consider when buying them, she turned to Dr. Pamela Peeke, a physician and scientist, Patrick Deighan, director of e-commerce and marketing for Fieldsheer, and Dr. Ellen Vora, a sleep expert.
