A review of Eucalypso Tencel™ Sheets, including a sleep test and a deep dive into the company.
By Ellen Rubin
Everyone agrees that good sleep is important. There are lots of theories, even entire books, on how to get a good night’s sleep. I don’t discount the absolute importance of the sheets. They help control your body temperature, can be smooth or itchy, and help swaddle your body.
I’ve spent almost all my life sleeping on cotton sheets. Writing for Unsustainable I became intrigued with sheet possibilities…linen, organic cotton, bamboo, and Tencel. After all, we spend about 1/3 of our lives with full body contact and inhaling the fibers of our sheets. I’ve done an overview of ethical and sustainable sheets and reviewed linen sheets and now it’s time to review Tencel sheets.
Eucalypso was kind enough to send me a set of their Classic Sheet Set for review. They come in 7 colors, 6 sizes, and are made from 100% Tencel™ lyocell.
Your first questions might be, “what is Tencel and why would I want it?
The Tencel Advantage
Tencel is made from eucalyptus tree fibers, processed in a closed loop system that is eco-friendly.
There are a number of fabrics that are made from tree fiber that fall under the title of viscose. Trees such as bamboo, beech, or eucalyptus are ground, put through a chemical bath, then reconstructed into threads. Closed loop processes reuse and recycle over 99% of the source materials, chemicals and water used.
As long as the trees are sustainably grown, harvested, and processed, these fabrics are more sustainable than cotton.
Unlike cotton, the eucalyptus used to make Tencel needs no pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers so it’s safe for the earth.
Eucalyptus also absorbs carbon from the environment so greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. When you compare it to cotton, you’ll find that it’s 10 times more sustainable and absorbs and wicks moisture 70% better than cotton. Because it absorbs the body’s moisture and moves it to the surface where it can quickly evaporate, the fabric is a good thermoregulator. The lack of chemicals in growing and processing Tencel means that it’s hypoallergenic.
Eucalypso uses the highest thread count of Tencel on the market so your bedding will be more luxurious and durable than similar products.
A Bit About Eucalypso The Company
Eucalypso uses Tencel lyocell by Lenzing of Austria for their bedding.
It’s one of the most eco-friendly manufacturers of tree-based fabrics in the world. They plant the eucalyptus forests, harvest, and process the woods. They, and Eucalypso, have received the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certifications.
Eucalypso uses Fair Trade factories in Karachi, Pakistan and Shanghai China to sew the bedding. The company has earned their ISO Certification so you know you’re dealing with an ethical company. The OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification ensures that there aren’t any harmful chemicals left in your bedding. The USDA has certified that their products are biobased from renewable sources.
Overall, you know the company and products are responsible based on the certifications they’ve earned.
The Sleep Test
The very first thing I noticed about the sheets is how soft and silky they were. It wasn’t like satin where you would slide along, but just very smooth. Once they were out of the package, I noticed how light weight they were. It wasn’t so much that they were thin, they just don’t feel heavy.
One of the things I like to notice is how much lint you get on your drying cycles. If there’s too much, I feel like you’re going to be inhaling lint as you sleep. I was surprised how little lint there was.
The sheets had a fairly short drying time which is nice. The manufacturer recommends line drying or even only partially drying and then letting them get completely dry on your bed to avoid wrinkling. I am very surprised by how much the sheets do wrinkle. Strangely they don’t leave creases on my face, but the fabric does wrinkle very easily.
I don’t have an overly deep bed, although these sheets are large enough and have deep enough pockets to accommodate a well cushioned mattress. The same with the pillowcases; they are large enough to handle a very puffed down-type pillow.
Unfortunately for me, the sheets and pillow cases are a bit too big. The bottom sheet wrinkles, bunches, and shifts a bit and the pillow cases twist even though there is an envelope pocket that should help it stay in place. This is more a fault of my mattress and pillow size and may not be an issue for most people.
The smoothness of the sheets makes sleeping really comfortable, especially the pillowcases. I think they may be my new favorite. I didn’t get sweaty sleeping on the sheets, even in very warm weather (with no air conditioning).
When you first slide in, the sheets are cool to the touch, then fairly quickly warm to body temperature. They don’t however, get hot so you don’t get sweaty. I did like that when it was really hot, I could move a bit and find a cool spot. I haven’t used the sheets in the cold weather yet, but I don’t think that they will stay cold like cotton sheets can. I think that they’ll reach body temperature and stay warm enough – in other words, they will be thermoregulating.
I didn’t notice any tags that say “top/bottom” or “side” along the seams. I have a full-size bed and so it’s tough to tell which is the top or side to make the bed. I would suggest adding the tags – it really makes it much easier to change your sheets. I’ve also started to see a bit of pilling so I can’t speak to the long-term durability of the bedding.
The packaging is very attractive, the shipping quick, and there’s a nice selection of colors to choose from. Luckily, the cost is reasonable, about the same as a decent set of cotton sheets, but you get so much more because they are thermoregulating, hypoallergenic, and sustainable. I think this could even make a nice gift, especially with the box it comes in.
Final Thoughts on Eucalypso Tencel Sheets
As I said above, I especially like the way the pillow cases feel as I sleep. I think eucalyptus bedding would be a good addition to your linen closet, especially for babies and children.
I think that kids would appreciate the feel and as parents you know they are sleeping on something that is free of harmful chemicals. The thermoregulation and smooth feel will help you and your family enjoy a good night’s sleep.