Bamboo vs. Cotton Nightdress – The Difference

Short answer: The difference between a nightdress in bamboo and one in cotton shows most at night: bamboo viscose moves perspiration away and dries fast, while cotton soaks up the moisture and turns heavy and clammy. If you perspire at night, bamboo is the better choice.

It is about what the moisture does

Both materials take up moisture, but they release it differently. Cotton holds the water in the fibre and turns heavy, while bamboo viscose passes it on to the air and dries faster. That is why the same amount of perspiration feels entirely different in the two fabrics.

Softness against the skin

Cotton is spun from short fibres, and the ends stick out of the yarn. Bamboo viscose is spun as a long, smooth filament and therefore has fewer ends to feel. That matters most for dry or sensitive skin. See the models under bamboo nightdresses for women.

Temperature through the night

The body changes temperature several times between bedtime and morning. A fabric that holds the moisture turns cold when the temperature falls again, and that is what wakes people. Bamboo viscose keeps the surface more even, so the shifts are felt less during the night.

Washing and wear

Cotton takes hotter washing and is stronger when wet. Bamboo viscose has to be washed at 30 degrees and kept out of the tumble dryer, but it pills less, because the fibres are long and smooth. With gentle washing the two last about equally long in practice.

The price and what you get

A nightdress in bamboo viscose usually costs a little more than a comparable one in cotton. In return it can often be worn one more night between washes, because it does not turn clammy, and that counts in a busy week when the laundry piles up.

When cotton is enough

If you sleep cool, the bedroom is below eighteen degrees and you wash at 60 degrees out of habit, cotton is a sensible choice. It is only when the temperature rises, or the skin is sensitive, that the difference becomes large enough to pay for.

Blends exist too

Some nightdresses are made from a blend of cotton and viscose. They sit in between in both price and behaviour. Always look at the content label rather than the product name, because a name with the word bamboo in it can hide a modest share in the fabric.

How to choose

If you perspire at night or have dry skin, choose bamboo viscose. If you have a cool bedroom and want to wash hot, choose cotton. Most people end up with both and use one in summer and the other in winter. See bamboo nightwear for women. See also bamboo and cotton t-shirts, bamboo and temperature regulation and sleeping better with bamboo.

Frequently asked questions

Which material is cooler?

Bamboo viscose, in practice. The same amount of perspiration is carried on rather than left sitting, and dryness is experienced as coolness against the skin.