as a fiber scientist in the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, I have been testing Brooklinen bedding for the past seven years and this might be the most exciting new launch to date. Brooklinen just updated their best-selling Luxe Core Sateen Sheets. I got my hands on an early sample, so I could test them both in the Textiles Lab and at my own home. I also shared them with several other sleep testers who gave feedback on softness, ease of bed-making, appearance, and more. Is this new upgrade worth the hype?
| Material | 100% long-staple cotton in sateen weave |
| Thread count | 495 |
| Sizes | Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Cali King |
| Colors | 23 |
My first impression of Brooklinen’s new sheets
When I first unboxed the sheets, I immediately noticed the softer feel. I have been sleeping on the brand’s original Luxe Core set for years, so I could instantly appreciate the new buttery feel. One of my favorite aspects of the brand’s sateen material is that it is soft, but not slippery. The new sheets still aren’t too silky like some sateen can feel yet it has a softer, more luxurious texture.
Testing the sheets at home
When I put them on my bed after laundering for the first time, I noticed that the brand kept my favorite features that make Brooklinen sheets extra special. The pillowcases have snug envelope closures that create a clean look on my bed—one of my biggest pet peeves with pricey sheets is the lack of envelope closures! The fitted sheet is also labeled with “long” and “short” sides, which I find helpful every time I make the bed.
The material was a bit less soft after laundering than right out of the package, but still much softer and smoother than the brand’s original sateen sheets. My partner and I both liked the feel. I have thick curly hair and especially liked the smooth material for the pillowcases (I find that rougher bedding materials can cause frizz!). The material isn’t too thick, so the sheets still feel breathable. Although, on one especially hot night, the sateen fabric did feel a bit stuffy.
Putting the sheets to the test in the Textiles Lab
Lab analysts in the Textiles Lab put these sheets through a battery of tests to ensure they would hold up to regular use.
Just like Brooklinen’s previous iteration, these sheets proved to be strong in fabric strength tests. Our Lab’s Instron machine (pictured here) pulls the fabric apart and measure the force required to rip the material.
Another important factor to consider in sheets’ performance is how well the material resists pilling (those pesky balls of fiber that can form on the outside of the fabric). Both iterations of the Brookline Luxe Core sheets received decent pilling resistance scores with only some balls of fiber forming on the fabric after 1,000 rubs in the Martindale machine (pictured here).
The biggest improvement we noticed in our Lab testing was that the sheets shrunk noticeably less after five wash-and-dry cycles. The sheets also looked the same before washing and after our laundering evaluations. The sheets were wrinkly out of the dryer, so we recommend air fluffing them if you are concerned about wrinkles. (I personally don’t mind a lived-in look.)
At-home sleep testers also gave these sheets top-marks, especially liking the soft feel, stay-put fitted sheet, and appreciated the envelope closures on the pillowcases. “Sometimes newer sheets can feel too thin or too thick, but these had a 'just right' feel,” shared one tester. “Every time I got into bed, I noticed how comfortable the fabric was to lie on.” Another tester applauded the feel that felt “very silky and soft without being too slippery.” She also said, “The sheets held their place when tucked over the corners of the mattress and didn't slide off.”
Bottom line: Is this new upgrade worth it?
If you are in the market for new sheets, yes! These updated Brooklinen sheets are softer and held up better to multiple wash-and dry cycles than the previous version. Over the years, the feel of the Brooklinen Luxe Core Sateen Sheets have changed slightly—likely because different manufacturers produced the products—and consumers noticed the difference. This update feels similar to the brand’s original launch in 2014 in my experience. We continue to recommend this set as our best-overall sheet set because it has a soft yet not too silky feel that our consumer testers love while holding up to our in-Lab durability tests.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Emma Seymour is the associate Textiles Lab director at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has rigorously tested more than 100 sheet sets in the Textiles Lab, and she has coordinated sleep testing with hundreds of at-home testers. Seymour has a Bachelor of Science in Fiber Science from Cornell University and has been testing bedding for over seven years at Good Housekeeping.
