I am so sick of scratchy bedding!

Perhaps it is not the bedding but some chemical used either as a finishing in the fabric or in the washing up liquid? You might be allergic to the chemicals.

I love linen bedding, but I don't think it is any softer than cotton...

 

As long as you're buying long-staple fibers, you should look at the weave instead of fabric content. Percale is pretty stiff (fans call it "crisp"). Another reason I don't like it is that it wrinkles in the laundry.

Have you tried sateen sheets: they're made of cotton in a satin weave; there should be a light sheen to them. The weave is super smooth and if you get one with long staple cotton (pima or egyptian) they will get softer and softer the more they are laundered. The long staple cotton will also prevent the pilling. I find the all-cotton sateen sheets have the perfect hand.

If you are sensitive to chemicals, you should wash your sheets (and towels) at least twice before use. I wash them 3 times to ensure that the chemical coating the fibers (really obvious in new towels) are removed.

ETA: I find linen actually takes a while to become soft. I love super old linen - we have stuff from when I was a child maybe even before I was born - but new linen is a little too crisp for me. I have a set that I still haven't put into regular use as it's still not quite soft enough. And a lot of the "affordable" or "rustic" linen have slubs which would be like little thorns to a self-professed sensitive like you.

BTW, my husband, parents, and family pretty much accuse me of being the princess in the "Princess and the Pea" story. I can feel every little thing - lint caught under the sheets, a little pill of material or a wrinkle under a duvet; I can feel them under layers of bedding! So this is important to me

 

Sateen is the best for sensitive skin. They laundering in Dreft detergent for babies.

 

I love linen sheets. As for soft sheets how about a good flannel? My kids like flannel and it seems to get softer with each wash.

 

I love sateen! I buy the 600 thread count hotel collection sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond (about $100 for the set). I am also allergic to laundry detergents, so I have to wash anything that touches my skin with hypoallergenic fragrance free liquid detergent (fragrance-free Purex works). I use a normal or smaller amount of detergent with a lot of water (high level, top load washer), and no fabric softeners or dryer sheets.

Not sure what you have available for sheets and detergent in your country.

For the guest room I bought something supersoft on clearance. I think they were modal. They wrinkle VERY easily and probably need to be ironed. However they are softer and smoother and thinner than the cotton sateen.

Could you be feeling the mattress protector under your sheets?

 

Have you thought of looking at sheets from a place such as www.allergybuyersclub.com (they do sell cotton sateen sheets here) or a good organic online store? My husband and kids have very sensitive skin. Hubby reacts to many products and I put a 2 inch foam topper over our mattress with a cover that is so soft. I don't know the material but it is thicker that a sheet. Then when you put the regular sheets over it you are very comfortable. He is picky with sheets and I have had many that he hates. Linen works well for him and also he likes the organic cotton. Could the mattress under the sheets be the problem or do you have anything over the mattress. Some of the mattresses I have had in the past had a very rough material on them I guess to make them last but with just a sheet on top I felt I could not sleep so I started to buy the foam toppers and never have been without one. The allergy store I posted I think sells laundry detergent too. Do you live with well water or hard water that may also play a part in how you wash your sheets?

If you have a Tuesday Morning or Home Goods store near you they do have a good selection of high thread count sheets in many different finishes. At least you can open the package there and feel the material. Most of the sheets are in packages that have a zipper or peel off side so it is easy to feel the material.

 

I don't care for sateen sheets. I don't like the look of them and I don't find them to be very soft.

Have you ever tried t-shirt sheets?

 

What thread count are you using? I have 2000 or maybe 3000 thread count. It must be 3000 because when I purchased them I was shocked because I didn't know they went up that high. They were expensive but sooo beautiful to sleep on. It is like sleeping on silk but you don't roll around or slip in it. They are amazing.

 

I bought T shirt sheets. Two organic sets from Garnet Hill years ago and they are so soft. My kids love them. I bought a expensive set for me from The Company store and they were too hot. You literally felt like you were having hot flashes with them. I gave them away. flannel sheets were cooler to sleep with then them.