I am so often asked: "Which sheets should I buy?" While the answer comes down to personal preferences, Brooklinen and Parachute are the two most popular bed sheet brands I recommend. Both online bedding companies are direct-to-consumer startups and promise to deliver top-quality sheets. But if someone is deciding between Brooklinen vs. Parachute, the answer depends on several factors.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we have tested the three types of sheets (percale, sateen and linen) from Brooklinen and Parachute for aspects like fabric strength, pilling resistance, wrinkle resistance and shrinkage. Meanwhile, consumer testers rate the fabrics for softness and overall feel in a blind comparison test as well as try the sheets out at home.
Even though Brooklinen and Parachute consistently perform well in our tests against other brands, when they face off against each other, there are clear winners for each category. I summarize our most recent findings below, as well as provide an overarching view of what each brand offers.
Brooklinen vs. Parachute
Let's break down the differences between each brand's pricing, shipping, size offerings and more.
Price
- Brooklinen is less expensive overall. You can buy the classic starter set in Queen a size with a fitted sheet and two pillowcases for $109. The classic core set includes a fitted sheet, flat sheet and two pillowcases at $179 for Queen while the classic hardcore set is more expensive (at $393) but comes with two extra pillowcases and a duvet cover. Its best-selling sateen sheet set is $189 for a Queen. These prices are all pre-sale, but Brooklinen frequently offers discount codes throughout the year.
- Parachute's percale, brushed cotton, linen and sateen sets are a bit more expensive. Its sateen sheet set is $289 for a Queen, while its percale sheet set (with a fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcase set) is $269. The brand has sales only around Memorial Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Shipping
- Brooklinen provides nationwide shipping. You'll receive free shipping for orders over $75 to the lower 48 states. Shipping times depend on the items you order, but processing typically takes 1 to 4 days. Brooklinen ships via FedEx, UPS and USPS.
- Parachute also ships nationwide and you can track your order via its website. All products are shipped via UPS ground or USPS for PO Box addresses. You can select faster shipping, although this method is not available during peak times and will cost more.
Return policy
- Both brands let you return the sheets for any reason.
- Brooklinen gives you 365 days to get a full refund excluding final sale items. Its 365-day trial is a worthy mention as it's significantly longer than Parachute's. The brand, however, charges a $9.95 return fee.
- Parachute's return period is 60 days excluding final sale items and furniture. There is a 100-night trial for mattresses. Parachute's return fee ($8) is slightly lower than Brooklinen's fee, but you can avoid it altogether by returning the item(s) at a store.
Fabric
- Both brands are certified by Oeko-Tex so you know there aren't hazardous levels of chemicals in either.
- Both brands claim to use long-staple cotton (it makes the fabric softer and more durable).
- Brooklinen is GOTS-certified organic cotton. We have also confirmed their certification. Note its percale and sateen sheets are not made from organic cotton.
- Parachute says it uses certified Egyptian cotton, which is considered a luxury fiber, and doesn't disclose thread counts.
- Both brands offer percale, sateen and linen sheets. Brooklinen also carries Organic, Flannel and Heathered Cashmere sheets, while Parachute has Brushed Cotton and Tencil/linen sheets.
Fitted sheets
- Both brands have 16-inch-deep fitted sheets. Brooklinen's sheets also have “short” and “long” labels on the sides so bed-making is much easier.
Size
- Both brands are available in six sizes including Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King and California King; both brands offer sets with and without the top sheet, extra pillowcases and matching duvet covers.
- Parachute also offers sample fabric swatches for $3.
Color
- Both brands let you match your sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers.
- Brooklinen offers a range of neutral shades, patterns and limited edition colors. You can also find classic cream, basil green and pink sheets as well as fun patterns including graphite and steel Oxford stripe, gingham and window pane.
- Parachute carries many solid color choices from cream, grey and blush pink to moss green, burnt orange and more depending on which type of sheet you choose. While Parachute does not have patterns, we appreciate the additional seasonal colors so that your set can blend in with boldly colored duvet covers, quilts or throw blankets.
Care
- Brooklinen recommends you machine wash cool with similar items and tumble dry low for all its sheets. If needed, you can also iron sheets on a low setting — except its organic sheets which can be ironed on a warm setting.
- Parachute's care instructions are similar to Brooklinen's with a few caveats. For its percale sheets, the brand recommends you machine wash cool and tumble dry low. For its linen sheets, it's best to machine wash warm with similar items and tumble dry on a delicate setting. Use cool water and a delicate setting for its sateen sheets.
- Brooklinen recommends washing your sheets regularly, per its care guide, as well as replacing your set every two years. They also note you should replace pillowcases at least once a week and rotate sheet sets so you don't wear one out too fast.
- Parachute also provides a helpful care guide on its website where you can find helpful tips for cleaning your bedding, including how to iron your sheets.
Other products
- Both brands also offer additional home products beyond sheets, including quilts, comforters, throw blankets and pillows, candles and bathroom accessories like towels, shower mats and more.
- Brooklinen sells decor items like mugs and incense holders too.
- Parachute carries down pillows, mattresses and mattress toppers, as well as pajamas, slippers, oil diffusers, glass tumblers, flatware and rugs.
Test #1: Percale sheets
Percale sheets are crisp, cool sheets with a basic grid-like weave. They're often more breathable and less expensive than sateen, but they're usually not as soft and they wrinkle more easily than super-smooth sateen sheets. Go with percale sheets if you prefer a light and airy feel or if you are a hot sleeper looking for cooling sheets.
Brooklinen
Pros
- 100% cotton
- Extremely pill-resistant
- More affordable
Cons
- Not as strong
Brooklinen's percale sheets received average ratings in our consumer hand-feel and fabric strength tests. The sheets also had a slightly wrinkled appearance in our evaluations, but that's expected with the crisp percale fabric. The 100% cotton, 270 thread count fabric was extremely pill-resistant, though it did shrink a bit in the wash.
Parachute
Pros
- 100% cotton
- Most durable
- Minimal shrinkage
Cons
- Wrinkles easily
Parachute's percale sheets were also pill-resistant, though they had a more wrinkled appearance out of the wash. The average rating from our panel was slightly lower than Brooklinen, but it was a marginal difference. However, the fabric itself was significantly stronger, and it didn’t shrink as much when we laundered it. It’s 100% cotton, but the brand doesn’t disclose the thread count.
Pros
- Washed well
- Soft
- Performed well in pilling tests
Cons
- Not as durable
Parachute also offers brushed cotton percale sheets, which have all the lightweight, breathable benefits of percale with a softer feel. In fact, these sheets earned high ratings from our panel, specifically for how soft they felt. They weren’t as strong as Parachute’s typical percale sheets but were overall just as durable, performing well in our pilling and wash tests.
The winner: Parachute
The scores were similar overall, but Parachute’s percale proved to be more durable and Parachute’s brushed cotton sheets were a crowd favorite, though notably pricier than Brooklinen's.
Test #2: Sateen sheets
Sateen fabric has a satin weave, meaning the yarn in one direction floats over several yarns in the opposite direction to create a silky smooth surface. In our tests, consumers tend to prefer the soft, luxe feel of sateen over other fabrics.
Brooklinen
Pros
- 100% cotton
- Strong fabric
- Smoother appearance
Cons
- Fitted sheet may slip off mattress corners
Brooklinen's cotton sateen set is one of our all-time favorites and holds the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. It received good ratings from consumer testers and didn’t wrinkle as much as some other 100% cotton sheets. The 480 thread count fabric is strong, and it didn’t pill or shrink much in our tests. When reviewing these Brooklinen sheets, our tester noticed that the fitted sheet sometimes slipped off the corner of her mattress.
Parachute
Pros
- 100% cotton
- Pill-free
- Soft
Cons
- Fabric isn't as strong or shrink-resistant
Parachute’s 100% cotton sateen set earned slightly higher hand-feel scores from our testers, but it wrinkled a bit more in our wash tests. The fabric wasn’t as strong or shrink-resistant as Brooklinen, but it had virtually no pills when we put it through the wringer.
The winner: Brooklinen
Not only is it less expensive (you'll save $100 on a Queen set with the top sheet, and that's before any sale discounts), but Brooklinen’s fabric had an overall standout performance in our evaluations.
Test #3: Linen sheets
Linen sheet fabric is made from flax plants and though it’s not as smooth as cotton, it’s breathable and has a casual, breezy look that users especially love during the summer. Hot sleepers often prize linen for its airy texture and temperature-regulating capabilities.
Brooklinen
Pros
- 100% linen
- Shrink resistant
- Luxurious
Cons
- Not as soft
Brooklinen's 100% linen sheet set washed well with barely any shrinkage. It had an average score in our fabric strength test, and while it wasn’t pill- or wrinkle-resistant, that’s expected for linen. Testers noted these weren't the softest linen sheets they have tried, but they still found them to feel luxurious and breathable.
Parachute
Pros
- 100% linen
- Stronger fabric
- Soft
Cons
- Wrinkled easily
Parachute's 100% linen fabric was slightly more pill-resistant and stronger than Brooklinen’s, though there was also a bit more wrinkling. Still, one GH staffer who has owned this set for five years reports they have held up. Consumer testers rated it a bit softer than the Brooklinen fabric.
The winner: Parachute
At $359, the Queen set is not much pricier than Brooklinen’s $319 Queen set pre-sale, but Parachute’s linen fabric was both softer and stronger, making it the winning choice.
Test #4: Organic sheets
Organic sheets are a great sustainable option as they are made from organic fibers that don't use synthetic treatments and require less water to grow. An organic sheet set is perfect for shoppers who are eco-conscious or looking for ways to lower their environmental impact with a new sheet purchase.
Brooklinen
Pros
- Airy
- GOTS-certified organic cotton
- Durable
Cons
- Not the softest
Another GH Seal holder, Brooklinen's GOTS-certified Organic Core Sheet Set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet and two pillowcases. In our Lab tests, the sheets showed no pilling after we rubbed two swatches of fabric together 1,000 times in our abrasion machine. We also noticed minimal shrinkage after washing and drying the sheets, although one tester commented on how the sheets were wrinkled after going through the dryer.
Overall, testers liked the airy, crispness of these sheets and the deep pockets and side makers for easy bed-making. "These sheets are soft but crisp! They make my bed feel like I'm sleeping in a five-star hotel," reported one tester. Some testers noted, however, that the sheets were too rough and scratchy for their liking.
Parachute
Parachute no longer offers organic cotton sheets, but if they relaunch this set we will be excited to evaluate it in the Lab and among consumer testers.
The winner: Brooklinen
Since Parachute doesn't offer organic cotton sheets, there is a clear winner here. I recommend Brooklinen's Organic Core Sheet Set because it aced our pilling resistance tests and didn't shrink after going through the wash. While it isn't the softest set of sheets, they are crisp and airy.
So what's better overall: Brooklinen or Parachute?
Across tests, scores were similar: That means both Parachute and Brooklinen sheets are great quality, and you really can’t go wrong with either brand. Brooklinen’s prices are consistently lower, so if you’re looking to save a few bucks, it’s a good pick across the board.
Our tests were pretty much split down the middle, with Parachute winning in percale and linen tests and Brooklinen taking the crown for percale and organic sheets. If I had to choose, my best overall pick is Brooklinen's Luxe Core Sheet Set. Between the softness, durability, reasonable pricing and year-long return period, I'm confident you won’t regret the purchase.
Lexie Sachs (she/her) is the executive director of strategy and operations at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a lead reviewer of products in the bedding, travel, lifestyle, home furnishings and apparel spaces. She has over 15 years of experience in the consumer products industry and a degree in fiber science from Cornell University. Lexie serves as an expert source both within Good Housekeeping and other media outlets, regularly appearing on national broadcast TV segments. Prior to joining GH in 2013, Lexie worked in merchandising and product development in the fashion and home industries.
