Satin refers to the smooth, glossy weave of a fabric. Satin sheets can be woven from silk, cotton, rayon, polyester, or wool ...

Percale is a plain-woven cotton, meaning it has a one-over ... (Sateen is actually a variation of satin weave, but uses cotton rather than silk.) Percale is cooling. Sateen is softer but warmer.

But while the two have a similar look and feel, they're not the same thing. "Satin is a type of woven fabric made from any smooth and lustrous filament yarns," says Preeti Gopinath, associate ...