Are Bamboo Pajamas More Comfortable Than Cotton Pajamas?
To save you time reading this whole article here is the answer: YES! Totally and completely.
But if you remain unconvinced let me lay your concerns to rest so that, hopefully, by the end of this article you’ll be as on board as I now am.
Personal Experience Wearing Pajamas to Bed
As far back as I can remember, I’ve hated wearing pajamas to bed. I used to have these red and blue pajamas that were flame-retardant and I didn’t have the heart to tell my mom that it smelled of that chemical so bad that it gave me headaches. So I didn’t wear them. Even up through college we’d get cotton pajamas as a stocking stuffer to wear the night before Christmas. Truthfully, I’d wear them that one night and next morning and then maybe, MAYBE once throughout the year when it got cold at night. Needless to say, I wasn’t a pajama wearer.
Fast forward to 2023, when Allison and I started Knitted & Known, we got our first set of adult bamboo pajamas (spoiler, I know). When I put these on, I immediately felt something different about them. This is going to sound like I’m trying to sell them to you (I am, but let’s pretend that I’m not on this article), but the blend of 95% bamboo and 5% spandex is insanely comfortable. It’s the right amount of stretch coupled with the temperature regulating that causes the pajamas to be cool to the touch. An enormous amount of people compare bamboo fabric to silk, and I’d have to say that bamboo actually outclasses silk as a luxury fabric, and that’s evident when you wear it for yourself. If I had to describe the feeling of bamboo clothing in one of the other five senses, I’d choose taste. Then I’d say that it feels like what a smooth Ooey Gooey Butter cake tastes like. The silkiness of the fabric is the butter in the cake, and the cool-temperature-regulating feel is the powdered sugar on top. If you’ve never had either an Ooey Gooey Butter Cake or worn bamboo pajamas, I’d invite you to start living your life today, by clicking the “Shop Now” button at the top of the page, but sorry, we’re fresh out of Butter Cake….
Unequivocally, I’d argue that bamboo is among the world’s premier fabrics to have your pajamas made out of. One other benefit I’ve experienced first hand is the power to help eczema. For some unknown reason, I’ve recently broken out in eczema on my wrist and have experienced the itchiness that ensues from this condition. The gentleness of the fabric works wonders on my eczema by preventing aggravation. It’s the only thing I wear that prevents flare ups!
Cotton vs Bamboo
Cotton fibers
To further show that bamboo is softer than cotton, let’s look on the microscopic level. Here’s what cotton looks like.
As you can see on the cotton, there are twists, turns, and creases on each of the fibers. Now, this is the micro level and you won’t feel each of these inconsistencies, but it does showcase the differences between the cotton and the bamboo.
Below, the bamboo fibers are mostly smooth and round. Even at a micro level this confirms what I’ve anecdotally experienced especially regarding eczema.
Bamboo viscose fibers
Even more interesting, take a peek at the cross section of (from left to right) cotton, bamboo viscose, and bamboo lyocell.
Most bamboo pajamas are made of viscose though a few brands are made of lyocell, ours are viscose. One thing you’ll also notice in the difference between these materials how the cross section of cotton has a multitude of places for bacteria to hang out while both the lyocell and viscose are fully exposed. This cross-section also shows us why bamboo has anti-bacterial properties. This is a major contributor in people’s eyes for choosing bamboo over cotton, especially for young kids.
The Debate Rages
Regardless of personal anecdote and microscopic proof of superior softness/smoothness, the debate over cotton or bamboo continues. Given, there are pros and cons to each material, but our family believes bamboo is the choice for sleepwear and will be for our families from here on out. If you’re interested in experiencing the most comfortable pajamas then bamboo is the way to go!