Tencel sheets

The original firsthand review

This is the original 2019 firsthand account. Prices, product options and company claims describe that period. The reviewer’s comfort and washing observations are preserved; broader material, environmental and sourcing claims were not independently tested in this review.

I received a set of white Luxe Austrian Tencel sheets from Heavenluxe, wrapped in plastic and taped thoroughly to conform to the shape of their simplistic white box.

There was little to no information on the box aside from the company name, their website, the product name, and box contents.

I was impressed with how clean and no-nonsense the whole package was, but when I opened it up there was a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt on the underside of the top flap.

It’s a great quote, but the font was atrocious. For a company that has such a clean and professional look to their products and website, I was baffled as to why they would choose a Lucida Handwriting-esque font that you might see on a tacky Get Well Soon card from Hallmark. The juxtaposition of the clean sans-serif logo below the bubbly cursive was striking, but not as striking as the sheets.

Heavenluxe Sheets Construction

The sheets inside were so incredibly shiny and reflective, they almost seemed to emit their own light when tousled on the couch. The folds and ripples gave a kind of depth to the sheets that I have never seen before on any kind of fabric—I love shiny things, and I loved these sheets immediately.

Nailing a first impression can be hard if you’re just selling plain white sheets unless there’s something special about them, and for Heavenluxe that special something is a fabric composition that feels extraordinary. Never have I ever felt a softer set of sheets in my life.

I followed the directions on the tag to wash in cold water and dry on low heat, which only made them feel more luxurious and soft—I didn’t think that was even possible. I put the sheets on my bed and slipped in between my covers and instantly was smitten.

My Heavenluxe Findings

Sleeping on Heavenluxe Tencel Luxe sheets is like laying on a cloud made of a single whispy breath of fresh air. I'm often skeptical when manufacturers advertise their products as being “silky smooth,” because 9 times out of 10 it's an exaggeration. I will tell you now, these sheets really truly are silky smooth. The seams are perfect and nearly invisible, making the sheets sleek and elegant.

They’re smoother and softer than the Peachskin microfiber sheets, so I had high hopes, but I also knew that with extreme softness comes a hurdle for me—they get hot. To my delight though, the sheets weren’t too hot or too cold. The Tencel fabric is warm, but definitely not as warm as the Peachskins. The Heavenluxe set is breathable, smooth, and beyond comfortable, but I did find some issues.

Costs and Benefits

Where Heavenluxe exceeds in softness and sheen, it unfortunately fails in accessibility. Honestly, I did not see the itemized list until after I opened everything and discovered for myself that they only included a fitted sheet and two pillow cases. I use a flat sheet every time I make my bed, and when I purchase a set of sheets for $297 I expect it to include a flat sheet… so I was a bit disappointed. I personally have never heard of a sheet set that doesn’t have a flat sheet, but maybe I’m not looking in the right places. I wish that I had had a flat sheet so I could have the full experience, but they don’t even have that as an option on their website—you can only order the three-piece bed set. So instead I had to improvise with mismatched sheets. $297 is a lot to spend when you have to go out and buy more sheets just to have the average number of sheets. It feels like opening a birthday present on your 8th birthday only to find that it doesn’t come with batteries.

After washing the sheets, two things stood out to me. The first was that after following the laundry instructions to a “T,” the sheets were shedding. I found threads all over the place and I have no idea where they came from or why they’re abandoning ship.

While the seams look so slick and non-existent, they do feel a bit delicate. I was almost worried that if I made my bed a little too hard one day, the seams would rip. After some research, I learned that Austrian Tencel is actually one of the most durable fabrics that sheets can be made of so I’m not worried, however the sheets did shrink. This is the first set of sheets I’ve received that has shrunk in their first wash (despite following the laundry instructions), and they did so by a whole inch and a half. Not a big deal, but I rarely see any shrinkage in my cold washes.

My Heavenluxe Recommendations

So why $297? It’s actually a reasonable price if you’re looking for authentic Tencel sheets. This 47-year-old fabric pales in comparison to the 7000 year track record of cotton, but age doesn’t mean a thing when you have the credentials of eucalyptus wood pulp fibers. The original review included numerical comparisons with cotton that were not substantiated for this product. Environmental impact depends on sourcing, manufacturing and the scope of the comparison; it is not zero. See Textile Exchange's guidance on life-cycle comparisons. The earlier review did not independently assess the environmental impact of this product's full manufacturing process. They even donate a percentage of every sale to local charities that fund children’s educational programs.

So while Austrian Tencel sheets may be expensive, the night’s sleep you will get from them is worth more than the $300 you’ll spend on a fitted sheet and two pillowcases. Aside from the great zzz’s, you will be contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable world, and a future generation of well-educated kids. When it comes down to it, I’m in love with plant-based alternative sustainable materials, so ultimately despite my reservations around price and lack of variety, I think buying from Heavenluxe would be a great investment for any sleep aficionado. You can learn more about Tencel sheets here!