M&S's Linen Bedding Is a Budget Way Into the Relaxed Look for Your Bed — But It's Its Softness That Stands Out

Given that many premium linen bedding sets retail for somewhere over £200, M&S linen bedding immediately struck me as a good deal, at just £105 for a king size set. It, at a glance, looks great, and comes in a really promising range of colors if you're following modern trends — the big question: how does it sleep?

I've tested a few M&S sheet sets now, and I definitely rate it as a bedding brand. If you scour the reviews of this particular product on the M&S website, you'll find a lot of five star reviews, but also a few one star reviews that compare it to 'sleeping on sandpaper'. I get the sense that these reviewers are perhaps new to linen bedding, and in general, it's not ever as soft as cotton bedding to begin with, especially straight out of the packet, without washing a few times first.

What I can tell you as someone who has reviewed a lot of linen bedding is that this is actually one of the ones I've tested that felt pretty soft after the first wash. It's a light and airy linen that does well in warmer temperatures, but it's fair to say that this comes with some drawbacks, too.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Luke Arthur Wells

Luke has been in the interiors industry for over 10 years as a content creator and stylist. Not only has he worked with many of the best bedding brands in the UK, he also already owns a vast collection of premium bedding, both for his own home, and for photoshoots. For our bedding reviews, Luke has tested each set for an initial two weeks, and will be updating each review after they've been washed and slept in over the course of a four to six week period. This bedding was tested with pillows and a duvet from the Wool Room, filled with natural wool (Luke's secret weapon to battling his hot sleeper profile, he says), and he counts himself as a side sleeper.

Is M&S Linen Blend Good Quality?

The first test for linen bedding is the touch test — simply putting the palm of your hand on the sheets, and seeing if it feels slightly cooler than the ambient temperature of the room. M&S's linen bedding does feel cooler, which is a pretty good sign that it'll help regulate your temperature as you sleep.

After that, it's time to turn the sheets inside out, and see what's going on inside. In terms of seams, this bedding in particular actually has an exterior seam, so there's only a short overlocked hem on the inside, with two rows of single stiches on the exterior border. This exterior seam is generally stronger than an interior one, with neat stitching. However, there are a few loose cut threads at the end of the seams on these sheets, even though they're on the exterior.

The M&S linen bedding does have a little linen shedding, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, and even more expensive sheets such as Bed Threads linen bedding had some shedding. However, not all linen sheets do this, so it's worth noting.

How Is M&S's Linen Bedding to Sleep In?

I always pre-wash every bedding set before sleeping in, something that for linen bedding, always helps it soften a little, as linen fibers are a little stiffer and crisper before washing. However, I did note that the M&S bedding was significantly softer than a lot of the other linen bedding I'd try after this first wash. It feels light and airy, great for summer and for hot sleepers. This bedding was partially tested in a heatwave with temperatures between 24°C and 18°C during the night, and it definitely helped keep things cool.

However, this softer structure did seem to affect its longevity between washes, as I make a note of how long it is before the bedding starts to feel 'saggy', as linen does after a certain amount of time being slept in. I'd say you would need to wash these bed sheets after around 4-5 days from that perspective, which might be more frequent than you'd like.

One of my other requirements these days is a deep fitted sheet, and this M&S linen bedding deep sheet delivers. It means the sheet is less likely to come loose, which is something I need as my mattress is quite deep itself.

How Does M&S's Linen Bedding Rank on Style?

This linen bedding range is pretty simple but classic, and has a range of 13 colors to choose from. Largely, they're the more common colors you'd see for bedding, but there are some more out-there, 'rich' colors, too.

In general, this linen has a great texture and looks sophisticated on the bedding. You could, also, choose a mix of color bedding and pillowcases for a more creative way of how to style a bed, as you don't only have to buy it in bedding sets.

Is M&S Bedding Worth It?

We've already talked cost, but as a reminder, we're looking at £105 for a king size bedding set (without a sheet), which, compared to something like Bed Threads and Secret Linen Store at around £230-£250, is good value. M&S's offering doesn't necessarily meet the same standards, but it's a great linen bedding for the price.

Of course, they're still expensive compared to basic cotton sheets, and they're not for everyone, as those aforementioned one star reviews go to show. But if you want linen sheets that don't cost too much of your budget,

If you can't get on with natural linen sheets, but you love the look, these are the ones I'd suggest you try. They may not have all of the pros of pure cotton or pure linen bedding, but they're a nice middle ground that gives you, largely, the best of both.