Why doesn't Gen Z use a top sheet?

For generations, making a bed followed a familiar formula: fitted or bottom sheet, top sheet, blankets, perhaps an eiderdown, and pillows neatly arranged at the head of the bed.

Then the duvet arrived and quietly changed the rules.

Today, one of the more curious Gen Z bedding trends is the rejection of the top sheet. For many younger sleepers, a modern bed consists of a fitted sheet, duvet and pillows. The flat sheet that previous generations tucked carefully between themselves and their blankets has simply disappeared.

Is Gen Z missing something, or has the top sheet become a solution to a problem we no longer have?

Quick answer:

Quick answer: Gen Z often skips the top sheet because modern duvets make it less necessary. Simpler bed-making, less laundry, changing habits and a preference for minimal bedding have accelerated the trend.

First, what exactly is a top sheet?

A top sheet, also called a flat sheet, is the sheet placed between you and your duvet, quilt or blankets.

It shouldn't be confused with a fitted sheet, which covers the mattress. Traditionally, your body was sandwiched between the bottom and top sheets, while blankets and other bed coverings sat above them.

The idea was practical. The top sheet created a washable barrier between the sleeper and heavier blankets that were considerably more awkward to clean.

Modern duvet covers changed that equation. A duvet cover can be removed and washed in much the same way as a sheet, which means the protective role of the top sheet is no longer quite so important.

That distinction matters because the top sheet trend isn't really a story about Gen Z suddenly deciding that one particular piece of bed linen is unfashionable. It is part of a much longer change in how we make our beds.

The duvet had already started killing off the top sheet

Long before TikTok or Instagram influenced bedroom aesthetics, European sleeping habits were moving towards simpler bedding.

The duvet was widely adopted as an alternative to the traditional combination of sheets, blankets and eiderdowns. Its removable, washable cover made it perfectly practical to sleep directly beneath it without a top sheet.

That European approach became increasingly common in Britain during the second half of the twentieth century.

This isn't unique to younger generations either; the same shift helps explain why Europeans don't use flat sheets, where sleeping directly beneath a covered duvet has long been commonplace.

So Gen Z hasn't invented sleeping without a top sheet. Younger sleepers have arguably taken an existing trend to its logical conclusion:

Fitted sheet + duvet and washable duvet cover + pillows = bed made.

No top sheet required.

And from my experience working with bedding every day, that is increasingly how customers appear to think.

What our bedding orders tell us

One of the advantages of running an independent bedding company is that you get to see what people actually buy rather than simply what trend reports say they buy.

There is one pattern that stands out very clearly to me: fitted sheets massively outsell flat sheets.

It isn't particularly close.

Most customers buying our cotton bedding and linen bedding don't add a flat sheet at all. Younger customers have occasionally asked what a flat sheet is actually for, or whether it is simply another type of fitted sheet.

Older customers are much more likely to understand its purpose immediately and buy one because using a top sheet has always been part of their bed-making routine.

Families with children also seem particularly attracted to simplicity. Anyone who has regularly changed several children's beds can probably understand why adding another layer isn't especially appealing.

There is another interesting distinction in what we see: customers buying cotton appear more inclined towards flat sheets than customers choosing linen. People attracted to linen bedding often seem to embrace the relaxed simplicity of a fitted sheet and duvet cover.

That has led me to think of flat sheets as something slightly unusual in retail:

A top sheet is largely a habit product.

People who already love using one actively look for one. People who have never used one rarely feel that something is missing from their bed.

Why Gen Z doesn't use a top sheet

There probably isn't one single explanation. Several changes have happened simultaneously.

Bed-making has become simpler

There is no escaping this one.

Making a bed without a top sheet is easier.

You straighten the fitted sheet, shake out the duvet, arrange your pillows and you're finished. Add a top sheet and there is another large piece of fabric to straighten, centre and potentially tuck beneath the mattress.

For a generation accustomed to simplifying everyday tasks, eliminating a layer that doesn't appear essential makes perfect sense.

The emergence of products such as coverless duvets, particularly for students, suggests that convenience is influencing modern bedding even beyond the top-sheet debate. Recent bedding coverage has specifically highlighted their appeal to university students because they remove the task of repeatedly fitting a separate duvet cover.

Gen Z may simply never have developed the habit

Bedding traditions are surprisingly generational.

If your parents made your childhood bed with a top sheet, sleeping beneath one feels normal. If you grew up with a fitted sheet and duvet, introducing another sheet can feel strangely unnecessary.

That may explain why some younger customers aren't rejecting flat sheets at all.

They have simply never needed one.

The modern duvet made the original argument weaker

If you sleep directly beneath a duvet, the duvet cover effectively becomes your top layer of bed linen, which makes more sense once you understand how duvet covers work and the washable barrier they create around the duvet itself.

It can be removed and laundered rather than washing the duvet itself.

The practical question therefore becomes: why put a washable sheet underneath a washable duvet cover?

There are good answers to that question, but they aren't compelling enough for everyone.

Minimal bedrooms suit minimal bedding

Modern bedroom interiors have also become visually simpler. A duvet, fitted sheet and a few pillows create the relaxed bed appearance that dominates contemporary interiors.

A carefully tucked top sheet belongs to a more traditionally dressed bed.

This doesn't make either approach better. It simply means our idea of what a beautifully made bed looks like has changed alongside our bedding habits.

Is sleeping without a top sheet unhygienic?

Not inherently.

What matters more is what touches your body and how regularly that bedding is cleaned.

If you use a top sheet, much of the direct contact with your body occurs against that sheet. If you don't, your duvet cover takes its place and should be treated accordingly.

Recent dermatologist commentary on the top-sheet debate makes exactly this point: removing the top sheet isn't automatically unhygienic, but the duvet cover then needs appropriately regular laundering because it becomes a primary skin-contact layer.

Clean bedding also forms part of the wider sleep environment. The Sleep Foundation identifies clean bedding, ventilation, comfortable temperature and reducing allergens among factors that can contribute to a healthier bedroom environment.

So the more useful rule isn't:

You must use a top sheet.

It is:

Regularly wash the bedding that is in direct contact with your body.

A top sheet still has some genuinely useful advantages

Gen Z may have a point, but I wouldn't write off the flat sheet completely.

I grew up using top sheets and still use one myself — just not throughout the year.

Summer is where a top sheet earns its place

During warmer weather, I find a flat sheet particularly useful.

Sometimes a duvet is simply too much. A lightweight cotton or linen sheet gives you something to sleep beneath without the insulation of a duvet.

There is good science behind paying attention to temperature in bed.

The Sleep Foundation explains that body temperature naturally falls as we prepare for and enter sleep, and excessive heat can interfere with sleep quality. It generally recommends a cool sleeping environment, while acknowledging that the ideal temperature varies between individuals.

Bedding is part of that equation. Lightweight, breathable sheets can help reduce heat retention, and materials including cotton and linen generally allow good airflow. Percale cotton is particularly associated with a crisp, lightweight feel that can suit hot sleepers.

That is why my own bed changes seasonally.

Summer: fitted sheet + top sheet, with the duvet available when needed.

Winter: fitted sheet + duvet, usually without the top sheet.

It isn't tradition. It is temperature management.

A top sheet can also protect your duvet cover

There is another practical argument that shouldn't be overlooked.

Every wash places some mechanical stress on a textile. If a top sheet sits between you and your duvet cover, the cover has less direct contact with skin, perspiration and body oils.

That can allow you to wash the duvet cover less frequently, depending on your circumstances and hygiene requirements.

For high-quality cotton bedding or linen bedding, reducing unnecessary laundering may help reduce cumulative wear over the life of the product.

There is a trade-off, of course.

You have another sheet to wash.

For someone living alone with limited washing or drying space, one fitted sheet and one duvet cover may be more practical than adding a large flat sheet to every laundry cycle.

That practical calculation may matter far more than bedding etiquette.

Natural fibres make either approach work better

Whether you use a top sheet or not, I would pay considerably more attention to what your bedding is made from.

Your sheets, duvet cover and pillowcases spend hours in prolonged contact with your skin every night.

For cotton bedding, certification can provide useful independent reassurance. OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100, for example, tests textile products against more than 1,000 potentially harmful substances, with stricter requirements where there is more intensive skin contact. Bed linen falls within its direct-skin-contact product category.

For organic cotton bedding, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) goes further than simply identifying an organic raw fibre. Its standard covers processing and certification through textile manufacturing, together with environmental, traceability and social requirements.

Linen has its own traceability standards. An interesting recent development is that European Flax™ has evolved into Masters of FLAX FIBRE™. The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp describes the certification as providing traceability for European-origin flax through the value chain.

These details matter much more to me than whether someone follows an old rule about putting another sheet on the bed.

Cotton or linen: which makes the better top sheet?

Both work extremely well, but they feel different.

A cotton percale flat sheet is a particularly good choice if you like bedding that feels cool, smooth and crisp. Percale's lighter character can also make it appealing during warmer months.

A linen flat sheet feels more textured and relaxed. Linen is also a useful option for people who want breathable natural-fibre bedding.

For those who prefer to skip the top sheet altogether, pairing a fitted sheet with a breathable 100% pure linen duvet cover keeps the bed beautifully simple while retaining the natural feel and relaxed character of linen.

Sleep guidance consistently recommends considering breathable bedding when overheating is an issue, including materials such as cotton and linen.

If your duvet cover is textured linen, there is another less obvious benefit: some sleepers simply prefer the smoother sensation of a sheet directly against their skin.

That is personal preference rather than a technical advantage, but comfort is ultimately what bedding is for.

So, should Gen Z bring back the top sheet?

If a 22-year-old customer asked me to convince them that they needed a top sheet, my first answer would probably surprise them:

You probably don't need one.

If you're comfortable, sleeping well and regularly washing your bed sheets and duvet cover, there is no reason to introduce another layer simply because previous generations considered it part of a properly made bed.

But I would suggest trying one.

Use a good-quality cotton or linen flat sheet for two weeks, particularly during warmer weather.

See whether:

• you enjoy having a lighter alternative to your duvet;
• your bed feels fresher;
• you like the feel of the sheet against your skin;
• changing your duvet cover less frequently makes life easier;
• or you spend every night kicking the sheet into a crumpled heap at the bottom of the bed.

If it's the last one, abandon it.

Bedding should adapt to the sleeper, not the other way around.

Frequently asked questions about top sheets

Do you need a top sheet with a duvet?

No. A duvet with a removable, regularly washed duvet cover can be used without a top sheet. The top sheet is an optional additional layer rather than a bedding essential.

Why are fitted sheets more popular than flat sheets?

A fitted sheet performs a job that still needs doing: covering and protecting the mattress while providing the sleeping surface. A flat sheet is optional when a washable duvet cover is used, which helps explain the difference in demand we see.

Does a top sheet make you cooler?

It can provide a useful lighter covering when a duvet feels too warm. Sleep research supports creating a comfortably cool environment and choosing breathable bedding to reduce overheating.

Should I choose cotton or linen bed sheets?

Both are excellent natural-fibre choices. Crisp cotton percale bedding particularly suits sleepers who like a smooth, fresh feel, while linen bedding offers a more textured, relaxed character. Material quality, construction, certification and personal comfort are more useful considerations than following trends.

Does a top sheet keep a duvet cover cleaner?

It creates an additional barrier between your body and the duvet cover, so it can reduce direct exposure to perspiration, skin oils and other soiling. Without one, the duvet cover itself becomes the principal washable layer above you.

Is the top sheet trend really just a Gen Z trend?

Not entirely. Sleeping beneath a duvet without a top sheet was established long before Gen Z. What younger sleepers appear to be doing is accelerating a broader move towards simpler, lower-maintenance bedding.

Perhaps Gen Z has the right idea after all

The interesting thing about the Gen Z top sheet debate is that neither side is really wrong.

The top sheet still has genuine uses. It provides a wonderfully simple summer layer, can protect a duvet cover and gives sleepers another way to adjust the microclimate of their bed. Research into sleep and temperature supports the broader principle of adapting bedding and layers to maintain comfortable sleeping conditions.

But the duvet removed much of the practical necessity for it.

That leaves us with something refreshingly simple.

Use a top sheet because it makes your bed more comfortable — not because somebody once decided that a properly made bed must have one.

I still reach for mine when summer arrives and usually put it away again when winter bedding comes out.

Gen Z might call that unnecessary.

I call it using the right bedding for the night.