Types of Pajamas: The Ultimate Guide
There’s nothing comfier than the right pair of PJs. Alongside a soft blanket and cool sheets, the perfect pajamas can help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night.
It’s one thing to wear any old pajamas you have in your closet. It’s another to pick the perfect PJs for your preferences and unique needs.
If you don’t know which type of PJs to choose, read on! We’ll break down all the types of pajamas you can choose from and offer some recommendations.
What Are the Essential Types of Pajamas?
Pajamas come in four major styles; depending on the season and your comfort level, you may prefer one type or another.
Short-Sleeve Sleep Shirts
Short-sleeved sleep shirts are a spring and summer go-to. These sleep shirts are usually loose, lightweight, and breathable. This is important so that your body can get rid of body heat in the middle of the night (which is crucial for staying asleep for several hours).
Long-Sleeve Sleep Shirts
On the other hand, maybe you prefer long-sleeve sleep shirts. These are still usually soft, relatively loose, breathable, and comfortable, though they have longer sleeves. Long-sleeve sleep shirts might be better for the fall and winter, especially if you don't like to sleep with a heavy comforter over your body.
Some long shirts can work as loungewear or “onesie” one-piece pajamas. Whether you wear them alone or with pants, this nightwear is great for getting a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Pants
Sleep pants are the wintertime equivalent to sleep shorts. These are typically made of flannel, linen, or cotton, and they’re supremely comfortable and durable. You can wear them with a t-shirt, nightgown, or as part of a two-piece pajama set.
Pajama pants are great for keeping your legs warm, though you may find that your lower body gets a little too warm in the middle of the night under the covers. Most come with drawstrings so that you can decide how loose-fitting they are.
Sleep Shorts
Alternatively, you could wear sleep shorts. Sleep shorts are just like regular shorts, though they tend to be a bit shorter than the shorts you might wear out and about. Regardless, sleep shorts are great for getting rid of excess body heat while keeping you covered while walking around.
What Are the Most Common Pajama Materials?
As you can see, pajamas come in a few major styles. Once you choose which type of PJ you like best, it’s time to pick a fabric.
In many cases, pajama materials are even more important than the style of pajamas you wear. Linen pajamas, cotton fabric pajamas, satin pajamas, fleece pajamas, and more make up the most popular kinds of men's and women’s pajamas alike.
Here’s a deep dive into some of the most important options.
Cotton Pajamas
Cotton is a popular pajama material because it is durable and breathable while being soft to the touch. Cotton pajamas are great, but they can stretch over time and eventually become too loose for comfort.
Flannel Pajamas
Many people prefer flannel pajamas in the winter since flannel is warm and a little heavier than cotton or linen, though not quite as heavy as wool. Regardless, flannel pajamas are a good choice for winter wear and will last for years to come if you take care of them properly.
Knit Pajamas
Knit pajamas can be even warmer than flannel, but good luck finding high-quality knit pajamas that won’t break the bank! There’s a reason why high-quality knitted pajamas are such great Christmas or birthday gifts.
Knit pajamas are usually warm and made with a material like wool or cotton, though they can be made with other materials.
Bamboo Silk Pajamas
Bamboo silk pajamas are a recent addition to the PJ market (and the best option overall).
Bamboo silk pajamas are made with a special bamboo viscose blend. PJs like Tasc Performance’s are made with a proprietary bamboo blend you can’t find anywhere else.
Regardless, bamboo silk pajamas are lightweight, comfortable, and cool to the touch: perfect for ensuring you don’t get too hot under the covers.
Why Wear Bamboo Pajamas?
Out of all these potential materials bamboo is the best of the best. Why? In truth, there are many reasons why bamboo pajamas are superior options, no matter the season.
Bamboo Is Breathable
For starters, bamboo pajamas are exceptionally breathable. When you wear bamboo pajamas, you'll feel pleasantly cool and comfortable all night (even if you sleep under sheets and covers).
Breathability is important for high-quality PJs. Your body naturally sweats and sheds body heat throughout the night. If you’re too warm, your sleep quality will decline and you might wake up or toss and turn all night long.
Bamboo Keeps You Cool
Secondly, bamboo helps to keep you even cooler in ways aside from its breathability. That's because bamboo cotton blends like the kind we use at Tasc Performance don't retain body heat.
That’s a good thing when you’re shopping for PJs! The less body heat a material retains, the cooler it’ll stay all throughout the night — and the harder it will be to make those PJs heat up, even if you wear them for several hours.
By keeping you cool, bamboo PJs directly influence the quality and comfort of your sleep.
Bamboo Is Ultra-Flexible
Materials like cotton are plenty stretchy, but bamboo is even more flexible. Even better, bamboo pajamas can usually retain their shapes longer than cotton equivalents. As a result, you probably won’t need to replace bamboo pajamas as frequently as you would need to replace cotton pajamas (or PJs made from other fabrics).
In the meantime, that flexibility means that bamboo pajamas should stay super comfortable and adaptable all year long, no matter whether you prefer longer or shorter PJs.
Bamboo Is Sustainable
Bamboo has benefits for the environment, as well. Bamboo pajamas are much more sustainable for the environment. Bamboo can be ethically harvested and doesn't require as much land or water as a plant like cotton.
On top of that, bamboo pajamas are generally biodegradable. If you ever do have to throw your bamboo pajamas away, you can rest assured that they should return to the environment with minimal biological hassle.
Essentially, if you want to do your part for the environment and minimize your carbon footprint, you should opt for bamboo pajamas (and other clothing) whenever possible.
Bamboo Wicks Moisture
Last but not least, bamboo is moisture-wicking. As your body sweats, your bamboo pajamas will wick the moisture away without retaining it. That'll help the sweat evaporate and cool off your body without sticking to your skin and making you feel uncomfortable.
Wear Bamboo for a Better Night’s Sleep
At the end of the day, bamboo pajamas are better for your skin and the environment. They’re cool (both in terms of body temperature and style), comfortable, and ideal for men and women of any age.
Even better, you can wear bamboo pajamas and get a better night’s sleep starting today. Tasc Performance offers high-quality bamboo pajamas for both men and women, so pick up a new set of sleepwear ASAP!
Sources:
How Sustainable is Bamboo Fiber? | One Green Planet
Bamboo | Materials Index | CFDA