Parachute Linen Venice Sheet Set Review

We purchased the Parachute Linen Venice Sheet Set so our reviewer could put it to the test in her bed. Keep reading for our full product review.

When you think of linen bedding, “soft” may not be the first word that comes to mind. Low-quality linen can be scratchy and go as far as irritating your skin. Parachute’s Linen Venice Sheet Set is not like that. Woven from 100 percent European flax, they’re said to be soft on the skin and cool to touch. But are these sheets really worthy of their high price tag? I hopped into bed with them for weeks to see how they felt and how they held up.

Material: High-quality linen

Not all linen is created equally, as I learned in testing three different sets. Linen isn’t traditionally measured by thread count like cotton, but even if it was, Parachute never shares thread count, calling the metric a “marketing gimmick.” The weight of the fabric, or grams per square meter (GSM) isn’t listed either.

Regardless of numbers, I could feel the quality of the linen in every part of Parachute’s bedding, from the pillowcases to the duvet. It’s crafted in Portugal with 100 percent European flax. The process includes garment-dying and washing the fabric in small batches, which the brand says relaxes the fibers for a super-soft finish.

I found the grain of the flax linen incredibly comfortable and beautiful. From far away, it could be easily mistaken for luxe Egyptian cotton. The flax felt heavier than cotton, which is nice when it comes to durability (more on that later).

Design: Minimal and luxurious

Linen sheets are inherently beautiful, boasting a clean and natural finish, the ability to dance around at the slightest breeze, and a lived-in look. All of these things describe this set from Parachute. The effortlessly cool style is in the name: Venice is a nod to the California beach town where the brand is based.

There are special design details that make this set special. First, the shams feature an envelope fold that, in addition to being easier on the eyes, makes it harder for pillows to fall out. There are tiny button closures across the width of the duvet—a nice and tidy touch, as well as four ties on each corner to help keep everything in line.

I opted for the top sheet (though if you don’t use one, you can skip it to save money), and it was my favorite part about the set. It’s weighty enough to give you the coverage of a light blanket, which seems to solve all of the annoying aspects of a regular top sheet: getting balled up at the end of your bed, sticking to your skin during hot nights, etc. I often found myself curling up with only the top sheet.

This set comes in a solid number of neutral colors: White, Bone, Fog, Blush, Grey, Shore, Charcoal, and Indigo. If you would describe yourself as someone who eats in bed, has a pet who loves to sleep with you, or does a lot of work from bed, opt for a darker color to avoid stains and messes.

Texture: Softer than you knew linen could be

The Parachute linen sheets are super soft—so soft, I’m pretty sure I could live in a robe made from this material. (Though the brand doesn’t make a linen robe, it does offer a comfy Turkish cotton one.) There wasn’t any wear-in period once they were unboxed, and they were comfortable from the first night on.

The one thing that does somehow make the set even more comfortable is the size of the sheets and duvet cover. I ordered a full-size set, and both the duvet cover and the top sheet spill over the sides (and end) of my bed. For those who prefer a clean look, this may not be ideal. My take is this: more to cuddle up in. I haven’t found myself stealing sheets from my partner at night, which is a big plus.

Parachute says this set is best for warm to cool sleepers, but I would say that I woke up to sheets that were cool to the touch every morning.

Washing: Easy

They’re machine washable (wash on a cool cycle, use a mild liquid detergent, dry on low, and remove immediately), but they’re easy to hand wash, too. If you leave them in the dryer for even 10 minutes after the drying cycle, though, you’ll find yourself in a sea of wrinkles.

There’s no getting around the wrinkle with these, so if that’s a deal breaker, take note. Or have an iron on hand constantly. For what it’s worth, I didn’t think it took away from the overall luxury of this set. In fact, I almost preferred them a bit wrinkled.

There is a very slight plastic smell that needs a bit of time to air out after opening the package. In my experience, it was gone after 30 minutes, but it’s worth mentioning in case you’re planning to throw them on your bed immediately. Aside from temporary discomfort to my nose, there were no other hiccups with this set.

Durability: Sturdy

Even after weeks of sweaty nights, the sheet set still looks brand new. Despite the stain-prone color palette (I got the white sheets), my set didn’t hold lint or other stray materials. I wouldn’t bring your morning coffee into bed if you also opt for the white sheets, but this linen set can certainly handle daily dregs of whatever finds its way to your bed. 

Features: Fun design details and wonderful travel bags

Each element of the set—pillow shams, fitted sheet, optional top sheet, and duvet cover—comes in its own linen bag made of the same material. Not only does this make for nice, cohesive packaging, but the bags can also be repurposed as travel pouches or shoe bags for your commute.

Another favorite feature is the buttons and ties on the duvet cover, which make it easy to keep everything together. There’s nothing worse than a comforter getting balled into one side or corner of a duvet cover, but this hasn’t happened to me (yet). The envelope fold on the pillow shams is so nice, I’m making a point to mention it twice.

Price: Investment piece

You can find linen sheets that cost far less than this set from Parachute, but you will be sacrificing quality in some cases: Scratchier linen costs less than the European flax used in this set. Durability will also become an issue with less expensive sets. There are a lot of reasons to love these sheets—don’t let the price tag (starting at $359 for a twin) distract you from the features at hand.

Competition: More affordable options exist

There are a lot of linen sheets out there: Some are less expensive, but that usually means they’re made with lesser-quality linen. West Elm has a Belgian flax sheet set that feels similar in texture and appearance, but something about the weight of the Parachute set gives it a more luxurious edge. If that doesn’t bother you, you can shave a couple of hundred dollars from the price tag without sacrificing too much.

If you’re looking for fewer wrinkles, there are other brands that offer a smoother look. Linoto uses high-quality flax from France and Belgium and manages to stay a tad smoother than the Parachute set.

Remember: If you want to do linen sheets right, you’re going to have to make a little bit of investment. You don’t want to keep waking up throughout the night because your sheets are so scratchy you can’t get some shut-eye. In my opinion, it’s worth spending a little more money instead of settling for a set you won’t be able to stand after a week of use.