Queen Pillowcases

Queen pillowcases sit close to 51 by 76 cm, or 20 by 30 inches, with a small allowance for the pillow's loft. The cut is longer than a standard pillowcase and shorter than a king, so a queen pillow sits snugly inside without bunching at the seams.

Each product page shows the exact internal measurements before checkout. If the pillow is borderline between two sizes, queen is usually the safer choice.

A standard pillow slides into a queen pillowcase with room to spare, which can read as loose if the pillow is on the slimmer end. A flatter pillow looks better in a standard cut. A plumper pillow earns the queen.

If the bed reads as too soft on the eye, a snugger fit at the pillow is one of the small fixes that tightens the whole picture.

Cotton in a weave that matches how you sleep. Percale stays cool against the cheek and softens with washing. Sateen has a quiet sheen and a denser drape, the boutique-hotel feel. Flannel turns the pillow into the warmest part of a winter bed.

Marshmellow makes queen pillowcases across all three weaves, so the call is about how you sleep, not what is in stock.

Two for everyday use, four if the bed runs with a decorative pair on top. Most queen beds work best with two queen pillows for sleep and two standard pillows for daytime layering.

Buy them in pairs so that the wash cycle never strands one pillow with a tired case while its partner is fresh out of the dryer.

Wash cool to warm at 30 to 40 degrees with a normal amount of detergent and no fabric softener. Softener leaves a film on cotton that dulls the surface and slows the way the fabric breaks in.

Tumble dry on low or hang dry. Pillowcases generally do not need ironing if they come off the line promptly.

Most queen beds use queen pillows, and the cases are made to fit them. A standard case stretched over a queen pillow puts the seams under tension and shortens the case's working life.

The right-sized case is a quiet upgrade that sleeps better and wears longer.