best of brand

The Strategist Guide to Shopping at Parachute

Photo-Illustration: retailer

Anyone who has shopped at a retailer with few physical storefronts knows it can be hard to figure out where to begin. There are lots of options that all seem as worthy as the next, but the reality is that products from any given brand are not all created equal. When you shop as regularly as we do, you learn that many brands just do some things better than they do other things. Parachute is one of those brands: Its inventory of linens and other home staples needs to be picked through to find gems like robes that double as loungewear; plush, down-alternative mattress toppers; or quick-drying waffle towels. Here, we’ve compiled all of the products from Parachute that our writers and editors — as well assleep experts,interior designers,hotel-robe connoisseurs,yoga instructors,and othercool people— have recommended on the Strategist.

Foryourbody

When it debuted back in 2017, Parachute’s plush Classic Bathrobe garnered a 1,900-person waitlist — and has since become one of the most recommended bathrobes on the Strategist to date. Favored byyoga instructors,entrepreneurs,and ourreadersalike, the Turkish-cotton robe is “not the thickest I’ve ever tried, but it’s somehow the warmest,” according toHeather Pearson,a co-founder of Portland-based vegan-apparel company Dande and the Lion. Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla gave it the runner-up spot in ourBest in Class women’s bathrobe guide.“The robe is made from a thicker terrycloth that’s almost swallowing — you really feel swaddled,” she wrote.

$82

Thanks to its waffle weave, this Parachute robe is more lightweight than the one above. New mom–slash-publicistSonya Li Casinosays it makes her feel like she’s “heading to the spa every time I wear it,” and Posch, who also uses this robe, told us she wears it “most of the time when I’m at home,” including while just lounging around.As we’ve pointed out,this robe (along with the others on this list) also makes for a very good gift, in part because it’s sleeker than those “overly fluffy, chintzy-looking” options you see everywhere. In addition to the soft beige shown, it’s available in white and gray.

The Goldilocks of Parachute’s bathrobe offerings, this is cozier than the Waffle Robe but lighter than the Classic Robe. Condé Nast Traveler’s senior lifestyle editor, Lale Arikoglu,told usthat the robe’s fluffy, two-ply Turkish-cotton gauze fabric is “supersoft” and light enough to wear even during the warmer months. It comes in a range of cool colorways, too, she adds, “meaning that I don’t need to feel particularly ashamed if I’m still wearing it at, say, 3 p.m. on a Tuesday.”

They are made from the same soft Turkish cotton as Parachute’s robes, which Strategist writer Katherine Gillespiesaysmakes them “rather absorbent, like putting your feet on a nice, fluffybath matand then walking around with that sensation,” Gillespie says. Tiffany Thompson, founder of design firm Duet,told usthey make great housewarming gifts “to make you feel like your new home is a hotel.” It should be noted that Parachute’s design is unisex and runs large; Gillespie wears a woman’s size seven and says an extra small would have been best for her.

Foryourbedroom

Parachute’s linen sheets have long been a Strategist favorite for their breathable, soft-to-the-touch material and reasonable (for linen) price tag. “Parachute, in my opinion, is the best all-around option, factoring the middle-of-the-road price, the substantial feel of the linen, and the cool-placid-hazy bed environment you can create with the color options,” says former Strategist senior writerLauren Levy.Senior editor Jen Trolio owns two sets of these sheets (she got rid all her other sheets). “In the summer, the duvet comes off the bed entirely and we use the linen top sheet as the blanket,” she says. “The sheets feel nice, soft, and cozy and have washed just fine,” she adds. The queen set comes with a fitted sheet and two pillowcases with the option to adda top sheet.Without the top sheet, the set costs $209, and if it’s $320 with.

It’s not altogether surprising that we also really like this, which writer Lauren Ro named ourBest in Class linen duvet cover.Three of the interior designers she interviewed recommend it, as well as Strategist writer Dominique Pariso, who calls this a “really nice beginner linen” for those looking to try linen bedding without committing to a full set of sheets. Ro’s verdict after testing this duvet in Coal: “I found it to be frankly softer and more comfortable than the brand’s linen sheets. I also loved the dark color, which I’d never incorporated into my bed before, and thought it worked quite nicely in a moody, rumpled way.”

Ro named this the best percale duvet cover. Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens says its “cool to the touch right out of the box, like it had already been washed a hundred times, but still felt crisp.” After sleeping with a linen duvet for five years, Kitchens says it was “very light and very soft” in comparison and also felt “airy and responsive to my very high-loft down comforter.” Our finicky columnist Chris Black is a fan: “It doesn’t add any heaviness to my comforter, keeping me cool,” hewrites,adding that it is “affordable enough that I can replace it with some regularity to ensure it always feels crisp.” The cover comes in a range of sizes and neutral tones — like white, slate, cream, and blush — and has twill ties in all four corners to keep your duvet secure.

Parachute’s percalesheetsare also made from long-staple Egyptian cotton and are crafted in Portugal. They’re interior designerKate Lester’s favorite sheets because they’re both “lightweight and durable,” and they actually get softer and softer the more she washes them. While she says she’s a “stickler for a crisp and classic high-quality white cotton sheet,” she loves the brand’s “really chic range of other hues,” including this on-trend clay color.

Chef Dominique Ansel recentlytold ushe can’t live without these sateen sheets, which he discovered at a hotel. “They’re smooth, soft, and high quality,” he says. “I didn’t think that bedsheets would affect the way I sleep, but they do. Now if I sleep in a bed with bad bedsheets, I don’t sleep well.”

Kitchens pairs her linen duvet cover with this down insert — the best,she says,she’s ever owned. “Two years later, it’s as fluffy as when I first unfurled it. And it truly works year-round, keeping me warm in the winter and perfectly comfortable in the warmer months.”

Parachute’smattressis made with an all-springs interior and zero foam (loosely inspired by the exuberantly priced Swedish mattress brand Hästens). Former Strategist senior editorMargaret Rhodessays, “It’s positioned as a luxury, hotel-style mattress, and it really feels like one.” Rhodes was pleasantly surprised that, unlike other mattresses she has tried, Parachute’s didn’t leach a plasticky smell. She also liked the bed’s luxurious, handsome tufted cover and the lack of heat-retaining foam, but she pointed out that the springs-only design may be a little too firm for some. If you need something softer, Parachute recommends adding one of itsmattress toppersfor extra comfort.

“I sunk right in, and it shaped to the form of my body, following my every move throughout the night,”Levy writesof Parachute’s down-alternative mattress topper. “I woke up feeling lightly sandwiched between layers of plushness.” The topper, aStrategist-reader favoritethat also comes recommended by interior designer Danielle Arps and home-goods designer Aelfie Oudghiri, is made from hypoallergenic microfiber and an Oeko-Tex-certified cotton shell that’s both soft and free of synthetics and chemicals. Plus, it has a box construction with stitching throughout, so the filling stays evenly distributed throughout the night.

This pillow was the most recommended in our search forthe best down-filled pillows.Laura Bates, co-founder ofComfybeddy,says, “With 750 fill power, these pillows feel supportive but offer a generous amount of cradling for luxurious comfort.” Chiropractor Dr. Jordan Duncan ofSilverdale Sport & Spinein Washington says this pillow works well for back sleepers specifically; it keeps the neck in that necessary neutral alignment but adds plushness on top that makes it comfortable to lie on. There are three different densities to choose from: soft, medium, and firm.

Foryourbathroom

Recommended to us by threeinterior designers— Meridith Baer, Tina Rich, and Leanne Ford — Parachute’s waffle-weave Turkish cotton towels are “fast-drying and very soft,” according to Baer. Ford adds that the “plush and warm” towels also come in various “classic styles and colors.” Smaller hand towels start at $25 each, with full bath towels going for $49 each.

Chris Blacktold ususes these. “I particularly like these from Parachute,” he says—in white. “Any other shade seems distracting and childish.”

The Strategistis designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the bestacne treatments,rolling luggage,pillows for side sleepers,natural anxiety remedies,andbath towels.We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

The Strategist Guide to Shopping at Parachute