Folks selling sheets would have you believe that thread count is everything. While it is indeed an important factor in determining the quality of a sheet, it doesn't tell you everything you need to know. In fact, sheets with high thread counts can often feel stiff and uncomfortable. There are a number of factors to consider when trying to choose from the bewildering array of bed linens at your local department store.

The Count

Thread count in sheets actually refers to the number of yarns---not threads---per square inch of fabric. Yarn is made up of several threads. To figure thread count, you simply add the warp plus the woof. What's that? Fabric is made by cross-stitching threads. The warp refers to threads woven vertically from the loom, and the woof is the horizontal threads. If you have 100 threads per inch in the warp and 100 in the woof, you have a 200-thread fabric. Increasing the thread count usually makes the fabric smoother and denser, depending on several other factors.

Weave

The type of weave can also determine the texture and feel of the fabric. Percale is a simple weave. Thread count in percale affects how crisp the sheets feel. Satin weaves skip several threads among interlaces, which gives a sheen to the surface. Satin weaves allow for thicker fabric and higher thread counts, making satins somewhat stiffer and causing them to resist wrinkling and to drape well. If manufacturers exceed the optimum thread count for the particular weave they are using, the result can be a stiff fabric that isn't very comfortable. Crowding the weave in this way is the primary reason high-thread-count sheets may feel too stiff.

Quality

Higher thread counts do say something about the quality of the sheets. Use of a poor-quality yarn, however, can greatly impact the look and feel of even sheets with high thread counts. The best measure of your comfort with a sheet, no matter the thread count, is your hands. Before buying a sheet, feel the product for yourself.

Weight

Fabrics come in light, medium and heavy weights. Sheets and pillowcases tend to be lightweight fabrics weighing less than 4 ounces per square yard. A few high-end types qualify as medium weight at between 4 and 6 ounces per square yard. Heavyweight fabrics that weigh more than 6 ounces a yard are used for pants, jeans, draperies and upholstery and never for sheets.

Finish

Manufacturers use a variety of finish techniques to print a design on sheets, to improve the product's smell and to increase sheen, softness, crispness and brightness. As the fabric is laundered over time, heavily finished sheets may degrade more quickly, especially if a poorer-quality thread was used in the manufacture. Finishes can fool you. Keeping track of how your sheets wear over time is probably the best way to help you identify manufacturers that produce a superior product.

Source:

Textile Tuesday: The Great Thread Count Conspiracy

Entering the Comfort Zone: Your cheat sheet on comfort and durability

Resource:

Warp and Woof: Edith Very, BS, Educational Publishing Co, Boston, 1912