A generation ago, no home maker worried about
thread counts!
Thread counts have become one of the deciding
factors for many people when they're buying bed
linens today though. The truth about thread counts
may seem a bit difficult to understand. It doesn't
have to! More than just the thread count affects
how bedding feels and how comfortable you will be
when sleeping with it on your bed. Let's check into
this alittle bit. Then you can make informed decisions
about your bedding when you're ready to purchase
again.
Our grandparents and parents slept on lower
thread count cotton sheets and did just fine, right?
These sheets were serviceable, but could feel abit
thin and unsubstantial by our standards these
days.
Today, bed linens can be found from a lowly 120
thread count up to as high as 1200. Who knows,
maybe even higher soon!
Is all this talk about thread counts much ado
about nothing? Well, the answer is yes and no.
Thread count alone will not tell you how bedding will
feel to the touch or how well it will hold up over long
years of use.
The feel of bedding, what the sheets feel like on
your skin, is known as "hand" or "handle". The hand
of the bedding does have something to do with
thread count, but that's not the only factor. The
way the bedding is woven and the content of the
fabric have a lot to do with the hand of the bedding.
The character, or individuality of a material includes
how the fabric drapes, the elasticity, softness and
fineness of how that particular sheet feels.
The ply is a factor that defines the number of
single yards which are twisted to become the ply
yard from which the bedding is woven. By twisting
these single yards together to form the ply yard, the
fabric is more resilient and long lasting. The ply yarns
are twisted together to form cord- and the cord is
the actual material used in the weaving process.
Finish is another characteristic of bedding which
affects how it will feel to the skin.
Percale is a plain weave of cotton or
polyester/cotton blended yarns. This finish usually
uses a higher thread count and a finer yarn.
Sateen is another finish for cotton fabric that is
woven in such as way that the surface is smooth
and lustrous, reminding us of satin.
Flannel is a brushed fiber finish which is quite warm,
soft and cuddly- it can be created from 100% cotton
fibers or a polyester/cotton blend.
Now that we know a bit about what makes one
sheet different from another sheet, let's get the
facts go back to the facts about thread count.
The actual definition of thread count is the number
of threads per square inch of fabric going horizontal
and vertical.
Generally speaking, the higher thread count materials
will have softer textures- or hands.
However, the bedding has to be viewed from an
overall standpoint and take into account the fabric
composition and the finish to determine how soft a
sheet will actually be.
The most favored thread counts in bed linens
today are in the 200 to 600 range. The best
combination of softness and durability are found in
this range.
However, a 200 thread count cotton sheet
woven with a sateen finish can be softer and more
luxurious feeling than a 400 or 600 count sheet of
standard cotton in a plain weave.
Egyptian cotton, which has a longer fiber than other
cottons, when woven into a 200 thread count sateen
finish sheet may feel more luxurious and softer than
either of the other choices.
Single ply sheets of top quality cotton may feel
more luxurious than double ply sheets. The only real
means of rating how a sheet will feel to you is to
touch it.
Look for what features are most important to you
when selecting your next set of bed linens.
If you want few or no wrinkles, choose a
polyester/cotton blend. Less crisp, less cool than
cotton.
If you like the feel of satin or silk, but don't like
sliding off the bed, choose a 100% cotton sateen
weave. =)
If you like the extra warm feel of flannel, select
brushed cotton or flannel finish- but be aware that
this weave often pills quickly after only a few
washings. (Look for the highest ounce weight fabric
you can find to minimize this).
Percale often softens more and more as it is
washed again and again. Simple, elegant,
cool.
Egyptian cotton is King, with the longest cotton
fibers available to date. Supima cotton is also
excellent, with a tiny bit shorter fiber length. Either
of them becomes softer and even more sumptuous
with each washing! You can't go wrong no matter
what with either.
It's important to choose bed linens that you find
feel good to you rather than select based on some
designer theory of thread count.
So, don't be taken in by a high price tag. Just
because a sheet costs a lot doesn't necessarily mean
it will feel any better than a less expensive
sheet.
Patricia Bowlin is a successful author and
publisher who loves to help you find everything you
need to know about chosing just the perfect pillows,
blankets, bed linens, comforters, and other bedding here now.
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