UNDERSTANDING THREADCOUNT
Thread-count has become a popular buzz-word over the years, but very few people know that there are other more important components
that make a sheet luxurious and long-lasting.
First, a basic definition: thread-count is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. Any cotton fabric with a thread-count lower than
150 is considered muslin; decent quality sheets start at 180 thread-count;and anything higher than 200 is called percale. Nowadays, Italian mills are weaving up to 1000 thread-count cotton.
Thread-count is important, but equally significant is where the cotton is grown and where and how it has been woven. Egyptian cotton is acknowledged to be the finest cotton in the world, just as the Italians are renowned for their long-standing tradition of weaving. The softness of your sheets depends more on the quality of the fiber, which is why a 220 thread-count sheet can feel softer than a 500 thread-count sheet that uses an inferior grade of cotton or a twisted thread. (The lower thread-count sheet using Egyptian cotton and woven in Italy will also last longer than a higher thread-count sheet woven from inferior cotton.) Discerning consumers should always look for Egyptian cotton sheets. But be forewarned: labels can be misleading. While numerous brands claim to use Egyptian cotton, their linens may contain as little as one percent. Look for packaging that says 100% or pure Egyptian cotton.
The way in which fabric is woven also has an effect on its feel. Cotton satin sheets, for example, are technically softer than percale sheets. A satin weave has a silky touch and sheen. But that doesn’t mean satin is better than percale.
Although high thread-counts have become something of a status symbol, the hand of the fabric – as determined by the finish and the type of weave – is entirely personal.
Peggy Byron, owner of Au Lit Fine Linens, favours her 220 thread-count percale sheets over the best 1000 thread-count cotton satin sheets money can buy. Why? Because she happens to love the crisp, linen-feel of percale, and not the finer feel of a higher thread-count satin.
Though most consumers think thread-count is the way to choose quality bed linens, the truth is, it is the quality of the cotton and where and how it is woven, that matters most.