First, thread count. It is supposedly true that high thread count sheets are the best, right? But what is thread count? Thread count is simply how many threads occupy one square inch of the fabric. Simple enough? But wait! Is the yarn one ply or two or three or more? Are they counting plies, or individual threads? The answer is it depends. There are no regulations on thread count. One manufacturer might offer a 300 thread count sheet, another 600, but they may be the same sheet. If the 300 thread count sheet counts yarn fibers, and the other counts plies and the sheet is 2 ply, then 300 times 2 is 600. And there is nothing illegal about either count. We believe some high thread count sheets are counting plies to fool the public, and while not illegal, to us is immoral. There is one thing you can be sure of, if the thread count is over about 1200, they are counting the plies, so look for the ply on the package and divide that into the thread count to get the true thread count. Suppose you are at a trade show, and there is a hawker selling sheets with 800 thread count for a mere $30. Trust me, he is counting plies.
Second is the fabric material itself. Is it all cotton? What kind of cotton? Two important questions. Some manufacturers have put synthetic fiber blends out. These blended sheets are good for two things, giving the sheet a no iron quality, and reducing the over all cost of the sheets. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however, true cotton sheets are going to be the softest.
What kind of cotton, did you read right? Absolutely. Cotton comes in many varieties, and not all cotton is created equal. As a general rule, the longer the fiber, or as the call it in the industry, the staple, the longer the sheets will last, and they will tend to be softer. Many manufacturers will use the term 'long staple' on the label. If you don't see that, assume it is not long staple cotton. There is another way to know if the cotton is in the higher quality plateau, look for Pima cotton, it is among the best in the world, and it is grown right here in the United States. Supima cotton is a marketing association for manufacturers using Pima cotton, and paying to license the Supima brand. To the consumer Supima has high standards, and this is a very good thing. There are very good sheets out there that do not invest in the Supima branding. Why? To save expense, or because they are using imported cotton.
Have you heard about Egyptian cotton? It's supposed to be good isn't it? It can be, but to call something Egyptian cotton is not unlike calling sheets from US cotton American cotton. Its nice to know where the cotton came from, but there are still different varieties of cotton. Good Egyptian cotton rivals Pima in quality, but how do you know what variety they used?
Third, we have the weave pattern. Sateen weave is the softest weave. Percales are not as soft, but they come out of the dryer with less wrinkles. There are some others, but Sateen and Percale are the two major weaves. If you prefer softer sheets, choose Sateen.
Fourth, and we touched on it earlier, but we believe where the cotton is grown, and where the cotton was processed does make a difference. Not in quality, but in keeping our neighbors employed. There are great sheet makers in Pakistan, India, and China. They source there raw materials globally, some perhaps use US cotton. We do recommend you look at the label, and just be aware of the country of origin. Even Pima sheets can be finished in other countries, remember the Pima cotton is grown in the US, no guarantee it wasn't exported.
A little complicated just for sheets huh. Well to boil it down, look at thread count, look at weave pattern, look at the length of the fiber, all should be on the label. When you find a good set, also take a moment to look at the country of origin. Buy the set that is the best quality, but know where they come from. There is one final thought. My Grandmother always said, "you get what you pay for." Manufacturing costs being somewhat equal, the price of raw materials being somewhat equal, the price on the package can sometimes give insight into the quality inside. $30 sheet sets will cover your bed, $100 sets will feel so much better. The only way to reduce cost, is to reduce quality. Don't look at one part of the four here, you won't find that next great sheet set. Look at all four, and your chances are much better.
Sleep Well!
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