A Game of Threads: A Guide to Buying Sheets

Hey you...Come here! I am going to share with you a secret that will change the way you shop for sheets.

What if I told you that a high "thread count" does not necessarily equate to a good quality sheet?

Photo Credit: http://www.multiplemayhemmamma.com/

It baffles me that people search for sheets with high thread counts, but have no idea as to what they should be looking for.

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Sorry, to rain on your parade, but a high thread count does not equal quality sheets.

I will give you time to process this. (I know some of you may be in shock or in denial )

The "top three" (well, actually there are more than three things, but I want to keep this short-ish and sweet) things to look for when choosing sheets are thread count, weave and material/fiber.

The thread count determines durability.  It conveys the number of threads woven into one square inch.

 Technically speaking, you can  buy some pretty sketchy sheets with a "high thread count".  You can also purchase a set of great sheets with a "low thread-count".

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According to Southern Living, http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/solutions/sheet-thread-count-guide

" Thread count is defined as the number of threads, horizontally and vertically, per square inch of a fabric...Check the ply of the fabric used in the sheets. The ply of the fabric is used to describe how many threads are wrapped together into one single thread. Single-ply fabrics use threads on their own as opposed to double-ply fabrics that are made up of two pieces of thread twisted together. So technically, a thread count of 800 could be made of only 400 double-ply threads or could contain 800 single-ply threads"

Photo Credit: Macys.com (charter club collection

Let's talk about the weave, and no I am not talking about hair. The weave is the pattern or method that the thread is interlaced.  This affects the texture, quality and appearance. 

The Macy's Bed Buying Guide explains different types of weaves:
"Percale is lightweight & closely woven, percale bed sheets have a smooth finish and a crisp feel.
Sateen a fabric with more yarn surface on the face than other basic bed linen weaves, resulting in an exceptionally soft sheet with a smooth, lustrous finish that resembles satin.
Flannel is brushed cotton that is measured by ounces of fabric per square yard instead of thread count. recommended for colder climates.
Twill is a weave in which welt yarns are worked around warp yarns twice to create the effect of diagonal lines or rib"
http://www1.macys.com/m/bedding-buying-guide/how-to-choose-bed-sheets

The last thing I an going to cover is material.  Material along with the weave greatly impact the way a sheet feels.  Remember earlier when I stated that you could buy a sketchy sheet with a "high thread count"?  Material  along with weave greatly impacts the feel  and longevity of a sheet. 

Here is what marthastewart.com has to say about fiber:

"The most common fiber for bed sheets is cotton, and there are three main varieties: American Upland, Pima, and Egyptian. American Upland is the most widely used cotton and can be short- to long-staple ("staple" refers to the length of the individual fibers). If a label only reads "100 percent cotton," it is likely to be American Upland. Pima is a fine, long-staple cotton that yields a very soft weave. The word "Supima" often appears on the labels of Pima sheets as a trademark of the Supima Association, which promotes Pima cotton. Egyptian cotton is the finest, longest-staple of all. Grown in the Nile River Valley, Egyptian cotton produces an extremely soft and supple weave."

My go to sheet set is the the Charter Club 500 count pima sheets. They are durable, soft and come in  variety of colors. These sheets can be found at your local Macy's or online.

 No matter what store you go to or which sale you catch,  just remember to look beyond the thread count and pay attention to weave and material.  This will ensure that your next shopping experience is easier than counting thread.