Thread count
Everyone wants good sheets, the kind that are soft, durable, and easy to maintain. This is why percale sheets are so popular, especially those that are made from cotton.
The percale weave makes them strong, soft, and attractive.
But how about the thread count? How does it affect the quality of a set of percale sheets? Most experts agree that the thread count matters.
However, they have discouraged people from using the thread count as their only criteria for differentiating between good and bad percale sheets.
This is what you should understand about Thread Count for Percale Sheets:
1). First of all, in case you did not know, the thread count is the number of threads or strands of fiber per square inch of fabric. The common belief is that the higher the thread count, the softer the fabric, the better the sheets.
2). Where percale sheets are concerned, you are encouraged to target thread counts ranging between 250 and 300. If you want a truly luxurious sheet, you can target a thread count of 500. This gives you confidence that the sheet in question is not only dense but it came from high-quality yarn.
3). 250, 300, and even 500 probably sound like low thread counts. This is because people have been conditioned to think that a higher thread count normally translates into a higher quality fabric.
As such, customers are always on the prowl for sheets whose thread count exceeds one thousand. However, that thinking is flawed. First of all, a high thread count doesn’t necessarily produce comfortable fabrics.
Thread counts that are too high are going to restrict the fabric’s ability to circulate air. As such, they are going to make you hot which is something that no customer wants. You are better off prioritizing percale sheets with a lower thread count because they are cooler and lighter.
This makes them perfect for hot sleepers or customers that live in places with warm weather.
4). It is worth noting that thread count doesn’t affect all fabrics the same. For instance, the most luxurious sateen sheets have a much higher thread count than their percale counterparts. This shouldn’t worry you.
Sateen needs a high thread count. It needs to be denser, heavier, and smoother because that will prevent snagging.
5). People that obsess over high thread counts in their percale sheets do not realize that the thread count affects the price. Not only do higher thread counts deliver smoother and denser fabric but they are more expensive to produce. This makes them more costly to buy.
6). While you can find the best percale sheets with thread counts of 500 or less, some manufacturers will attempt to pique your interest by offering percale sheets with thread counts of 1000 and above.
However, what you don’t know is that many manufacturers of this sort are always artificially raising their thread counts. They do this by using two-ply yarns. This turns a fabric with a thread count of 500 into one with a thread count of 1000.
Such manufacturers won’t tell you that single-ply yarns are superior and they produce softer fabrics. They are more interested in dazzling consumers with thread counts that are too high to make any sense.
Don’t be fooled. If you must purchase a percale sheet with a high thread count, make sure that it is 100 percent cotton and made using single-ply weaves.
7). Some manufacturers use blends such as cotton and polyester. They do this because the polyester fibers are very thin and that allows them to deliver thread counts in the thousands.
But again, that won’t necessarily make the sheets produced from such fabric superior to those with lower thread counts. They might be wrinkle-resistant and cheaper but they won’t be as luxurious as percale sheets of a lower thread count made from natural cotton.
8). Rather than obsessing over the thread count, you should focus on the quality of the fibers. Egyptian Cotton fabric with a low thread count will be softer than an inferior cotton fabric with a higher thread count.
Blends are also not bad. They are not as good as pure cotton sheets with a percale weave. But if you are determined to get the highest possible thread count, get a cotton/polyester blend that will, at the very least, deliver a durable and wrinkle-resistant fabric.