Thread count and why it says less than you think

Short answer: A high thread count can be reached by using very thin threads or by counting several times. The number is therefore easy to raise without the fabric getting any better.

Thin threads raise the number

If one thread is replaced by two half as thick, the number doubles without the fabric gaining any material. On paper it looks better, but in the hand it feels the same. The number is easy to raise without the sheet becoming softer or better.

The counting method varies

Some count every single thread in a plied yarn, others count the yarn as one. Two identical fabrics can therefore get numbers far apart. Without knowing the method you cannot tell what a number covers. See bamboo sheets.

What to look at instead

Fabric weight, fibre and finishing say more about how the sheet feels and lasts. Thread count is only useful within the same type of fabric. That also applies when you look at clothes for the night. See pajamas for women and Turiform.

Compare only within the same fabric type

A woven and a knitted fabric cannot be compared by thread count at all, since it exists only in woven fabrics. Even among woven fabrics the type of weave can change how the same number feels. Compare only numbers measured the same way on the same kind of fabric.

The fibre decides a lot

The fibre decides much of how a fabric feels and how it behaves in the wash. A number on the label says nothing about the fibre. Look at the material in the product description and combine it with the weight before judging whether a sheet meets your expectations.

Finishing changes the feel

Finishing such as washing and smoothing changes how a fabric feels without changing the thread count. Two sheets with the same number can therefore feel quite different, even straight from the pack. A fabric may soften after a few washes, but that depends on fibre and weave.

What a sensible level is

For ordinary woven bedding two to three hundred is good. Above that it may point to thin yarn or a different counting method rather than a better fabric. Below it the sheet may feel thin. Use the number as a rough guide and not as a grade.

Jersey has no thread count

Jersey has no thread count. Knitted fabrics are made of linked loops, and fabric weight is used instead. It is given in grams per square metre and tells how thick and heavy the fabric is, but not by itself how soft it is.

How to count yourself

With a magnifier and patience you can count yourself. Count over one centimetre in each direction, add the two numbers and scale up to the unit you want to compare with. It is tedious, but it shows how little a big number often covers.

Frequently asked questions

What is a sensible level

For ordinary woven bedding two to three hundred is good. Figures far above that rarely say anything about how the sheet feels and may come from thin threads or another counting method.