Educated Shopper: Buying Bed Linens

Thread Count

Is thread count really the most important thing to consider when buying sheets? If not, what is?

Thread count simply indicates the number of threads sewn per square inch of fabric. Thread count can be deceptive -- some manufactures may twist the yarn and count a two-ply yarn as just one to manipulate the number. When looking for a quality set of sheets, it is important to remember that thread count is not the be-all and end-all of sheets. It is the quality of yarn, the construction, and the finishing of the yarn that truly creates a wonderful sheet set. Anyone can make a 600-thread-count sheet, but it may not be made correctly.