Stephen Cardino, the home fashion director at Macy’s and a 25-year veteran of the bedding industry, weighs in on what you need to know. Is Thread Count That Important?Thread count is often used as the barometer of a sheet’s smoothness and durability. However, this measurement—which should refer to the number of threads woven into a square inch of fabric—isn’t always reliable. High thread count is a factor, but the type of cotton can be more significant. RELATED: How to Fold a Fitted Sheet What’s The Best-Quality Cotton? Top-of-the-line is 100 percent Egyptian cotton. Second best is 100 percent pima cotton, also known by the trademarked name Supima. If a label says simply, “100 percent cotton,” assume that it’s American upland cotton, a rougher, less expensive variety. Egyptian cotton’s long fibers produce sheets that are thin and sumptuous yet extremely strong and long-lasting. (The shorter fibers of upland cotton, by contrast, can poke out of the weave, leading to a coarser, weaker fabric.)
Pima cotton is also soft and less likely to pill than upland cotton. You can find a good queen set made of pima for less than $200. If you want the best, you’ll invest about $500 in an Egyptian-cotton set in percale or sateen—both clean, classic weaves. (See this round-up of luxury sheets for our favorite picks.)Trying to settle on a set of sheets? Understanding some basics about the fabrics they're made of will help you compare labels wisely and make a smart choice. "Cotton is by far the most-loved fabric for sheets," says Jim Symmes, vice president at Revman International, which manufactures sheets for prominent brands such as Tommy Bahama and Laura Ashley. "It's soft, durable, and breathes well. But improvements in the manufacturing process and finishing techniques mean that other fabrics like polyester can be a viable alternative to cotton." What you're looking for is what the industry dubs a nice "hand"-soft and luxe to the touch. Some fabrics may fit your needs better than others.
Here's a guide to choosing the sheet that's right for you: Sheets made of microfiber-fabric composed of extremely fine fibers of polyester-are affordable and soft, and they resist pilling more than traditional polyester fabric does. However, polyester is less breathable than cotton and is probably not the best choice for those with sensitive skin. The choice of crisp white sheets and rich blue bedding creates a distinctive look with a global influence. Cotton jersey sheets are also reasonably priced and very breathable because they're knit rather than woven. Jersey is basically T-shirt fabric, so jersey sheets may appeal to you if you like sleeping in a soft old shirt. Microfiber and jersey don't have the cool crispness of woven cotton, so if you like to flip your pillows to the cool side all night long, you're better off looking at an inexpensive cotton percale instead. The highest-quality, softest sheets use cotton with extra-long fibers (called long-staple fibers) that can be spun into fine, strong yarns.
Certified long-staple cottons include Egyptian, pima, and Supima®. That doesn't mean that other types of cotton don't make nice sheets, Symmes says. A fabric that is finished nicely with a high thread count can be made of a non-certified cotton and still be very comfortable. Thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads per square inch. Generally, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheet, and the more likely it will wear well-or even soften-over time. Good sheets range anywhere from 200 to 800, although you'll occasionally see numbers over 1,000. Astronomical thread counts don't necessarily mean the sheet is better-there are even tricks to inflating the thread count (such as using multiple yarns twisted together) that don't actually improve the hand of the fabric and may even detract from its quality. Don't assume a low thread count means low-quality sheets. "There are 200-count cotton sheets out there that are finished very nicely and actually feel like they have a higher thread count," Symmes says.
"Fewer chemicals and more mechanical finishings are used these days, giving a nice hand and performance." If you're watching pennies, try a 200-count combed cotton set from a well-known brand; name brands are likely to have high certification standards for their finishing processes. Symmes says that his ideal sheet is a combed cotton sheet in the 300 to 400 thread count range. Usually, the fabric weave and the manufacturing processes used won't be a big factor in your decision; often they don't even appear on the packaging. But there are a few terms you should know: Sateen is cotton cloth made with a satin weave, a weave that produces a very soft, lustrous feel but can be somewhat less durable than a tighter weave. Percale is the crisp, durable plain weave fabric typically used for sheets; it has a thread count of at least 180. Combed cotton has been combed to remove the short fibers and leave the long ones, which makes for a strong, soft fabric. See our bedding glossary for more information on fabrics, finishes and styles.
The Best Sheets for Making an Amazing Bed Best and Most Comfortable Bed Sheets Reviews 2017“Bedsheets are the most important thing in the world,” muses Bunny Williams, who has been decorating Upper East Side apartments and Connecticut country homes for over 30 years. Because if you’re going to spend one-third of your life between the sheets, shouldn’t they feel fabulous? Here, Williams, along with some other very particular New York tastemakers — Sheila Bridges, Kai Avent-deLeon, and Aelfie Oudghiri — tells us the best sheets to buy. “The go-to sheets I choose for the majority of my projects. Clients love them for their comfort and accessibility, while I love their simple designs. There’s something uniquely versatile about them — it’s sophisticated enough for city life, but even in a country home it works perfectly against a more rustic backdrop. I never second-guess these sheets; more often than not they work for the interior I’m working on.” - Vicente Wolf, Designer
“I have them on my bed right now and they are my softest sheets by far. They almost feel like flannel, but very lightweight, so they’re not as warm — just really soft and comfortable to the touch. Even though I have 20 other pairs of sheets folded in my laundry closet, I’ll take these off the bed, wash them, and put them back on.” - Sheila Bridges, founder of Sheila Bridges DesignFor me, the perfect bed is a heavy duvet, a cashmere blanket, lots of pillows, and these cotton-percale white sheets. I think the scalloped edges have such a lovely shape to them and are so luxurious.” - Amanda Ross, Designer “My favorite sheets are Matouk, mostly because everything’s customizable, from the color of the threading to the monogram and the ruffles, but there’s this one embroidery that I keep coming back to. It’s this very Hollywood Regency scallop-shell pattern that’s kind of Miami-influenced too. It’s very 1940s, 1950s glam with the seashells and the scalloped edge, and I love it.” - Sasha Bikoff, founder of Sasha Bikoff New York
“It’s not the world’s highest thread count, but the Egyptian cotton on these sheets has this really tight weave that makes such a difference on your skin. The sheets have this handsome pair of satin borders you can get in different colors, too. It’s a brand built on practical creativity and affordable luxury.” - Becky Shea, Designer, Homepolish “I recently used bamboo linens for a large project and I will definitely be using them more going forward. The company is BedVoyage and the quality of the product is excellent, the feel is amazing. Bamboo is one of the strongest and hardest natural materials, and yet when you feel the fibers on these sheets it’s just incredibly soft. Softer than you’d imagine. Like, baby soft on your skin. Also, it’s extremely durable — it generally lasts about two times longer than cotton sheets — and it’s easy to clean. It’s usually more expensive, but overall quality and durability makes this the hands-down winner.” - Anishka Clarke, co-owner of Ishka Designs
“I have this habit now that I like to sleep with a silk pillowcase. You don’t end up with as many pillow creases, it’s gentler on your skin, and your hair isn’t as frizzy when you wake up. Most of the silk pillowcases out there are really tacky, but I found a brand called Kumi Kookoon. They have this range of incredible colors. I use a really deep indigo-navy and it’s a dream to sleep on. They’re so soft and I really notice the difference when I wake up. My hair is not as crazy bedhead in the morning and my skin feels better.” - Zoe Mac, founder of Zoe Mac Design “My absolute favorite sheets are the hotel classic from Frette, which are kind of like the fantasy version of Upper East Side hotel bed linens. They’re Italian-made in this Egyptian cotton that’s just the softest and butteriest fabric to laze around in. I love the chic and simple double-line embroidery, too.” - Michael Shome, Director of Photography, Architectural Digest “I really liked Snowe’s dinnerware, so I started using their sheets, too, and I’ve found that they’re really good quality and decently priced.
As I got older I realized the importance of having quality sheets, and with these I finally feel like an adult. They’re cotton, which is the only material I buy now, and they’re really soft, kind of plush. They’re breathable and low-maintenance, so I don’t have to constantly clean them even though I buy an off-white color.” - Kai Avent-deLeon, owner of Sincerely, Tommy “For the breadth of their pattern options, I always go back to Pratesi — there’s a certain level of craftsmanship and luxury to the brand. You can feel how breathable the cotton percale is, and the embroidered patterns add just the chicest unexpected touch. I think Andy Warhol’s favorite sheets were Pratesi, too. I get a huge kick out of that.” - Patrick Mele, Designer “I only buy my own bedding and I like block-printed Indian sheets. India is famous for its cotton because it’s been exporting cotton for, like, millennia and creates the most cotton in the world. Sure, people talk about Egyptian cotton, but Indian cotton is better.
When you get a lot of the really soft bedding like jersey it’s because they’re going through these chemical processes where it’s washed a million times so it’s really fucking wasteful. I like my bedding to soften over time and grow with me.” - Aelfie Oudghiri, founder of home goods label Aelfie “Bedsheets are the most important thing in the whole world. You spend a third of your life in bed, so good sheets should be like buying a couture dress — they’re worth the investment. I happen to like really fine cotton percale; it launders beautifully, it’s cool. Other cottons aren’t as cool and I just don’t like satin sheets. I happen to love Julia B linens. It’s really high-end 800-count cotton percale. She does couture linens with beautiful monograms and embroidery all done by hand. It’s absolutely beautiful.” - Bunny Williams, founder of Bunny Williams Home The Strategist is a new site designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape.