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.) Photo By: Werner Straube Photo By: Sarah Hebenstreit / Modern Kids Co. Photo By: Kristina Wolf Photo By: Photography by Chad Jackson Photo By: Hilton & Hyland, a member of Luxury Portfolio International Photo By: Hyde Evans Design Photo By: Amy Lutz Cotton sheets are described by thread count, which literally means the number of threads in the cloth. Most sheets are in the 200 range, while expensive sheets are more than 500. The higher the thread count, the softer and more durable they are. Hold up a sheet to the light to determine its quality. Light will not shine through a high-thread-count sheet. Also, high-thread-count sheets won't fuzz or pill.
Another great way to test this is to scratch the sheet with your fingernail to see if any pill comes off. If so, it's a lesser-quality sheet. The finest-quality wool blankets available are of merino wool. They are also the warmest. Synthetic blankets, however, are non-allergenic, less expensive and easier to wash. Fill power, or "loft," is a measurement of the quality of down products. Down comforters with great loft have fluffy clusters of down that have the power to fill the comforter with fewer ounces than inferior types of down. Down comforters with high fill power listed on the package are lighter and warmer than down comforters with less fill power listed on the label (or not listed at all). Remember, it's not the ounces that are important, it's the fill power of the down. Rather than buying an expensive duvet cover for a comforter, buy a couple of flat sheets in the size and color you need and sew them together on three sides. Sew grommets into the fourth side and close with a decorative ribbon.
You can buy a full flat sheet to use instead of a queen flat sheet for a queen-size bed. Not only is a full sheet less expensive, but there's much less material hanging over the edge when you make the bed. When buying flannel sheets, make sure the label says "preshrunk." Otherwise, the flannel will probably shrink, causing your fitted sheet to no longer fit. For the summer months, buy easy-care cotton or thermal blankets. These will allow air to flow through them. If you want to give your mattress a pillow-top look and feel, buy either a featherbed or a polyester fiber bed. They're soft and luxurious and give your bed that "lofty" look. They're also less expensive than a new mattress. When buying a mattress with a pillow top, it's important to buy fitted sheets deep enough to fit over the extra thickness of the mattress. Many people think that buying a larger size will do the trick, but they're just longer and wider and end up not fitting. Deep fitted sheets run anywhere from 13 inches to 22 inches depending on how thick your new mattress is.
If you own some wonderful sheets that you want to continue using, just buy "suspenders" for the fitted sheet, which will keep it from popping off. To fill a decorative sham, buy an inexpensive queen-size pillow. It fills the sham completely — even in the corners — and will give your bed that beautiful full look. Best and Most Comfortable Bed Sheets Reviews 2017 What the best bed sheets have The proper pocket depth. your mattress thickness to be sure you get properly fitted sheets for yourThe fitted sheet should be deep enough to comfortably fit your mattress, with enough elastic to keep it in place. If you choose a sheet with extra-deep pockets and you have a standard-sized mattress, it may result in bagging or wrinkling. If you choose a fitted sheet that's too snug, it may slide off. If you use a mattress topper, which we cover in a separate report, be sure your fitted sheet will fit over both your mattress and topper. In that case, you may need to consider
ultra-deep-pocket sheets with 22-inch pockets, although these are not as common as 15- to 18-inch pockets. Breathable fabric that works for most seasons. of natural fabrics such as cotton "breathe" more and are less likely to make you sweat than polyester blends, which is especially important during warmer weather. Even in winter, if you like flannel sheets, cotton will keep you from getting overly warm under your covers. double-stitched hems that lay flat on flat sheets and pillowcases, and be sure the elastic on fitted sheets either runs all the way around the sheet or at least lines two opposing sides to minimize slippage. not pill easily, even after quite a few washings. exception of very high-end silk, nearly all sheets are machine washableFollow care instructions for cycle speed, temperature and stain removal to maximize your sheets' lifespan. Know before you go warmer or cooler sheets? Sheets that are all cotton, all linen
or a mix of the two will keep you coolest, according to experts. get cold easily may prefer flannel or a cotton knit such as jersey. Do you like a crisp, soft or fluffy feel? This is where fabric weave comes intoIf you prefer a crisp feel, opt for percale, a plain weave made from combed and carded cotton. For a softer sheet, sateen puts more yarn at theMicrofiber tends to be very thin, but also very soft; microfiber may not "breathe" as well as natural fibers like cotton. sheets feel fluffier than percale or sateen because they have a fuzzy, raised count, but don't rely on it. Thread count should be just one consideration when you purchase bedding. bed sheets should have a minimum thread count of 200, experts say higher counts can mean significantly higher prices with only marginal benefits. quality, yarn size, finishing and construction play a more significant role in sheets' comfort and durability. about colors and patterns?
Many sheet manufacturers offer only solids in neutrals or muted pastels. You may have better luck finding brighter colors and patterns on comforters or duvet covers that are made to coordinateNote that yarn-dyed fabric will generally resist fading better than printed fabric, but it will also boost the sheets' price. finish put on new sheets. Sheet manufacturers often apply chemicals, or sizing, to prevent shrinking and wrinkling, to add sheen, and to make the sheets look smoother and more attractive in the packaging. You should always wash sheets at least once beforeSome people like to wash their sheets multiple times to make themDon't be afraid to inspect package contents before you buy to make sure you get the proper sizes and number ofMany retailers will allow you to return sheets even after washing them if there are problems with fading, shrinking or feel. Prev5 Best SheetsBest Percale SheetsBest Sateen SheetsBest Flannel SheetsOur SourcesNext