Precious Bedding

Luxury Bed Sheets & Bedding

  Hello Guest! Care to
log in or sign up?

  What's in my cart?


Your Cart
0 item(s)


Free Shipping on orders over $150
Bedding Search

Learning Center

Contact Us

Create Account

LOGIN

We're one of the largest suppliers of bedding for King, Queen, Olympic Queen, California King, Twin, Full and double beds.
Bedding Home
My Account
Learn about your bedding before you buy.  Here you can learn about choosing the right bed sheets, comforters, cottons, thread counts... almost anything bedding-related!
Shopping Cart
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.  All bedding purchases are secured by 128-bit SSL encryption so you never have to worry about security.
Everything in our bedding inventory is currently on sale for a 20% discount!
All Purchases Are 100% Secure.
Comodo SSL 128-Bit EncryptionSecure Site
  
Build A Sheet Set | Deep Pocket Sheets | Bed In A Bag Sets | Pillows | Bamboo Items | Extra Long Bedskirts | Waterbed Sheets | Flannel
  < Click here to go back to previous page
Thread Counts
by Anonymous

What Is A Thread Count?

In simplest terms, the "thread count" (TC) refers to the number of fibers woven together in one-square-inch of fabric. Thread counts can range anywhere from 80 - 1200TC. Low-end thread count fabrics are generally used in settings where the linens are going to have a short life span (ie. institutional settings).


Don't Be Fooled

Although it's very important, thread counts alone are not the only factor to consider when purchasing a set of sheets. One must take into consideration the type of cotton used and the "ply" of the sheets. The term "ply" refers to the number of single fibers twisted together before it is woven into a fabric. By twisting two fibers together, mills can double the thread count of a fabric. By twising three fibers together, they can triple it and so on. Some 1000TC sets of sheets are actually 330TC 3-ply or 250TC 4-ply. Sheets are easier to make this way, so be weary of manufacturers who do this. Generally the higher the ply, the heavier and thicker the fabric. Also, the greater the ply is, the more the chances of the fabric pilling increases as well too. The highest thread count that is typically woven in a single ply is about 600TC. If you can find a set of single-ply sheets that is genuinely 500 thread count, plus -- then you've found yourself a great set of sheets (depending on the cotton used). 1000TC sheets are almost always 2-ply.

The benefits of having a high thread count sheets is that mills are forced to create much finer threads in order to increase the amount of threads in a square inch (keeping in mind that they don't also increase the ply). Finer threads usually result in a much smoother and softer fabric. This is the main reason that a higher thread count fabric is more desireable than a low thread count one. Having finer threads also means that the threads are slightly more delicate, so one must use proper care instructions when washing their linens

.

Making A Choice

To summarize it all, you have to find a balance between the thread count and the ply. If you're looking for the ultimate in softness, get a high thread count low ply but be prepared to spend the money. If you don't mind or even prefer a heavier set of sheets, get a high thread count with a high ply (3-4). They'll certainly keep you warmer. If you do decide to go with a higher thread count, make sure that you use use proper care instructions to prevent pilling. Anything above 300TC is usually soft enough for most people. If you prefer a lighter sheet, look in the 250-600TC range with lower plys.

This article was published on Saturday 25 October, 2008.
Reviews of 'Thread Counts'
by Rick Barnes Date Added: 02/05/2009
  Thank you for the education. Susan, my wife, and I found out about high thread count sheets before they were popular, and were much more expensive. Once you try a high thread count sheet, you will never go back.
Read Review...

Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars [4 out of 5 Stars]
by Kimberly Kessler Date Added: 10/25/2008
  I never knew the difference between 200TC and 1200TC; and had no idea what on earth "ply" ment intil I found this website and read this article. Very intresting and worth the read.
Read Review...

Rating:  5 out of 5 Stars [5 out of 5 Stars]
Displaying 1 to 2 (of 2 reviews) Result Pages:  1 
 Write your own
 review on this product
Security Verified Seal PriceGrabber User Ratings for Precious Bedding Privacy Verified Seal Secure Site Business Seal BizRate Customer Certified (GOLD) Site - Precious Bedding, Inc. Reviews at Bizrate Certified Seal
Bedding Categories
California King Bed In A Bags
California King Bedskirts
California King Comforters
California King Duvet Covers
California King Mattress Pads
California King Sheets
California Queen Bed In A Bag
California Queen Bedskirts
California Queen Comforters
California Queen Sheets
Full Bed In A Bags
Full Bedskirts
Full Comforters
Full Duvet Covers
Full Featherbeds
Full Mattress Pads
Full Sheets
Full XL Bed In A Bags
Full XL Bedskirts
Full XL Mattress Pads
Full XL Sheets
Full XXL Bed In A Bags
Full XXL Sheets
Hospital Bed Bed In A Bags
Hospital Bed Sheets
King Bed In A Bags
King Bedskirts
King Comforters
King Duvet Covers
King Featherbeds
King Mattress Pads
King Sheets
Miscellaneous
Olympic Queen Bed In A Bags
Olympic Queen Bedskirts
Olympic Queen Comforters
Olympic Queen Mattress Pads
Olympic Queen Sheets
Pillow Shams and Cases
Pillows
Queen Bed In A Bags
Queen Bedskirts
Queen Comforters
Queen Duvet Covers
Queen Featherbeds
Queen Mattress Pads
Queen Sheets
Split King Sheets (Dual King)
Split Queen Sheets
Super King Sheets
Super Single Mattress Pads
Super Single Sheets
Throws
Twin Bed In A Bags
Twin Bedskirts
Twin Comforters
Twin Featherbeds
Twin Mattress Pads
Twin Sheets
Twin XL Bed In A Bags
Twin XL Bedskirts
Twin XL Comforters
Twin XL Mattress Pads
Twin XL Sheets
Twin XXL Bed In A Bags
Twin XXL Bedskirts
Twin XXL Comforters
Twin XXL Sheets

Twin | Twin XL | Twin XXL | Super Single | Hospital | Full | Full XL | Queen | Queen XL | Olympic Queen | Split Queen | King | California King | Super King | Split King

All bedding purchases are secure.
Bedding Index
 Home    Press    Learning Center    Terms of Use    Privacy Policy    Returns Policy    Login    View Cart