Does a large number of threads in luxury sheets and pillowcases? Yes, but the type and quality of the yarn and how it is woven are equally important. The number of threads is the measured number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. As a rule, the greater the number of threads, the better the yarn on each square inch.
But there is a limit to how many individual threads can actually be woven into a sheet before the threads become too thin, making it impossible to weave strong, soft, high-quality sheet fabric. This limit is about 500 individual flows per square inch. The coefficients are very high that the manufacturer or retailer of bed linen, which requires counting threads of more than 500 threads per square inch, gets its quantity through one of the tricks described below.
One trick is to use chopped yarn. Two or several threads are connected (twisted) together and woven, as if they were one thread. Sheet fabric is actually a courier than a fabric made with the same number of “ends” of a single-layer yarn, but the seller will indicate the number of threads depending on the number of threads in the knitted yarn, which doubles, triples, or even quadruples the actual number.
The United States Federal Trade Commission expressed the opinion that this practice is most likely deceiving consumers. In fact, sheets that claim that the number of threads 1000 is, as a rule, made with the help of yarn, which was set 4 times. The actual number of threads is actually 250.
Another trick is to change the weave sheet. For example, satin weave, which includes weaving as many as four filament yarns for each warp yarn, as compared to one by one in a regular weave, is cheaper to weave. Unfortunately, satin bedding also tends to pull, pills, fight and disintegrate altogether, whereas traditionally woven bedding will last for years and with a much lower degree of probability will deteriorate with time.
The bottom line is that you are looking for 100% cotton sheets and pillowcases that indicate that they are woven from single-ply, spinning yarn. Be extremely careful if they claim that the number of threads exceeds 500, since they can be made from yarn. Avoid satin bindings.
With all the noise and hype associated with marketing high-quality bedding, it may take some work to find the sheets and pillowcases that meet the above criteria. Spend time and you will be delighted with how they become softer with each wash and last for many years. You can pay a few dollars more initially, but you will find that bedding is a more economical choice in the long run.
