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Words Kristin von Szalay

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What does Thread Count mean?

Thread count is a real measurement, but fibre quality and weave decide how a sheet actually feels and wears, far more than the number on the label.

Short answer: thread count is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric, horizontal and vertical combined. It matters, but far less than marketing suggests: past a certain point, fibre quality and weave do more for how a sheet feels than the number on the label.

What the number actually measures

Thread count adds up every thread in a square inch of fabric, both the lengthwise (warp) and widthwise (weft) threads together. A 300 thread count percale, for instance, has roughly 150 threads running each way.

Why higher isn't always better

Once thread count passes around 400, most of the increase comes from multi-ply yarns: two or three thin threads twisted together and counted as multiple threads, rather than genuinely finer weaving. It inflates the number on the label without improving how the fabric actually feels or breathes. A tightly woven 300 thread count sheet made from good, long-staple cotton will usually outperform a loosely woven 800 thread count sheet made from short-staple fibres.

What matters more than the number

Fibre length is the bigger factor. Long-staple cottons like Supima produce smoother, stronger, less pilling-prone yarns regardless of thread count, which is why a 300-count percale from a good fibre can feel better than a 600-count sheet from a lesser one. Weave matters too: percale (one thread over, one under) reads crisp and cool, while sateen (four over, one under) reads smoother and warmer, at the same thread count.

As a rough guide, 300 to 400 suits a crisp percale and 400 to 600 suits a smooth sateen. Anything advertised above 800 is worth a second look at the fibre itself. Our Supima sateen runs 430, and our Classic cotton and TENCEL™ lyocell percales both run 300, all woven in Portugal.

Questions answered

What does thread count mean?

It's the number of threads, counting both directions of the weave, in one square inch of fabric. A 300 thread count sheet has 300 threads crossing within that square inch. It's a real measurement of density, just not a complete measure of quality on its own.

Does a higher thread count mean better quality?

Not necessarily. Fibre quality and weave matter just as much: a 300 thread count sheet in long-staple cotton like Supima will outlast and outfeel a 600 thread count sheet in ordinary short-staple cotton. Past around 400, the difference becomes hard to feel, and some manufacturers inflate the figure by counting each filament in a plied yarn separately rather than counting the actual thread.

What is the best thread count for bed sheets?

For a sateen weave, 400 to 500 gives the best balance of softness and durability. Our own Supima Satin runs 430. Above that the fabric can feel a touch smoother and glossier, but the improvement is small next to what fibre quality and weave contribute. Percale is different: it typically sits around 300, and that lower thread count is what lets it breathe better, which matters most in summer.

Why do some sheets with a high thread count feel worse than sheets with a lower one?

Because thread count on its own says nothing about the fibre. A high number achieved with short-staple cotton, or inflated by counting individual filaments in a plied yarn, can feel rougher and wear faster than a lower, honestly counted thread count in long-staple cotton like Supima.