OK…I give up.
I’m preparing to buy bed linens and I’m simply overwhelmed.
I understand the concept of thread count … the higher the count, supposedly the softer the feel.
However, as I shop, I’m inundated with options like “Egyptian Cotton”, “Sateen”, “Cotton/Poly blend”, “Bamboo/Cotton blend”, “Supima Cotton”, “one-ply”, “two-ply” … GAH…
I’m willing to spring for 1000 thread count if I can also get that “mmmmmm” factor when I crawl into bed.
Any help would be greatly appreciated~
Where are you shopping? Go to a quality store and find someone who can give you the answers you need. The basic rule is: Find the highest thread count sheets you can afford. Go up 2 levels from there.
Stick with basic cotton, Egyptian or otherwise.
My method is simply touching it. I feel all the sheets in my price range and pick the one that’s the softest, or smoothest, or flannel-est…whichever particular feel I am looking for.
Right now I have Target UltraSoft sheets. They are lovely to sleep with.
Maybe that’s the problem… I’m shopping online. :smack:
We currently have a standard mattress in a waterbed frame. We both like the fact that waterbed sheets come with the top and fitted sheets attached at the foot so I was narrowing my search to waterbed sheets. Unfortunately, the only local waterbed sheet stores carry your basic, sub-standard 12-thread-count burlap sheets. Hence, the internet shopping.
I guess I’ll have to have to touch different sheets and try to parse that to the waterbed sheet options.
… my kingdom for an “aaahhhh” sheet!
I’m a big fan of jersey sheets, made out of a really soft, light cotton material not unlike T-shirts. They don’t advertise a specific thread count, but they are the nicest, softest sheets I’ve ever had, and MUCH cheaper than other kinds of sheets. I get mine at Target for $20 per set, which comes with a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, two pillowcases, and a little drawstring bag of the same material to hold it all. They usually have them on an endcap at Target, in different colors, and come in Twin, Full, Queen, and King sizes. You may want to spend more money and get something swankier, but I can’t recommend my jersey sheets highly enough.
Me too. I have extremely sensitive skin, and regular sheets feel scratchy to me. I could buy 1,000 thread count sheets, that helps, or I can run down to Target and get some $20 jersey or flannel sheets… aaaah. I use them all year round.
I hate regular low thread count cotton sheets. I like sateen. You get the softer feel of high thread count sheets with the price tag of lower thread count.
I’d also check for two other things:
If you have pets that are allowed on the bed, how well does pet hair cling to the fabric? I’ve experienced huge differences with different duvets there, often havign to throw some expensive ones out after purchase. In the end, I just rubbed my sleeves on a part of the fabric. If the hairs transferred, it was a no-buy.
How much upkeep does the duvet need? Some look great without beign ironed, some don’t.
Thread count, for some reason, isn’t listed or sought after here in the Netherlands. I’ve found, though, that “Percal” is the only kind of cotton finish that gives me that smooth feeling.
Actually, from what I understand, the higher the thread count, the heavier the sheet. This can make it uncomfortable in hot weather.
I didn’t know that, but I’ll say again how the jersey sheets remain light and feel cool in just about any weather.
Flannel is out because Hub has an internal sleeping furnace that’s on “hi” all night long.
I’ve had a set of sheets in the past that “pilled”. Does anyone know what fabric that may have been because I certainly want to avoid it.
At $150 per set for the mega-thread-count sheets, I’ll check out the jersey sheets at Target, too. I’m concerned about sweating, though. Is “jersey” a natural fabric like cotton?
Jersey can be cotton, or a cotton blend. It is just knitted, instead of woven.
Another vote for jersey. Comfy & cheap enough to be almost disposable. Even 1000 thread count sheets feel harsh & scratchy compared to jersey.
They are warmer than conventional sheets, though much less so than flannel.
I do love the jersey, and they have extended colors at Target right now.
This is a good point, although I wouldn’t let it stop me from getting them. I, too, am a furnace while I sleep, but I don’t find jersey uncomfortable. I don’t use them in the hottest months, but the rest of the year, they’re fine.
Thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric. A 1000tc sheet will have 500 threads in the warp direction and 500 threads in the weft direction. Some manufacturers will “cheat” and use 2 ply yarns which would technically make the thread count higher, but result in a lower thread count feel. Make sure you are buying a reputable brand.
Egyptian cotton is a long staple fiber grown in Egypt. Supima cotton is the American equivalent, grown in California. Egyptian cotton is still for the most part harvested and cleaned by hand. The names of the cotton were never important until the catalog companies got ahold of the terminology and started using it for marketing. The average person doesn’t know the difference between Egyptian and Supima cotton, only that Egyptian sound more exotic and is likely to sell more towels.
Sateen is the name of the particular weave that gives the sheets a satin like sheen. I don’t mind sateen in an Egyptian or Supima cotton because the longer the fibers the less pilling there will be. A cheaper grade of cotton will pill horribly. Percale is a weave name on very cheap sheets. You find it normally on 180tc or lower. Stay far far away from percale.
I wasn’t able to afford 1000tc sheets until this year. They are sumptuous. I expect they will last me the rest of my life. The higher the thread count, the more durable the sheets are as well. Target has some very good sheets in the 400-600tc range that are much more affordable and only a hair less soft.
Hockey Monkey, the former cotton buyer for a major textile company that made high end sheeting
I looooooooooooove my jersey sheets. They feel so soft and comfy. They feel like a hug.
I love, love, love, love, love my bamboo/cotton sheets. I have never felt anything softer or more luxurious to sleep in in my life. It is very hard to adjust to regular old cotton, regardless the thread count, after sleeping on bamboo. Luscious.
It doesn’t hurt that they’re anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic, as well.
Got mine at The Company Store online, btw.
I came home on Friday with some Egyptian cotton 800 thread count sateen weave sheets.
I’ll get out of bed on Monday.
I splurged on 1000 count sheets, and one of the seams on the fitted sheet ripped out after less than a year. I still use them, because they feel so wonderful, but they don’t look as good now. I’m a little hesitant to buy more, though, if that’s as long as they’ll hold up.
I dislike flannel, as I get too warm. Jersey feels good, but it doesn’t really look that great with my other bedding. Sateen looks better, but I don’t like the way it feels. Perhaps I need to find another brand for my 1000 count… Recommendations are welcome.