Linens Limited 100% Egyptian Cotton 200 Thread Count Fitted Sheet, White, Super King

Product Information

While percale sheet sets made from synthetic fibers like polyester and rayon are widely available and – in most cases – relatively affordable, cotton percale sets generally offer higher quality, better durability, and more consistent temperature control. Preethi Gopinath, director of the Textiles MFA program at Parsons and one of the writers of our cotton sheets guide, and Shannon Maher, chairperson and assistant professor of the Home Products Development department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, both weighed in on the best thread counts for each weave: When people talk about thread count, they’re talking about the number of horizontal and vertical threads woven into a singular square inch of material. Essentially, it’s how densely the fabric is populated with thread. A lower thread count means there are fewer threads, a higher thread count means the bed linen is rich with individual threads. The sheets and pillowcases in the Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set collection are constructed from long-staple cotton, a material that is more durable than standard cotton. The cotton also has a thread count of 270, which is reasonably high for percale bedding. As a result, this set is comfortable and durable – even after repeated wash cycles.

Quality, comfortable sheets can be found with thread counts ranging from 200 to 800 and beyond. There’s no magic number that is the perfect thread count. That being said, there are generally acceptable ranges for various kinds of quality sheets. Most percale sheets and pillowcases can be washed and dried in any household machine. However, you should not wash them too frequently because laundering breaks down the fabric and causes wear and tear. To preserve the material and extend your set’s lifespan, consider line-drying your percale sheets and pillowcases instead of drying them in a machine.

Thread count is used as a rough indicator of the softness and feel of a fabric. It’s also used heavily in marketing to imply that a specific product is of a higher quality than competing sheets. While this is all true to a certain extent, thread count is far from the only consideration when it comes to the overall quality of a set of sheets. At a minimum, look for sheets with an advertised thread count of 200. Anything lower than likely won’t feel as soft, and may result in a less comfortable sleeping experience. Keep in mind that certain materials are not measured using thread count. Some notable ones include: Extra-long Staple Cotton: ELS for short, extra-long staple cotton can measure up to 2 inches in length. Two of the most sought after cotton types, Egyptian and Pima, are ELS varieties.

Linen: 80-140. Thread count is less of a useful indicator for linen sheets and rarely listed. Avoid higher thread counts for linen sheets. When thinking about the best thread count for sheets, it’s important to remember an age-old saying: Quality over quantity. The quality of the yarns or threads used is often more important than the quantity of threads, or thread count. Fiber content. 100% cotton is the most popular, and there are premium (i.e. “long-staple”) cottons, like Egyptian and Pima, that make the fabric even softer and more durable. Just keep in mind that these sheets may be more expensive, and there have been instances where brands mislabel regular cotton sheets as Egyptian.

200 Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Percale Bedding

Flannel: Measured in GSM. Durable, heavyweight flannel sheets are in the 170+ GSM range. Lighter flannel sheets will be less durable, but lighter and more breathable. Do you enjoy crisp, lightweight bedding that sleeps cool and doesn’t drape or cling to the body too closely? If so, you’ll probably enjoy the feel of percale sheets. Percale is a type of weave that produces material with a crisp hand-feel and an airy structure. It is also known as “plain weave.” In addition to sheets, percale is used to construct men’s dress shirts. Percale sheets are normally produced from cotton, but this weave can also be used for other fabrics such as polyester and rayon from bamboo. The 500 thread count sheets are made with long-staple cotton, which is known for its high quality and durability. The lightweight feel and natural breathability make these sheets a good option for sleepers who run hot. While the sheets feel softer than other percale sets we’ve tested, subsequent laundry cycles will further soften the bedding for a relaxed, lived-in feel. For best results, machine wash in warm water on a gentle cycle with like colors and tumble dry with low heat. You can use a warm iron if wrinkling occurs. Percale sheets are optimal for people who want a crisp hand-feel from their bedding that will become softer over time. The fabric will never drape closely to the skin like sateen due to its tighter weave, nor will it feel as smooth, but many sleepers prefer the gentle texture of used percale to the body-hugging clinginess of sateen. Sheets with a higher thread count are generally more expensive, and are marketed as being higher quality. As we’ve discussed, however, a higher thread count can be an indication of higher quality, but that’s not necessarily the case.

Technically, the fabric must have a thread count of 180 to be considered percale. When judging a fabric by quality a thread count of 200 to 300 is a good benchmark for percale sheets and pillowcases. Thread count is not necessarily an indicator of quality, especially if the number seems unusually high. It is calculated by adding together the numbers of lengthwise (warp) and widthwise (weft) threads within a certain area. For example, a cotton sheet with 100 warp threads and 100 weft threads in each square inch of fabric would have a listed thread count of 200. Thread count is a measure of the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric. Essentially, it’s a measure of how tightly woven a fabric is. READ NEXT: Our round-up of the best mattresses available The best sheets to buy for every recommended thread count 1. White Company Essentials Egyptian Cotton range: Best everyday thread count sheets

Each woven fabric consists of vertical threads known as warps and horizontal threads known as wefts. For percale, the wefts pass – or “float” – over the warps in a one-by-one pattern, forming a grid shape that leaves the material with a crisp hand-feel that will gradually soften over time. Percale’s tight structure requires fewer threads than other weaves, so its thread counts are generally lower and the fabric is relatively lightweight. This sets percale apart from other weaving techniques such as sateen and twill. The most popular bedding material is cotton, as it is soft, breathable, and easy to care for. The best quality cotton will be made from long-staple fibers spun into a weave of around 400 thread count. But while you may think that Egyptian cotton is the go-to if you want top quality, there are other types of sheets making their way into the market too. Linen is becoming one of the most popular sheet materials, for its lightweight feel and relaxed look. It may have a lower thread count, but linen gets softer with every wash and is known to last. Gopinath said a 250 to 300 thread count was optimal (there’s wiggle room, though, as Maher said 200 was also good).