High Thread Count vs. Low Thread Count Sheets: How to Cherry Pick
Every hotel or motel owner wants his guests to have a great experience. Sound, refreshing sleep and good rest form part of a great experience at any hotel.
Bed sheets can either give you a better night’s sleep or distract you from it. The feel, texture and warmth of the sheets contribute to your comfort.
Bedding experts say that when shopping for hotel bed sheets, you should consider the thread count.
But why is thread count important?
First things first, what does thread count even mean?
Stick around and we’ll give you the intel.
What is Thread Count?
Thread count is the number of threads woven together in a square inch on a bedsheet.
Thread count is to bed sheets what carats are to diamonds.
To know the thread count in sheets, count the threads on the vertical (warp) and on the horizontal (weft). If your bed sheet has 150 threads on the length woven with 150 threads on the width, then the thread count will be 300.
High Thread Count vs. Low Thread Count
Does thread count actually matter when it comes to choosing your bedsheets?
Yes and no.
It is one of the most misunderstood aspects of bedding. It’s often said that sheets with a high thread count are of better quality than those of a lower thread count.
Truthfully, it doesn’t solely determine the quality of sheets. High thread count can make for better sheets, but it's the quality of thread or fibre that matters most.
High-quality fibre sheets with a lower thread count feel softer and endure washing better.
Consumer Reports indicates that a good thread count is between 200 to 400.
Anything more will only dent your pocket because it consists of multiple yarns and therefore is of poor quality.
Shocking, right?
There are other important factors to consider besides thread count.
1. Fibre Quality
Consider the fibre and the quality you want for your hotel sheets. Hotel beddings undergo quite a number of washings.
You want fibre quality that can serve you for a long time. Ensure that the fibre is machine washable before you purchase.
Pick the best fibre for your bed sheets: silk, cotton, lyocell, bamboo, or polycotton. Cotton is considered one of the most common fibres. It is soft, affordable and durable.
Linen, on the other hand, is a luxury fibre for sheets. It’s incredibly durable and gets softer with each wash.
2. Yarn Size
The yarn size refers to how fine the thread is. Quality bed sheets have a yarn size that ranges from 40 to 100.
The higher the yarn size number, the finer the fibre, but this only applies to single-ply yarns.
Bed sheets with a finer fibre are lighter. They also require more threads to be woven together within a square inch and thus have a high thread count.
A finer yarn may not be the best choice for a hotel. This is because you need bed sheets that can withstand the rigours of commercial laundering.
One needs to be cautious about sheets with extremely high thread counts of over 500. Often, such sheets have plied yarns; where multiple threads have been joined to form one yarn. As a result, their thread count is high but misleading.
3. Weave
Bed sheets can be woven differently, though the weave is not visible to the naked eye. A sheet’s weave affects its softness, durability and appearance.
The best weave quality is a sheet woven with single-ply yarns. In such a case, the fabric can only deliver a thread count as high as 400. Any fabric that has a higher thread count is made using multiple yarns.
The two most popular weaves are sateen and percale. Bed sheets made of sateen weave have a smooth, silky and warm feel.
Percale weave, on the other hand, is often light and closely woven. It has a smooth finish. It feels crisp and starched against the skin. It is also great for countries with a warm climate, such as Australia, because they are breathable.
Although sateen sheets have a luxurious feel, they are often more fragile than percale or plain weaves.
Watch this video to see the difference between sateen and percale weaves:
4. The Finish
The finish needs to be neutral and distinctive enough to be a great compliment to the room of any décor and style.
Requires finer threads. The finer the threads you use, the softer, smoother, and more tightly woven the fabric will be.
Low-quality sheets often lack a good finish as a way of cost-cutting, but a good finish is important.
A sheet that has protruding fibres is neither good-looking nor long-lasting.
What’s a Good Thread Count for Hotel Sheets?
You want your guests to sleep on smooth and crisp bed sheets. The table below will give you a good idea of what thread count you should have for your hotel sheets.
|
|
|
|---|---|
| 200-220 | Good |
| 230-280 | Very Good |
| 300-400 | Excellent |
| 500-600 | Premium |
| 600+ | Luxury |
Remember, the above thread count and quality metrics only apply if the thread used is a single yarn.
Where Do You Buy Good Sheets in Australia?
You don’t have to worry about where to buy hotel quality sheets in Australia. Equally, you shouldn’t spend a fortune when buying bed sheets. Australian Linen Supply is a reliable store to buy affordable sheets of good quality.
Other Australians are already loving their experience and products from Australian Linen Supply:
"As always your products are excellent, affordable and with great quality! - Anna P
"The items were received exactly as described and so far appear to be of great quality. The Service is friendly, superior and is second to none and the delivery was super fast. I look forward to my next order." - David
Why not join them now and be our next happy customer?
Happy shopping!
Feature Image: Simon_sees
