There’s No Place Like Home: Thread Count/Spring 2006

   If you ever had the pleasure of stating in one of the Leading Hotels of the World such as The New York Palace in midtown Manhattan, your body may be silently longing for those luxurious 300 thread count, all-cotton sheets to engulf it again. Once you have experienced a 300 TC, it’s almost disappointing to come home to your 180 TC sheets. Linens labeled with thread count can provide a useful tool to determine the quality of sheets. Thread count refers to the number of vertical warp threads and horizontal weft threads in one square inch of fabric.

    The higher the thread count, the more luxurious the feel of the fabric. To most people that means softness. Linens with higher thread counts are usually more expensive, but the right sheets can make the difference between feeling restless and extremely relaxed when it comes to tucking in at night. We spend one-third of our life between the sheets, so it’s no wonder some of us have an emotional attachment to our linens. Many women will clean out there closet before they will part with old sheets in the linen cupboard. Sheets can last for 10 to 20 years, depending on the use and care.

    For most people, bedding is a sensuous purchase. Adding to or replacing bed linen, however,can feel like an overwhelming task in the never ending aisles of linen departments. Bed linens come in a staggering variety of fibres,weaves and colors. Selecting linens comes down to personal choice.

    Do you like your sheets a bit on the crisp side, or really soft? If you prefer a wrinkle-free look, select cotton/ poly blends of Percale. The term percale is used to indicate that sheets have a thread count of 180 or higher. Most retailers will carry a standard Percale line using 180 thread count 50 per cent cotton/ 50 per cent polyester blend. It is a nice balance of strength, and softness, and an economical way to satisfy your budget.

    If softness is your priority, 100 per cent cotton will most likely be your choice. All cotton linens are available in 200,300,400,600,800 and even 1000 thread counts.

    Egyptian cotton is the most durable because its fibers are longer, stronger and finer. Egyptian is also the softest of all cottons. At one time, Egyptian cotton lines were sold only in upscale stores,but now you can find them anywhere from Wal-Mart to Holt Renfrew. Pima Cotton, previously called American Egyptian, is also exceptionally soft and has  strong durable fibers. Both Egyptian and Pima cotton connote luxury.

     The next time the white sale flyer glares you in the face, grab hold and march into the linen department with newfound confidence.