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

Product Information

Percale is less silky, though more breathable, creating a matte cotton that’s great for everyday use. Experts recommend a thread count in the region of 200-400, and advise against exceeding a 500 thread count. For this kind of breathable design and non-shiny appearance, it’s simply not necessary. Long-Staple Cotton: By definition, long-staple cotton measures about 1.25 inches in length. While this may seem like a slight advantage, long-staple cotton is considerably softer and more durable than standard cotton. Some consumers mistake “cotton percale” for a specific variety of cotton. In fact, the term percale refers to a type of weave used to make bedding, garments, and other products. Percale is also known as plain weave. Most percale sheets are made from cotton, but this weave can also be used with polyester, rayon from bamboo, microfiber, and other synthetic fabrics. 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.

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. The type of fabric and its weave makes a difference in the best thread count. Percale is also known as “plain weave” with a simple one over, one under pattern, so average-quality percale sheets may be around 180-200 thread count. By contrast, a sateen weave has a more tightly woven pattern, so average-quality sateen sheets will be closer to 250-300.While many sleepers love percale sheets for their crisp hand-feel and consistent breathability, the material is also susceptible to heavy wrinkling and may be too lightweight for cold weather. The table below summarizes some of percale’s most notable pros and cons. Pros Similarly, the cosy flannel sheets that tend to hit shelves around Christmas are measured in grams per square meter (GSM). If you’re looking to bundle up warm, a 170+ GSM sheet will serve you very well indeed, though more lightweight options are available. Standard: “Staple” refers to the length of cotton fibers used to produce the fabric, and is a good indicator of overall quality and longevity. Standard cotton has a staple length of 1.125 inches or shorter. This material is more susceptible to early pilling and wear, but sets made of standard cotton are often easy on the wallet. The ideal thread count for sateen sheets is 300 to 600. The looser weave requires more threads to hold the fabric together. Gopinath told us a 400 to 500 thread count for percale could reflect a denser sheet made of fine, good-quality yarns. Over 500 was “not necessary or likely,” she said.

When it comes to sheets, you often hear thread count tossed around as a marker of quality. People will bristle at a 200 thread count sheet but moon over a four-figured counterpart. But what really is a thread count? In which contexts does thread count really matter? Read on for everything you need to know about thread counts for sheets. What does thread count mean? Of course, remember that thread count is not an end-all, be-all measurement. The quality of the yarns, the manufacturer’s production process, the weave type, and many other factors all contribute to the performance of a set of bed sheets. From misleadingly high thread counts to claims of sheets that “never wear out,” dubious assertions and exaggerations can be common in the bedding industry. Rather than relying on brand marketers to guide your purchasing decision, we recommend evaluating each set using the following criteria. This will help you distinguish high-quality sheet sets from their lower-quality competitors. When it comes to thread count, most people forget that the quality of threads is far more important than the quantity." —Missy Tannen, co-founder of Boll & Branch

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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. Plain weave has the warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) threads evenly alternating. In satin weave the weft threads “float” over several warp threads (usually four) at a time, resulting in smoother and more lustrous fabric. 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. Microfiber: Measured in grams per square meter (GSM). Look for microfiber sheets in the 90-120 GSM range.

While percale is quite breathable and well suited to warm weather, the fabric is a bit too thin and lightweight to insulate you from the cold. You may want to consider a heavier sheet set for the winter months. Judging from our testing experience, we think those ranges are pretty spot-on. In our cotton sheets guide, our favorite percale set ( L.L.Bean’s 280-Thread-Count Pima Cotton Percale Sheet Set) has a 280 thread count. Both of our top sateen recommendations (the JCPenney Home 400 TC Wrinkle Guard Sheet Set from JCPenney and Cuddledown's 400 Thread Count Cotton Sateen Bedding) are 400 thread count—which, incidentally, Maher noted was her ideal number for sateen. Keep in mind that certain materials are not measured using thread count. Some notable ones include:Blended Percale: In most cases, blended percale refers to a blend of cotton and polyester. This material is not as strong or durable as pure cotton percale, but it is affordable and feels quite soft. Gopinath and Maher agreed that good-quality sateen sheets ranged from 300 to 600 thread count. The number could creep higher, but this would create a very heavy sheet. Other constructions include flannel for winter and jersey-knit sheets, which feel more like a T-shirt. Though it comes down to personal preference, our testers tend to prefer the smooth feel of sateen. Silk: Measured in momme. Momme is a measure of weight that looks for the number of pounds in a piece of silk that is 45 inches by 100 yards. Look for silk sheets around the 17-22 momme range. Sateen sheets are ideal for sleepers who enjoy soft, drapey bedding. The loose weave gives sateen a smooth feel, but the material is not as breathable as percale.

Sateen sheets, meanwhile, offer a silker, glossier appearance, although for this you may forfeit some of the light airiness associated with percale. The finer weaving of sateen means a thread count in the region of 300 to 600 is ideal for this refined fabric. Line drying is preferred on most fabrics as the weight of the fabric on the washing line just allows the creases to drop out. When this is not always possible or convenient, tumble drying on a low to medium setting with easy care also helps make light work of those hard to remove creases. Polycotton does sometimes get a bad reputation for being slightly rough to the feel than say cotton, however this is not the case with a percale fabric as the quality of the polyester is much greater and the cotton portion is mainly combed, to give it a much softer and supple feel. 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.

Polycotton Flat Sheet Sizes

Lastly, percale sheets are a solid investment because the material offers better longevity than sateen. Percale won’t pill as easily, either. If you’re in the market for a cotton sheet set that will deliver high value over time, percale is your best bet – especially long-staple and extra-long staple cotton varieties. Looking for sheets with a reasonable thread count (200-600 for most styles) will typically produce the best results. Be sure to modify your expectations somewhat depending on the material used. 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. Egyptian cotton is produced in the upper region of the Nile delta in Egypt, the lush fertile grounds give the ideal conditions to produce a high quality cotton bud and procures some of the longest staple yarns which are then spun in high tech mills to produce this superior quality percale bedding fabric. A percale fabric is considered the best quality as it is stronger and a more even weave which reduces any potential snapping and shrinkage of the yarns. With this type of weave, you can use finer and softer yarns to produce the best quality bedding. We spend so much time in bed, having the best quality and comfort while you sleep is more important than you think, in deep sleep the sheets will keep you dry and cool and feeling calm and rested. 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.