ARE SUPPOSED HIGH THREAD COUNT SHEETS SETS REALLY HIGH THREAD COUNT?

What is the Best Thread Count and Why Don't my High Thread Count Egyptian Cotton Sheets Sets feel as soft as the Thread Count listed on the package? Just what is Thread Count? Thread Count is the number of threads per square inch in the woven fabric of your Egyptian Cotton Sheets or Pure Cotton Bedding. Thread Counts are most commonly used for Sheet Sets, Duvet Sets and other specialty Bedding made for the U.S. Bed Sizes of King, California King, Queen, Full and Twin. Is High Thread Count really the best when choosing new Egyptian Cotton Sheets Sets? While touting what are supposed to be High Thread Count Sheets and Bedding, these are questions most companies simply don't want you to know-or ask. Thread Count, and its determination, is actually one of the biggest and most confusing issues today for consumers. Consumer Reports recently exposed the issue of High Thread Count, an issue that has confused and plagued consumers in recent years. Extensive lab tests by Consumer Reports revealed that supposed High Thread Count Sheets and Sets really weren't High Thread Count at all-in fact, nearly all of the Sheets tested by the organization actually revealed a true Thread Count of below one-third to one-half what was indicated on the package. That's right-Sheets that claimed to be a High Thread Count of 1000TC or above actually tested at 297 Threads per square inch. Feel fooled, and angry? You're not alone-and the FTC is working to crack down on such misleading practices. In the meantime what can you do? Learn more about Thread Count, what Thread Count is and what it really means.

Egyptian Cotton Sheets Sets and Duvet Sets imported from other countries don't necessarily meet or uphold the same Thread Count standards as the U.S., and even those made in the U.S. may not necessarily match the supposed High Thread Count listed on the packaging. Many actually list misleading or False Thread Counts to intentionally Mislead Consumers as to the actual Thread Count of their Egyptian Cotton Sheets, Bedding and products. Read on to Learn how manufacturers and companies are using deceiving and False Thread Counts for Egyptian Cotton and Pure Cotton Sheets, Duvets and Bedding.

Manufacturers from many countries including Egypt, China, Portugal, India and others are standardly using what is known as Multiple-Ply yarns in production of their Sheets Sets and Bedding. So just what are Multiple-Ply Yarns or Threads? Multiple-Ply Threads are those more than a Single-Ply, most commonly short 2-ply or 4-Ply. In essence two to four shorter threads or yarns are twisted together to create a longer 'thread'. These sets are then marketed to consumers as High Thread Count Sheets, when in essence they may be only one-quarter to half the Thread Count listed. While this may seem trivial at face value, the impact is substantial in the quality of product you're receiving as the consumer. Rather than using one single-ply, Long Yarn Egyptian Cotton or Pure Cotton fiber of excellence, the cheapest short fibers are instead twisted together to create a longer "thread" that is more prone to breakage, less durability and shorter lifespan, drastically reduced softness over time and a far lower quality Sheet Set or Bedding product.

You may be surprised to learn that the vast majority of sets from most other countries, and a significant number of domestic sets from smaller domestic "mills" utilize what has become known as a deceptive or misleading practice in marketing. This is the reason that a multitude of supposedly "High Thread Count" Sheets Sets have suddenly appeared on the market at what seem to be such extremely low prices-the manufacturing cost involved is very low, based on the inexpensive fibers and poor-quality manufacturing. Why do manufacturers utilize these methods, and why is their such an increase in Inflated or even Falsified High Thread Counts for Egyptian Cotton Sheets and Cotton Bedding? The answer is quite simple: lower production costs in manufacturing=higher profit.

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So what does all of this information about False High Thread Count mean to you as a consumer? For starters, it means that your new Sheet Set you thought was "1000" TC is most likely truly only 250TC to 500TC. Worse yet, it means your new Sheet Set is prone to wearing worse than a standard, Single-Ply 180TC set. "But why?," you ask. "you just said the lowest true Thread Count my new Sheet Set could be is 250TC-so is must be better than a standard 180TC set." Well, we're sorry to say but unfortunately that's not the case. Here's why: in addition to the actual Thread Count, other key components of Fine Linens and Bedding include quality of manufacture and additionally length and quality of the actual fiber.

Twisting of Egyptian Cotton yarns or fibers causes a compromised base resulting weakness, a rougher surface and far less longevity and lifespan for your new Sheets. Some large or national manufacturers use Single-Ply yarns for domestically made Sheets and Bedding, though Thread Counts typically stay in the 180-250 range. Even so, the single-ply threads used are going to last far longer than two or more threads twisted or tied together as is done with Multiple-Ply Sheets. Though the actual thread count listed may be lower, use of single yarns or Threads typically means your set is going to have a far superior feel and last much longer. 

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Odds are high that you, yourself, have purchased a multiple-ply import Sheet Set, like most consumers in the U.S. So how can these Sheet Sets affect you, and is it really that bad? "I can buy 3 or 4 sets for the price of one," you might say, "isn't that better than investing in one set." It's very true-you can purchase several cheaper Sheet Sets rather than investing in one good set of Sheets. Unfortunately, what most consumers don't realize is that frequent Sheet Set replacement quickly turns to loss by year's end.

An excellent Sheet Set is designed to last years, while cheaper sets are usually worn through in less than 365. And, if you have any similarities to our customers we speak with daily, you've probably replaced set after set, thinking each time that you're upgrading with what you believe to be a higher thread count than your previous purchase. You may even be baffled as to why your recently-purchased set seemed to last such a short period of time, or why it began to pill after two washings. In fact, if you're like many of our new customers, this may well be the reason you're shopping for new linens right this minute.

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Egyptian Cotton is the most superior of the Cottons, the most expensive, and currently the most popular for use in Sheets Sets and Duvets. There are however different grades and lengths, and the term Egyptian Cotton on packaging can be misleading. Until recently, use of Egyptian Cotton in bedding such as Sheet Sets, Duvet Cover Sets, Comforters and Coverlets has been extremely rare due to the expensive nature of the fibers. More recently, however, much of the bedding industry has been inundated with items marked Egyptian Cotton. Manufacturers have found a way around expense, by utilizing discard grade or short yarns.

Because of this, bedding made of Egyptian Cotton no longer means that you’re necessarily purchasing a top-quality item. In fact, the majority of sheet sets are now made with Egyptian Cotton, with the bulk of which are junk. Nearly all the sets you’ll find are made of extremely short fibers. Fiber length is crucial in determining the quality and longevity of your new sheets, but a difficult factor to decipher as a consumer. These short fibers cause roughnesss, pilling or have surface balling, and result in extremely poor wear.

So how do you know the fiber length of the Egyptian Cotton sheet set or duvet set you’re purchasing? Fiber length is not typically marked or notated on the package, at least not in terms of a numerical notation. Rarely, some manufacturers will specify that their product is Long-Yarn, at least providing the consumer some insight as to fiber length. Unfortunately this is a tricky area, as "Long Yarn" means simply that the fibers used are not only longer than the norm of short fibers but the longest yarns available.

A good starting point of ruling out short fiber sets is to review the package or speak with the manufacturer about ply. Any reference to the product containing a multiple ply, such as 2-ply or 4-ply, is your immediate tip-off that the item you are reviewing is usually comprised of shorter fibers. Because ply involves twisting threads together in order to create a long fiber, you’ll logically know that the necessity of fibers being twisted together to create length means that the fibers used are fairly short.

Review the package or text carefully, as this notation can be buried in the fine print. Look for any notation that states 2-ply, which means 2 fibers have been twisted together, or 4-ply, meaning 4 fibers have been twisted together. This information is not always hidden. Some manufacturers, in fact, boldly place it in clear view on the package. With knowledge that most consumers are unaware of what ply actually refers to, some manufacturers attempt to insinuate that "bigger is better," hoping consumers will be impressed by larger numbers. Knowing full well that there is confusion surrounding the term of ply, some manufacturers believe consumers will be impressed by the bold listing of this number in phrases such as "this sheet set is woven of 4-ply yarns." Consumers in the know realize that this actually means that the 1000TC Sheet Set they're reviewing is only 250TC. For manufacturers that do state their bedding products as Long-Yarn, test their knowledge wherever possible. To review, Long-Yarn is a relative term and refers only to the yarns used being longer than short yarns. Whenever possible, talk with the manufacturer or company to inquire about fiber length.

Few manufacturers will be familiar with this information but those who are are generally capable of providing a far better bedding product. If the manufacturer is not familiar with fiber length or ply, you can be assured that the product you are receiving is most likely standard one, not amongst the top tier.

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