The length of the fibers significantly impacts the longevity of your sheets and how quickly they may begin to pill. “Thread count aside, fiber length is a vital aspect of durability,” states Akshay Bahl, CEO of Delara Home. “Long-staple cotton varieties, such as Egyptian, Pima, or Supima cotton, produce sheets that are stronger, softer, and more durable, featuring fewer exposed fiber ends, which helps decrease pilling over time. Conversely, short-staple cotton breaks down more rapidly, resulting in coarser textures and reduced longevity.”
Temperature Consideration
Photograph: Nena Farrell
I could go on about how long-staple, lower thread count bed sheets are likely to be softer and more durable. These characteristics might take some time to become evident, particularly with fabrics like linen that become softer over time. However, one thing you will likely notice immediately when you choose high thread count sheets is heat retention.
As Rhodes noted, the concept is quite simple. “Fewer yarns mean the sheet has a lighter weight, leading to a cooler sleeping experience,” she explains. More threads result in less space for heat to escape, causing more warmth to be contained within the sheets and around your body.
Thread count isn’t the only factor influencing heat retention in sheets. The type of weave can affect how those threads are arranged, regardless of the count, altering how much heat and air can escape. Cotton has two leading weave styles—percale, characterized by a one-over-one thread structure, and sateen, which opts for a three (sometimes four!)-over-one structure for a silkier feel. When comparing cotton styles, sateen typically traps more heat (unless you’re considering flannel) due to its weave. Fabric plays a significant role as well; linen retains less heat compared to cotton, meaning heavy linen sheets can remain more breathable than a heavy sateen sheet.
You might wonder if there is an optimal thread count. Advice can vary depending on opinions and the type of fabric you are looking for. In my experience testing cotton and bamboo sheets, I often favor thread counts between 200 and 400, with 300 being my preferred choice for cooling sheets. My best recommendation is to peruse our reviews of various sheet styles, like linen and bamboo, to better understand their warmth and softness, helping you identify what suits you best.
Nonetheless, there is certainly a number to avoid. “Anything exceeding 800+ is frequently driven by marketing tactics and may involve multi-ply threads instead of higher-quality single-ply fibers,” notes Bahl.
