Most commonly used as a quality rating, thread count describes the density of threads per square inch of material and is calculated by adding the lengthwise (warp) and widthwise (weft) threads together. For example, a cotton sheet consisting of 200 warp threads and 200 weft threads equals 400TC (thread count). While sheets with a higher thread count contain more, finer yarns per square inch than sheets with a lower thread count, this doesn’t automatically suggest better quality. Instead, fibre condition, weave and the construction process are a more accurate indication of excellence.

It’s also a common misconception that the higher the thread count, the softer the bed linen. In fact, the opposite is true, as sheets with higher thread counts are, on average, thicker and feel more durable, requiring more washes to soften the fibres and achieve the satin-like touch of sheets with a lower thread count.

In a blind comparison test conducted by Good Housekeeping in 2022, a group of 33 consumers could not tell the difference between 500TC and 1000TC sheets when rating softness, feel and durability.