At The Linen Closet, we look for three things when choosing quality bed sheets:

• The Cotton
• The Thread Count
• The Hand

• For the cool, soft feel of good qualtiy bed sheets, they must be 100% cotton. Cotton wicks away moisture keeping you comfortable not clammy. The softness you can achieve with high-quality cotton is an addictive luxury your skin will remember. Polyester may wear like iron and never need to be ironed, but your skin knows the difference.
  
  
• Experts generally classify cottons into four main types with many categories in each type. These classifications are based on appearance and staple length (extra-long, long, medium and short) - the longer the staple, the finer the fabric.
  
  
• 90% of the world’s cotton crop in American Upland cotton. This medium to long fiber cotton is grown in most cotton-producing countries. With fibers 7/8”- 1 -1/4” long, it is not suited for “good” sheets. Egyptian cotton, in contrast, is a long staple variety. It has extra-long and fine silky fibers about 1-1/2” long. Growers in the U.S. have developed Egyptian varieties known as Pima cottons. These are preferable for sheets, both for their silky softness and durability.

• Thread Count is the number of threads per square inch. The higher the thread count, the finer the quality of the sheet. It takes long fibers of cotton to make strong but thin threads, and it takes these silky thin threads to make high thread count fabrics. Burlap would be at the other end of the spectrum, with its fat fuzzy threads that you can count with the naked eye.
  
  
• The highest count made in the United States is 310, while European sheets can go much higher. “Good Quality” sheets start at about a 200 thread count. Beware of double-ply. Some manufacturers count a double-ply yarn twice in order to up the thread count. A high thread-count sheet, made from a long staple cotton will increase in softness and luster after a number of washings. A “too good to be true” sheet may actually become stiffer. A good test is in the “hand” of the sheet.

• Cotton variety and thread-count are just indicators of good quality bed sheets, but there are a multitude of other factors that contribute to a sheets quality and feel.
  
• Carding and combing which cleans, straightens and aligns the fibers while removing any short ones.
  
• The type of weave, or more importantly the weaver. Italians are known for being good weavers. -The finish process which can involve water, heat or chemicals to achieve different affects on the fabric. -The Dyeing process used. Fabric can be dyed, yarn-dyed, or be left unbleached and undyed.
  
  
• All of these factors effect the “hand” or the way the sheet feels to the touch. And how those sheets feel against your skin is the whole point isn’t it?