You may have encountered the words “Thread Count” while shopping for your bedsheets, sofas, clothes or at work. But what does it mean and how does it affect your life. You will find the answer here which will help you choose the best textiles for your needs.
Definition
Thread count, or “TC” in short, is the sum of the number of warp and weft yarns in one square inch of a woven fabric. The plied yarns which are formed by twisting single strands of yarn for example 2ply, 3ply and so on, count as a single yarn when calculating thread count.
Thread Count
=
Number of warp yarns in 1 inch width of fabric
+
Number of weft yarns in 1 inch length of fabric
The warp yarns are lengthwise running yarns which are parallel to the selvedge of the fabric.
The weft yarns are widthwise running yarns perpendicular to the selvedge of the fabric.
Application
The thread count have many applications in daily life as well as the textile industry. It is a good measure of the quality of a fabric but also has some limitations which should be kept in mind while using TC. The advantages and limitations are as below:
Advantages
Fabric Softness: In general higher the TC of fabric, higher is the softness and better handfeel. A higher TC implies finer yarns used for weaving, because coarser yarns will take more space and a limited number of coarse yarns can fit in one inch. And finer yarns have finer irregularities in them than the coarse yarns which results in increased smoothness.
Durability: Higher TC fabrics have higher number of interwoven yarns which are harder to unravel than the lower TC fabrics. This results in increased durability and life of fabric as the TC increases.
Cost: Higher TC fabrics have higher number of warp and weft yarns which when manufacturing means more effort to weave. The finer yarns are themselves more expensive and also require additional treatments like sizing which increase the manufacturing costs further, which is why higher TC fabrics are more expensive.
Limitations
Misleading High Thread Counts: Companies often count plied yarns as multiple when calculating their fabric TC which is misleading because plied yarn are low cost, more irregular, and take less space which gives false impression of higher quality.
Material vs TC: Better quality material for example combed cotton with lower TC can be softer and better quality than higher TC fabric with low quality cotton. Also polyester material is advertised with very high TC but has synthetic feel and uses plied yarns which manufacturer misleadingly include in TC calculation. Thus the material used is as important as the TC count.
Weave type vs TC: Some weave types like twill and satin weaves provide softer fabrics than plain weave when TC is same. But durability is higher with plain weave because of more interlocking yarns.
Result
This indicates that while TC is a good general measure to consider when making fabric buying decisions, the materials, weaves and other factors also require some consideration.
For bedsheets the TC counts available are as below:
Below 120 TC : These are coarse bedsheets which are inexpensive and slightly rough to touch. These are used for general covering, kitchen and table linen, bags and other items which are functional.
140 TC to 200 TC: In this range the bedsheets are soft with plain or twill weave, and the prices are affordable. In the average Indian markets the actual TC available in cotton bedsheets is below 150TC and prices are Rs. 1000 to Rs. 2000 depending on the location. The bedsheets priced below Rs. 500 are actually polyester bedsheets.
200 TC to 400 TC: These are premium and expensive bedsheets made using very fine cotton threads and high speed looms inserting hundred to two hundred weft yarns in one inch taking long time to manufacture. These range from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 7000 depending on the location. Please beware of polyester bedsheets with 400-500 TC selling for Rs. 500 and falsely advertised as cotton, these will not have the desired feel and will not last long after wash.
400 TC to 600 TC: In cotton these are generally most premium bedding available and have two hundred to three hundred weft yarns in a single inch and can be priced anywhere from Rs. 10,000 and above. As discussed the polyester bedsheets with inaccurate counting can be advertised as higher TC but are low quality. On the other hand, egyptian cotton even with 200 TC is super soft and silky, and will be softer and more durable than a 500 TC bedsheet with lower quality cotton, because of long staple length of its fibers.
Where to buy?
The markets, especially Indian markets, are generally unregulated and polyester bedsheets with 100% cotton label and packaging is not punished. Also Thread count (TC) is even easier to be falsified.
Our team from Yobox.co.in sources and tests cotton fabrics for TC and fiber content from specialized manufacturers in Ahemdabad and stitches, packs and ships from Yobox inhouse factory to your doorstep in India or any country including USA, Europe, Middle East and South America at unbelievable prices. Check our designs now:
