How to Choose Bed Sheets: Thread Count, Weave & Material Guide | MyHouse
How to Choose Bed Sheets for Your Most Comfortable Sleep: Thread Count, Weave & Material
When you’re standing in front of a wall of bedding options, there’s often not much to go on beyond a number on the packet and a few words about the fabric. In this guide, we’re standing right beside you in the bed sheet aisle, making sense of those labels and helping you work out what’s worth looking for when choosing the right sheets for your bed.
We’ll show you how to read the three details that matter on a bedding label, namely: thread count, weave and material. Once you know what each one tells you, you can evaluate any bedding set using objective elements instead of simply price or brand recognition. This is the type of insight that’ll orientate you towards the best-quality sheets that are actually suitable for you without having to guess and hope for the best.
In this guide
- What thread count actually tells you (and when it doesn’t)
- Weave: percale vs sateen vs linen
- Material guide: cotton, bamboo, linen and Tencel
- Matching sheets to how you actually sleep
- Frequently asked questions
What Thread Count Actually Tells You (and What It Doesn't)
Thread count (TC) is the number of threads woven into one square inch of fabric, and is an indication of quality, but only within quite a narrow range. It’s usually between roughly 250 TC and 500 TC. The higher the thread count, the denser and smoother the sheet usually is. But beyond about 800 TC, the thread count no longer reliably reflects quality.
How the thread count gets calculated also warrants some exploration. High numbers are often achieved by using multi-ply yarn, in which two or three thinner strands are twisted together, and each strand is then counted as a separate thread. The finished fabric can end up being heavier and less breathable than a well-made 400 TC sateen, quite different to what the packaging implies. Bear in mind this is just a standard way that weaving is done, and not meant to imply anything untoward about what’s available in the market.
At the entry point, 250-thread-count sheets in a percale weave make for a perfectly acceptable everyday buy, so don’t think of it as a compromise. In the middle of the range, 400-thread-count sheets in cotton sateen provide you with a softer drape without sacrificing airflow.
In brief:
- Sheets of around 250 TC feel crisp, light and breathable. They’re great for everyday use, and if you’re a warmer sleeper. This is a confident first buy.
- Sheets of 300 to 500 TC feel soft and smooth and are still breathable. They provide year-round comfort and are the range MyHouse most frequently recommends.
- Sheets that are 500 to 800 TC are fuller with a more luxurious drape. They’re best for cooler sleepers who like the feeling of a little extra weight.
- Sheets that are 800 TC and above often consist of multi-ply yarn that’s counted as several threads, so the number can sometimes overstate real quality. This is rarely worth paying extra for on its own.
Weave: Percale vs Sateen vs Linen and How Each One Feels to Sleep In
Weave refers to the pattern in which threads cross. It also determines whether a sheet feels crisp or smooth against your skin. Percale weave results in a cool matte finish, and sateen produces a softer finish with a light sheen. Linen is deliberately woven to feel textured, and this only improves with each and every wash. If you want your bed sheets to be soft from the very first night, sateen is the weave to reach out for.
In brief:
- A percale weave feels crisp, matte and cool to the touch and typically consists of a thread count of around 180 to 300.
- Sateen weave feels smooth and soft, with a slight sheen and a warmer drape. It’s usually around 300 to 600 TC.
- Linen feels textured and breathable and softens with every wash. Its naturally lower thread count of 80 to 150 TC shouldn’t be seen as a quality flaw.
The thread count for linen could use a bit more explanation to help you interpret it better. Linen has a naturally low thread count because its fibres are thicker than cotton. So, 100 TC linen bedding fabric needs to be lower so that the linen behaves exactly as it should without being too rigid.
Compared on raw figures alone, linen sheets appear to lose the quality game. But when evaluated on breathability and how well they last, they’re among the strongest contenders you’ll find on the shelf. They’re also the ideal bed sheet to reach for to get you through a hot Australian summer.
Material Guide: Cotton, Bamboo, Linen & Tencel Compared
Material greatly influences how a sheet manages heat and moisture throughout the night, which is why it’s often more important than the number on the packaging. When choosing bed sheets, cotton, bamboo blends, linen, and Tencel are the four key material types to compare directly.
In the end, the best fabric for your sheets will depend on your personal overnight warmth preferences rather than the dollar amount you drop.
In brief:
- Cotton Bed Sheets are highly breathable. They’re machine washable and low fuss in terms of care. For example
- Bamboo Bed Sheets, often made from a bamboo-cotton blend, are highly breathable and temperature regulating. They require a gentle wash and are best line-dried in the shade.
- Linen Bed Sheets are also highly breathable and are the strongest pick if you’re a hot sleeper. They require low-heat washing and the fibres soften over time.
- Tencel Bed Sheets are highly breathable too, and have a silky feel. Care instructions vary, so follow what’s written on the care label for your set.
We’ve left flannelette out of this list on purpose. That’s because flannelette is essentially just brushed cotton that’s created for warmth rather than airflow, so it’s more suitable for winter, not year-round use. With that being said, many people prefer to keep a flannelette set for the coldest months and a percale set for all other times of the year.
Matching Sheets to How You Actually Sleep
The quickest way to decide what bed sheets to choose is to start from your own sleep experience. Match how you are during sleep at night to a weave and material, then let the thread count follow.
- If you’re hot or wake up damp, choose linen or a crisp percale cotton weave. Skip anything that’s focused mainly on a high thread count, and remember that cooling your room is as important as choosing the right bed sheets.
- If you tend to be cold at night, choose a sateen weave for its heavier drape, or flannelette during the cooler months.
- If you have sensitive skin, select a cotton or bamboo-cotton blend with a softer sateen finish.
- If you’re setting up your first bedroom and are on a budget, a well-made 250 TC percale set is a sensible choice, not a downgrade.
Once you’ve chosen your sheets, you can turn your attention to the rest of the room with our guide to styling a bedroom for better sleep.
Final Thoughts
It's best to read a bedding label the way you’d compare two brands side by side, not the way you’d read one company’s brochure. Thread count gives you an idea about the density of the fabric. The weave affects how it feels against your skin. Your choice of material influences how warm or cool you stay.
Really, there are just three things to check, and you don’t need any more in-depth knowledge about textiles. To make browsing easier, the MyHouse sheet set collection can be filtered by material and size.
Frequently Asked Questions
What thread count is best for bed sheets?
If you’re like most sleepers, 300 TC to 500 TC is your sweet spot, giving you smooth, durable sheets that still breathe properly. A 250 TC percale set still remains an excellent everyday choice, particularly in the warmer months.
Is a higher thread count always better?
Not necessarily. Beyond about 800 TC, the thread count number is often inflated by multi-ply yarn counted as individual threads, so the fabric can end up denser and warmer without necessarily being better made. Check the fibre and weave before homing in on the thread count number.
What's the difference between percale and sateen sheets?
Percale is a one-over, one-under weave that produces a crisp, matte and cool finish. Sateen floats more threads on the surface, giving a smoother handle with a slight sheen and a little more warmth. Percale suits hot sleepers; sateen is suitable if you want immediate softness.
Are bamboo sheets cooler than cotton sheets?
Usually, yes. Bamboo and bamboo-cotton blends are more moisture-wicking than standard cotton, so they regulate temperature better if you tend to overheat during the night. A cotton percale weave comes close and generally costs less.
How do I know if a thread count number is accurate?
Check whether the label specifies single-ply or multi-ply yarn, and look at the fibre content and weave alongside the figure.
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