There is a lot of talk these days about thread count, and there
is also a lot of misconception as to the relevance of high
thread count to the quality of the cloth. Thread count is only
one measure of the quality of cloth, there are other factors
which affect the quality and feel of sheets but don’t get as
much attention. Many countries in the world grow cotton, however
not all cotton is created equal. Fine linen begins with fine
cotton, and the finest cotton is known as long staple cotton
(the staple length is a measure of the length of the individual
cotton fibres). The most common examples of long staple cotton
are Egyptian Cotton and Pima Cotton. Longer cotton fibres enable
the cotton to be spun into finer yarns with higher tensile
strength, which can then be woven into a softer, more luxurious
fabric which will last a long time. A Good Yarn: After the raw
cotton has been blended and cleaned (a process known as
‘Ginning’), it is carded to remove the shorter, weaker fibres.
Higher quality cotton is then pr