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Thread count is the number of vertical and horizontal threads per square
inch. Not long ago, sheets typically had thread counts of 120 with 60 horizontal
and 60 vertical threads. In the 1960’s, a sheet with a 180 thread count was
considered a luxury. “Now you see 1,000 thread count sheets but you just
can’t get that many threads on a loom,” says Pat Slaven, a textile expert at
Consumer Reports.
To get that higher number, manufacturers use thinner
strands of fabric twisted together as if they were one. Then they double, triple
or even quadruple the thread count to make the number more attractive to the
consumer. “It ups the count but doesn’t give you a better sheet,” says Slaven.
“The sweet spot is 400.”
Oh please. Even a thread count snob would acknowledge that 750 thread count is quality. And a true bedding snob would know that thread count is last when choosing bedding; cotton origin and where it's woven being higher on the priority list.
Sorry but you are incorrect.
Highest count possible from cotton is around 300 threads per square inch. To reach the high counts you mentioned and are offered as "high quality/luxury" linens the makers pack thinner threads into the same dimensions. So yes in theory you do have a higher thread count but because the threads are thinner the resulting fabric is weaker.
Persons *really* in the know have been scouring thrift shops and elsewhere for vintage percale sheets for years now. Cotton sheets from high end American mills will out last anything made today and withstand hard weekly laundering. The one main drawback is they really should be ironed to look and feel their best.
In terms of long wearing and able to withstand abuse cotton muslin bed linens (< 145 threads per square inch) will beat anything. This is why such linens were once the staple of hospitals, the nursery and children's bedrooms, and so forth; anyplace that needed sheets and pillow slips that would stand up to hard wear and repeated harsh laundering.
I iron my sheets and I am 32 yr old in manhattan.
Thread count likely doesn't matter these days and there is no strict rule on how the counting is done. Weft only, weave only, weft and weave multiplied... the weft are usually thicker in most woven textiles, so if you can cram 750 threads on the weft every inch, you'll have some very tightly woven sheets!
I take thread count and the length of the cotton fiber into account when purchasing sheets. The longer the fiber, the less "broken ends" on the surface. Think of it like silk. Silk is smooth because the fibers (technically, filaments)are so incredibly long. When they are spun, there are almost no "broken ends" on the surface.
When this thought is applied to cotton sheets, the longer the cotton fiber is, the less often a broken end appears on the surface. Thus, if there are 750 threads per inch, reducing the number of these ends increases the overall luxury of the textile.
So, yeah. I'm a sheet snob and a textile snob and I make sure my sheets are ironed and enjoy it soooo much!
As far as finding a place in NYC- I am considering stoping into the St. Regis or another luxury hotel. I am sure they have their own iron presses in house but fingers crossed they might be able to recommend a company.
I iron my sheets and I am 32 yr old in manhattan.
Thread count likely doesn't matter these days and there is no strict rule on how the counting is done. Weft only, weave only, weft and weave multiplied... the weft are usually thicker in most woven textiles, so if you can cram 750 threads on the weft every inch, you'll have some very tightly woven sheets!
I take thread count and the length of the cotton fiber into account when purchasing sheets. The longer the fiber, the less "broken ends" on the surface. Think of it like silk. Silk is smooth because the fibers (technically, filaments)are so incredibly long. When they are spun, there are almost no "broken ends" on the surface.
When this thought is applied to cotton sheets, the longer the cotton fiber is, the less often a broken end appears on the surface. Thus, if there are 750 threads per inch, reducing the number of these ends increases the overall luxury of the textile.
So, yeah. I'm a sheet snob and a textile snob and I make sure my sheets are ironed and enjoy it soooo much!
As far as finding a place in NYC- I am considering stoping into the St. Regis or another luxury hotel. I am sure they have their own iron presses in house but fingers crossed they might be able to recommend a company.
Though many NYC hotels do offer in-house laundry and or dry cleaning services for guests; think you'll find linens are universally sent out.
As with everything else space is valuable in NYC hotels (especially in Manhattan), and few have (or are willing to devote) the real estate required for those huge washing machines, dryers and ironers. Then there are various federal and local laws about everything from worker safety to wages.
Outside of NYC or even Manhattan things can and are often different. But still you often find hotels like hospitals, health spas and so forth just send their laundry out.
Excuse me for reviving an old thread, but I found a video from 1940 illustrating what went on at a "full service" laundry in 1940.
The video was made at the "Easton Laundry" in Easton, PA. You can see how after the "route man" brought the dirty clothing to the laundry, the clothing was first marked with the clients name or number, separating the clothing by hand for washing at various temperatures, throwing the items into a large washer and then into an extractor, ironing shirts using various machines (they didn't have shirt ironers at that time), you can just catch a glimpse of the large scale ironer used for sheets. Various delicates were ironed by hand and there was a separate dry cleaning department.
After laundering, the clothing was assembled, wrapped and ready for the "route man" to deliver to the client. Oh, if only those places were still around!
Great video, note that the manual machine that stamps the numbers on the laundry must do so in 'invisible' ink. Pretty sure that's a UV light next to the stamper which can make the numbers visible. High Tech!
My parents bought a washer/dryer in the early 60s but I remember the laundry guy picking up and dropping off our laundry prior to that.
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Oh please. Even a thread count snob would acknowledge that 750 thread count is quality. And a true bedding snob would know that thread count is last when choosing bedding; cotton origin and where it's woven being higher on the priority list.
