100% cotton sheets categories. What is Percale vs Pima vs Egyptian cotton and how does thread count factor into it?
In: Other
Thread count: the number of threads per square inch in the fabric. More threads means less space between threads, which is smoother. I personally also don’t like extremely high thread counts, which can be so tight you can spill water on them and it won’t absorb right away. Has an almost plastic sheet type feel.
Egyptian cotton: a type of cotton that has longer fibers, which means when you weave it there are fewer little threads sticking out at the ends of each strand, making the sheet smoother. Same species as Pima but grown in hot dry conditions, making it softer and more durable. I find Egyptian cotton sheets to often feel like a higher thread count than they are when compared to other cottons. Personal favorite.
Pima cotton: also a type of cotton with longer fibers, but from America.
Percale: a type of fabric weave. It is a tight weave and has a more crisp feel like a dress shirt.
BONUS Sateen: also a type of fabric weave. Is the satin weave but with spun yarn like cotton. It is more silky smooth than the tight crisp percale weave. Also a personal favorite.
All sheets have a thread count, and then they can also have a type of cotton and a type of weave, which are mix and match to a certain extent.
Percale is a weaving style, and so is denim.
Pima and Egyptian are specific subspecies of cotton with different properties.
The thread count is the number of threads in a square inch of fabric. A higher thread count means a tighter weave, so it holds more heat
Latest Answers