That’s because, often manufacturers inflate their thread counts, and the quality of the fiber is a better indicator of how soft a fabric feels as opposed to how dense it is. While thread count is defined as the number of threads woven in a single inch of fabric, and since traditionally more threads meant a tighter weave and thus a softer feel, that’s not the case in today’s varied bedding market. Softness scores from our panel typically average around 3 out of 5 during the tests and some get scores as low as 1, so rest assured that the ratings ahead offer truly outstanding softness: One even has a perfect 5 rating.It’s complicated! By which we mean…it doesn’t matter. The picks ahead are all top performers in our evaluations, but were specifically chosen based on the softness ratings. We then have at least 30 consumer testers feel the fabrics in a blind comparison to give us feedback on the softness and overall feel. Our carefully selected palette of sophisticated sheet sets and separates, in generously fitted or flat, will complement any modern décor or existing bed linen interiors for years to. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab tests sheets for aspects like fabric strength, pilling-resistance, and shrinkage and wrinkles after laundering. Our flannelette sheets are excellent for during the winter months when the temperature drops while our silky soft bamboo sheets and cotton sateen finish bed sheets offer breathability for all-year round comfort. (The sweet spot in our test is usually in the 300-500 range.) How we test bed sheets Thread count is not a top priority when you shop for sheets because the fiber content and weave are also important, but a higher thread count can sometimes make sheets softer. the number of yarns per square inch of fabric). You'll sometimes see this written in variations like viscose (which means the same thing) or lyocell (which follows a more sustainable process).īe aware that thread count doesn't really matter when it comes to soft sheets: Cotton sateen is the only one from this list that’ll have a valid thread count (i.e.