Why Don't Linen Sheets Have a Thread Count?

From the first time we purchase new bed linen for ourselves we're told one thing: the higher the thread count, the better the quality. As we check out in store or unpack our online delivery, we are comforted by the marker "400 thread count" listed on the swing tag, anticipating heavenly sleep on buttery-soft sheets.

While it's technically true that a high thread count – usually sitting at around the 400 or 430 point – is a sign that your sheets are going to be like clouds, it is not the only marker of super-soft, high-quality bed linen. In fact, experts argue that high thread counts are often an indication that your sheets could be less pleasant to sleep in, as astronomical thread counts in the 800 or 1200 range can't be produced organically.

When you see a thread count nudging the 1000 mark you need to know that all those extra threads have been woven into the fabric artificially, usually by machine or another manufacturing device. In short, thread counts might be a bit misleading.

But where things start to get really confusing is in the linen category. Below, we explain what a thread count is, the difference between thread count and GSM, and what makes 100% linen so buttery soft.