Amazon Basics Lightweight Super Soft Easy Care Microfiber Bed Sheet Set with 16" Deep Pockets - Twin, Aqua Fern

 Amazon Basics Lightweight Super Soft Easy Care Microfiber Bed Sheet Set with 16" Deep Pockets - Twin, Aqua Fern

You don't know how to buy bed sheets, but here's help .

Get used to the idea that, more or less, it will be like discovering that sun protection factor 100 does not work and that Humphrey Bogart never said Play it again, Sam in Casablanca . Are you ready?

Just because you buy high thread count sheets does not mean they are of better quality . Indeed, MORE is not always BETTER.

It's amazing, but true. Our colleagues from the US edition of The Huffington Post spoke with Nancy Koltes , designer of luxury bedding, and Shannon Maher, professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology , to try to uncover this lie.

What is the misunderstanding?

The thread count , Maher defined as "the number of threads per square inch " having tissue seems to have become a great marketing ideal.

"It's an invention of the American market ," Koltes said. In particular, thread count is not so much a "lie" as a counterfeit way of determining the quality of sheets, especially when used as the only way to define quality. Much like we associate the labels "low-fat" or "organic" with food, bedding distributors extended this idea to their luxury lines in the mid-1990s, Koltes explains. But with the new millennium, the "thread count lie" has reached new heights with the introduction of the first line of over 1000 threads per square inch . "It's just a promotional thing. Thread counting doesn't mean quality," says Koltes. However,

So what should we do?

Rather than relying solely on thread count when shopping for the perfect sheets, consider the following factors as well:

• Fiber: According to Maher, most sheets are made of cotton, but we should look for a longer fiber. "Longer fibers are ideal, because spinning them gives them strength, which means less carding." Egyptian cotton, which Koltes calls the standard of excellence, has a long grain . Other good quality fiber options include pima and supima cotton , organic, cotton-polyester, and even bamboo .

• Fabric: According to the Real Simple website , the fabric of the sheets "affects the touch, appearance, longevity and price." There are many types of fabrics, but " calico is the most prominent, " explains Maher. "It is a balanced fabric , like that of a basket, and gives a feeling of freshness." Maher also suggests satin , which is "a little softer and warmer than calico."

Numbers are not everything: Even if a sheet has more threads, the number can be inflated by manipulating the manufacturing process with a poor quality thread. As a general rule, it is best to buy sheets with a minimum 200 thread count. From 800, the amount does not matter .

To help and protect consumers, the Federal Market Commission is trying to crack down on deceptive techniques and technology designed to increase thread counts, as well as misleading advertising.

• Location: Not all sheets are made equal. In an interview with New York Magazine , Amanda Mettler, purchasing manager for Gracious Home , said: "I can guarantee that a 200 thread count from Italy is better than a 1000 thread count from Pakistan." It is considered that in France and Italy are some of the best manufacturers of sheets, although fiber using not always come from those countries (Egyptian cotton is one of the most used).

• Price Matters: Maher reminds customers that "price and quality definitely go hand in hand."

• Finish is everything: Most sheets are finished with chemical processes so they won't wrinkle or shrink . Although it's okay for sheets not to wrinkle, try to find ones made of organic cotton, without chemicals .

So remember ...

You have to find a balance when buying sheets. For more information, you can consult this guide (in English) with tips to choose the best ones based on your budget.

Amazon Basics Lightweight Super Soft Easy Care Microfiber Bed Sheet Set with 16" Deep Pockets - Twin, Aqua Fern