When you're looking for the best sheets, it can be difficult to choose between the different options. And so manufacturers try to lure us to their products by stressing specific measurable qualities.

Thread count — referring to the number of yarns in a square inch of sheeting — has long been considered an easy way to shop for luxurious sheets: The higher the thread count, the better the bedding.

If you’ve ever shopped for bedsheets, you probably know that the phrase “thread count” refers to the number of threads per square inch, which is true. But you may assume that the higher the thread ...