I’ve seen the words thread count used pertaining to bed linens, but today I heard it used in another way and I was left wondering exactly what thread count means. So I came home and did a little research and a lot of surfing and this is what I found. Thread count is the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in a square inch. When something has a higher thread count it will be softer, wear better and shrink less. There are factors that influence thread count, such as the ply and thickness of the threads. I’ve never really noticed the thread count on our bed linens, because until last year we were buying hard to find king size waterbed sheets with pockets. Now I’ll have to stick my fingers into the packages when I’m shopping for bed linens to check out the feel. I bet the stores will appreciate that.