If you’re looking to improve your quality of sleep, the level of comfort Egyptian cotton offers is unmatched. Once you experience the heavenly softness of Egyptian cotton bedding, it’s almost impossible to go back to standard cotton.

For hundreds of years, Egyptian cotton has been regarded as one of the highest quality bedding fabrics in the world.

But before you consider buying Egyptian cotton sheets, it’s important to know what makes it so much better than regular cotton - and that not all Egyptian cotton is the same. So what’s the difference?

The Difference Between Egyptian Cotton & Regular Cotton

Egyptian cotton used in bed sheets is a premium fabric weaved from cultivated cotton grown in Egypt, near the River Nile delta. This enchanting and historic location in Egypt provides the ideal climate to cultivate the perfect cotton plant, resulting in a longer yarn than regular cotton grown elsewhere in the world.

Regular cotton is also picked by machines which places more stress on the delicate cotton fibre, causing a weaker and less durable yarn.

That’s it, that’s the key difference between regular cotton and Egyptian cotton. But what’s so special about these extra-long threads?

What Is So Special About Egyptian Cotton?

Firstly, it results in a much softer and luxurious feeling than regular cotton. Egyptian cotton is also handpicked which produces a finer, stronger and more flexible fabric.

Although cheaper, regular cotton is more crisp and bristly - particular if it has been washed multiple times - and usually has fewer threads per square inch.

We’ve all been there - whether we were staying in a guestroom or an ‘affordable’ airbnb, losing sleep to stiff, uncomfortable sheets is a displeasure we all experience from time to time.

But on rare occasions, we are treated to divine comfort and hesitate to leave our fabric Eden; we can almost guarantee this trance-like state was due to the unique feel of Egyptian cotton.

The amazing thing about Egyptian cotton is that it retains its softness for years. In fact, Egyptian cotton sheets become softer and softer the more you wash them (five star hotels have held this secret for decades).

There is also a subtle difference in appearance between the two types of cotton sheets. This is because Egyptian cotton is often produced with a silky smooth sheen as a result of sateen weaving.

Egyptian cotton is also highly absorbent. When the sheets are coloured and dyed or feature a vivid design, this shine and pop of vibrant various colours oozes luxury into any bedroom.

If you’re sick and tired of pilling forming on your sheets, the good news is that Egyptian cotton solves this problem. No more need for those awful lint rollers (which make your sheets less soft, they drive us mad!)

Egyptian Cotton Has A Higher Thread Count

Thread count is defined as the amount of warps and wefts (up and across) within a square inch of fabric. Simply put, a 400 thread count fabric will contain 400 overlapping threads within a single square inch.

Usually, a higher thread count indicates superior quality - however it is important to know that there are several other factors to consider when judging a bed by its cover. These include the origin of the plant, the type of weave used and seasonal growing conditions.

Standard cotton typically has a thread count of around 100. To put things into perspective, luxury Egyptian cotton sheets exceed 1000.

So what does a higher thread count really mean in practice?

A high thread count can only be achieved with Egyptian cotton due to the finer (thinner) yarns used. The high yarn density delivers a smoother, stronger and more durable fabric; particularly when woven into a sateen weave.

We’ve sampled Egyptian cotton bedsheets with thread counts as high as 1000, and from our experience, a higher thread count is generally more comfortable and noticeable.

We’ve also sampled 800 thread count Egyptian cotton and have been left disappointed.

Most of our Egyptian cotton bedding boasts a thread count of 600. We’ve found that this is a perfect balance of luxury, whilst still retaining an affordable price point. This is several times higher than standard cotton.

Is Egyptian Cotton Worth The Price Tag?

Egyptian cotton sheets may be more expensive than regular cotton, but we think the extra cost is worth it.

Not only will your sheets be more comfortable and cool, but Egyptian cotton bedding lasts far longer than regular cotton. In the long-run, you will save time and money by avoiding the need to regularly purchase new sheets (and risk being unsatisfied).

At Chronos Comfort, we’ve made it our mission to bring you authentic, premium quality Egyptian cotton bedding sets at a fair price.

If sleep is something you value, take a look at our wide range of over 30 beautiful bedding sets (there’s something for every bedroom style). We proudly deliver globally with free shipping.