You might suspect thread count is simply a marketing ploy to make fabrics sound more luxurious. But it's really a scientific term, with strict standards on how those threads are counted. The term has become a buzz word for marketing luxury sheets, shirts and other woven fabric goods. The honest idea is, the finer the threads you can weave together, the softer and cosier the fabric. 

Technically, thread count means the number of threads woven together in a square inch. It is counted both lengthwise (warp) and widthwise (weft) threads. So a Saree with 50 lengthwise threads woven with a 50 widthwise threads produce a 100 Count Saree. Anything above a 100 count is truly rare, and here’s why.

Yarn threads have a thickness of their own. The thicker the thread, it becomes harder to weave them into anything near the 100 count limit. Plus the fabric become rigid and sturdy as a result. This is why curtain covers, bed and cushion covers, table covers etc have a low thread count as they need to be strong by design.

But for the clothes you wear, you seek comfort and softness. Hence, higher count fabrics are wove with very thin and durable yarn threads. And yes, that is indeed they tend to be more expensive! Threads of this sort are harder to come by.

At the end of the day, having understood all of this, you must also remember that thread count is really only part of the puzzle. Whether or not you'll enjoy the fabrics you wear also depends on the yarn type: Cotton or Silk or both in our case. Whichever one you prefer.