Thread count refers to the number of threads (both horizontal and vertical) in one square inch of material. Generally speaking, the greater the number, the smoother, more durable the sheet. At one point thread count played a large part in what type of sheets sleepers bought, but it’s becoming more important to focus on the overall quality instead.

A featherbed is made of feathers contained within a fabric shell that lies on top of a mattress as a mattress topper. The featherbed will normally have elastic straps or even have a fitted sheet on it so that it fits over a mattress and stays in place.