What is The Ideal Thread Count for Your Company Polo Shirts?

Polo shirts are some of the most popular kinds of apparel for company merch and uniforms. They're just that little bit fancier than a plain old t-shirt, but they aren't full-dress in the way a button-down shirt is. They're also durable, comfortable, and easy to customize.

When you're shopping for shirts to customize for your company, one detail you'll often see is the thread count of the apparel. It's not just for sheets! Thread count is a descriptive measure of the fabric used to make the shirts, and it has a significant impact on the comfort, texture, durability, and even appearance of the shirts themselves.

So, what exactly is thread count, what impact does it have, and what should your ideal thread count be?

What is Thread Count, Anyway?

Unlike a more complex measurement system like thread weight, thread count is fairly easy to understand. However, it interacts with other metrics in a way that can leave you wondering if it's an easy decision.

First up: thread count itself. Thread count is very simple: it's a count of the number of threads present in a square inch of fabric. It counts threads in both directions and adds those numbers together.

Note: Often, you'll see "thread count" used for linens and bedsheets, and "yarn count" used for apparel. This has to do with the fact that individual strands used in a weave for apparel are usually made up of more than one thread, which we discuss under "ply" below. The definition of both counts, though, is the same, so we're using the terms interchangeably here today.

So, if you have a fabric with 100 threads horizontally and 100 threads vertically in one square inch of fabric, you have a piece of 200-count fabric.

Easy, right?

Broadly speaking, commercial fabrics for apparel are going to have a thread count somewhere from 24 at the low end, up to the 200-300 range at the high end. Low thread count fabrics use larger yarns (think Oxford cloth), while higher thread count fabrics use much thinner cotton or synthetic materials. There are other weaves as well, like Chambray and Broadcloth, though they tend to all be specialties for specific purposes.

Meanwhile, for non-apparel fabrics, like bedsheets, you can find thread counts as high as 800, though most sheet sets will be in the 400 range on average.

What Else Affects Thread Count

Thread count is usually thought of as primarily determining how soft a piece of fabric feels. A higher thread count means more threads in a space, and you can only fit more threads in a space if those threads are smaller. Smaller threads mean less texture to the fabric, because it's harder to feel the individual threads, even with sensitive skin.

Other factors can influence how the fabric feels, though.

The weave is also important. A traditional weave, where each thread weaves in and out of each other thread it crosses, is called a plain or Percale weave. An alternative weave, where threads skip 4/5ths of the perpendicular threads and only duck under one in five or so, is called a satin or sateen weave. You can see an illustration of this here. This change in weave alone can make the fabric feel softer to the touch, even with the same thread count.

Ply is also a relevant attribute, though it's not one you see discussed as often. Ply refers to the number of layers or threads of a material. You might be used to thinking of it in terms of toilet paper, where single-ply is the super-thin stuff you find in public restrooms, and double-ply and triple-ply are softer (but more expensive) for home use.

With apparel, it isn't layered in the same way. Ply in fabric instead refers to the number of individual threads twisted together to make a strand of yarn. If one strand of yarn is made up of three threads, and that one strand counts as a thread for the purposes of thread count, the "actual" thread count of a shirt might be much higher.

Because of this, two shirts, both with 100 thread count, can feel quite different if one is a higher ply than the other. Generally, fancier dress shirts have higher ply than cheaper shirts.

The material is also something you want to consider. Synthetic materials are often made up of many dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of infinitesimally small threads twisted into one strand of yarn, and blended fabrics are made up of multiple different materials twisted into one yarn. These can dramatically impact the look and feel of a piece of apparel, even if the thread count indicates otherwise.

Comparing Low and High Thread Counts for Company Apparel

While you can find apparel in all sorts of different thread counts, weaves, and combinations of materials, you can broadly categorize them into low, medium, and high thread counts.

A low thread count is usually something less than 150, but greater than 50. You can get very low thread count fabrics, but then you're looking at yarn-knit sweaters, canvas materials, or base materials for crafting, not apparel. 50-150 is the range of t-shirts, and 200 is at the higher end of t-shirts and other apparel.

A medium thread count is usually somewhere between 150 and 300. This is your general middle ground, and most decent apparel is going to be in this range, though usually on the low end. Generally speaking, most polo shirts you find that aren't specialty or high-end manufacturers are going to be in this range.

Meanwhile, a high thread count is over 300. Often, you won't see high or very high thread counts in apparel, outside of specialty materials. Usually, this is more for linens, bedsheets, and other fabric items, not shirts.

Once you reach the point where you want the benefits of a very high thread count fabric, you're more likely to be looking at something like silk, which is measured in momme weight instead of thread count.

The Benefits of Lower Thread Counts

Low thread counts have some tangible benefits that can be worth considering when you're talking about company apparel.

Low thread counts are more breathable and stay cooler. The lower the thread count, the more ability air and moisture have to pass into and through the fabric. Many "moisture-wicking" pieces of apparel are engineered with these gaps to pull moisture like sweat from the skin and evaporate it on the surface of the fabric, helping to keep you cool while wearing them.

Moisture-wicking is more of a property of synthetic materials, though, because cotton yarn and other organic materials absorb moisture rather than pull it to the surface. The exception is wool. But that's all another discussion for another time.

Low thread counts tend to be softer feeling. Note that this doesn't mean smooth feeling, which is a property of higher thread counts. Think of the difference between a nice t-shirt and a silk shirt; the silk shirt has a much higher thread count and feels very soft, but in a different sort of way than the softness of a t-shirt.

Low thread counts tend to be cheaper. One of the main concerns for a business looking to order company apparel is probably going to be the expense, and lower thread count fabrics tend to be less expensive.

Why? Many reasons. Lower thread counts are easier woven by machine, while higher thread counts might still require a human touch. Lower thread counts can use coarser, less expensive base yarn. Lower thread counts also have more room for error in their weave without being visible or obvious.

The Drawbacks of Lower Thread Counts

What about the drawbacks of low thread count apparel?

Lower thread counts potentially aren't as durable. They can still last quite a while, depending on the material they're made out of, but they're generally less durable than higher thread count materials.

There's one significant caveat here, though, which is that the durability comes with actual high thread counts. There are some manufacturers that count ply as part of thread count and claim extremely high thread counts when their fabric doesn't really have the actual benefits of a high thread count.

This can also be very reliant on the type of material used in the thread. Threads with short strand length are less durable than threads with long strand length, no matter the thread count.

Lower thread counts are usually physically heavier. While we're talking about a difference in ounces between a low-count shirt and a high-count shirt, a coarser material means physically more material in the fabric, and that means it's a little heavier. Realistically, this isn't going to matter directly, but it will influence how people feel about the comfort of the fabric.

The Pros and Cons of Higher Thread Counts

Higher thread count apparel is usually viewed as the more luxurious option, so you see it a lot in fancy dress shirts, and less so with something like a polo shirt.

The benefits are about what you would expect.

• A softer feel. Higher thread counts have a smoother feel to them, and the lightweight fabric can be very pleasant on the skin.
• A lighter weight. This can be very meaningful, especially in hot climates, where a heavier fabric feels more oppressive.
• Greater durability. Higher thread count fabrics tend to be more resistant to damage from use and laundering. This, again, depends on the thread material as well. In fact, higher thread count materials can be less durable because they're more susceptible to damage, rather than just wear.

On the other hand, you do have the usual drawbacks.

• Greater expense. Whether it's because of the cost of the base materials, the labor used to make the fabric, or just because of marketing, higher thread count fabrics command a higher price.
• Higher care requirements. Higher thread count fabrics are more prone to creasing and have higher care requirements, including special laundry cycles or even dry cleaning, as well as ironing. For employee apparel in particular, this can be a significant burden and lead to an unkempt appearance with employees wearing poorly cared-for apparel.
• More use of synthetic materials. While high thread counts can be organic materials (the much sought-after Pima cotton is a prime example), most of the time, unless they're explicitly labeled as 100% cotton, the manufacturer is probably incorporating a lot of synthetics to increase the count and feel of the fabric.

For many companies, the primary trade-off comes down to two factors.

Which Thread Count is Right for Your Company Polos?

What are those two factors?

Price point and ethics.

The price point is obvious. Higher thread counts almost always cost more, regardless of the other qualities of the fabric, because apparel producers know they can market high thread count fabrics as higher quality and charge a premium for them. Sometimes that's borne out by the fabric itself, and sometimes it's not. But, if you're ordering a thousand shirts, a $10 per shirt difference (or a $50 per shirt difference) can be huge.

Ethics are a little trickier. Lower thread counts are often more likely to be organic and sustainable materials like cotton and wool, while higher thread counts are frequently synthetic. That's not always the case, though, and most polos are a blend in any case.

So, what's the best choice for you? In part, it depends on the purpose of the shirts. Do you want them to be for-sale apparel for customers to buy and wear? A higher thread count might give you more of a luxurious feeling and a better brand impression. Do you want them to be given to employees as part of a working uniform? A lower thread count might be more comfortable for workwear, more durable in the face of workplace damage, and with a lower maintenance burden.

Whatever your needs, we have ten different kinds of polos available for you to choose from, in a whole range of colors and customization options. We strive to make sure they're all produced as ethically as possible, and we're always happy to answer any questions you might have about them. So, check them out, see if they suit your needs, and drop us a line!