Percale refers to a tight weave of the fabric; one yarn over, one yarn under. Used with cotton it produces a very strong and soft fabric with a (semi) matt finish. Cotton percale is also lighter in weight and more breathable than cotton sateen.
Thread count refers to the number of threads woven per inch. In general; the higher the thread count, the more denser and softer to the touch a fabric becomes, provided that high-quality cotton and single-ply thread is used. Since we follow these high standards, our 300 thread count fabrics are already of a good quality and our 400 or 500 TC will be noticeably softer and slightly heavier.