Textilefibers,threads,yarnsandfabricsare measured in a multiplicity of units.
- Afiber,a single filament of natural material, such ascotton,linenorwool,or artificial material such asnylon,polyester,metalormineral fiber,or human-made cellulosic fibre like viscose, Modal,Lyocellor otherrayonfiber is measured in terms oflinear mass density,the weight of a given length of fiber. Various units are used to refer to the measurement of a fiber, such as: thedenierandtex(linear mass density of fibers),super S(fineness of wool fiber),worstedcount, woolen count,linen count (wet spun)(or Number English (Ne)),cotton count(or Number English (Ne)), Number metric (Nm) andyield(the reciprocal of denier and tex).
- Ayarn,a spunagglomerationof fibers used forknitting,weavingorsewing,is measured in terms of cotton count and yarn density.
Thread made from two threads plied together, each consisting of three yarns - Thread, usually consisting of multiple yarnspliedtogether producing a long, thin strand used in sewing or weaving, is measured in the same units as yarn.
- Fabric,material typically produced by weaving, knitting or knotting textile fibers, yarns or threads, is measured in units such as themomme,thread count (a measure of the coarseness or fineness of fabric),ends per inch (e.p.i)andpicks per inch (p.p.i).
Fibers
editMicronaire
editMicronaireis a measure of theair permeabilityofcotton fiberand is an indication of fineness andmaturity.[1]Micronaire affects various aspects of cotton processing.[2]
Micron
editOne millionth of ametre,or one thousandth of a millimetre; about one-fourth the width of a strand ofspider silk.
Cotton Bale Size
Cotton lint is usually measured inbales,although there is no standard and the bale size may vary country to country. For example, in the United States it measures approximately 0.48 cubic metres (17 cu ft) and weighs 226.8 kg (500 lb).[3]In India, a bale equals 170 kg (370 lb).[4]
S or super S number
editNot a true unit of measure, S or super S number is an index of the fineness of wool fiber and is most commonly seen as a label on wool apparel, fabric, and yarn.
Slivers, tops and rovings
edit
Slivers, tops and rovings are terms used in the worsted process. The sliver come off the card, tops come after the comb,rovingscome before a yarn, and all have a heavierlinear density.
Grams per metre
editIf the metric system is in use the linear density of slivers and tops is given in grams per metre. Tops destined for machine processing are typically 20 grams per metre. Hobby spinners typical use a little heavier top.
Yield
editSimilar to tex and denier, yield is a term that helps describe thelinear densityof arovingof fibers. However, unlike tex and denier, yield is the inverse oflinear densityand is usually expressed in yards per pound (yd/lb).
| Tex (g/km) | Yield (yd/lb) |
|---|---|
| 550 | 900 |
| 735 | 675 |
| 1,100 | 450 |
| 1,200 | 413 |
| 2,000 | 250 |
| 2,200 | 225 |
| 2,400 | 207 |
| 4,400 | 113 |
Yarn and thread
editTwist
edit
Twists per inch
editNumber of twists per inch.[5]
Twists per metre
editNumber of twists per metre.[5]
Linear density
editThere are two systems used for presenting linear density, direct and indirect. When the direct method is used, the length is fixed and the weight of yarn is measured; for example, tex gives the weight in grams of one thousand metres of yarn. An indirect method fixes the weight and gives the length of yarn created.
Units
editThe textile industry has a long history and there are various units in use. Tex is more likely to be used in Canada andContinental Europe,while denier remains more common in the United States.
- tex:Grams per 1,000 metres of yarn. Tex is a direct measure of linear density.[5]
- den(denier): Grams per 9,000 metres of yarn. Den is a direct measure of linear density.[5]
- dtex(deci-tex): Grams per 10,000 metres of yarn. Dtex is a direct measure of linear density.[5]
- gr/yard:Grains per yard of yarn. Gr/yard is a direct measure of linear density, but is rarely used in the modern textile industry.
- ECCorNeCorNe(English Cotton Count): The number of 840 yd lengths per pound. ECC is an indirect measure of linear density. It is the number of hanks of skein material that weighs 1 lb. Under this system, the higher the number, the finer the yarn. In the United States cotton counts between 1 and 20 are referred to as coarse counts.[5]
- NeKorNeW(Worsted Count): The number of 560 yd lengths per 1 lb of yarn. NeK is an indirect measure of linear density.[5]NeK is also referred to as thespinning count.
- NeLorLea(Linen Count): The number of 300 yd lengths per 1 lb of yarn. NeL is an indirect measure of linear density.
- NeS(Woollen Count or Yorkshire Skeins Woollen): The number of 256 yd lengths per 1 lb of yarn. NeS is an indirect measure of linear density. One of the best known of the many different woolen yarn counts.[5]
Conversion table
editThe following table summarizes several measures of linear density and gives equivalences.
| tex | dtex | den | (gr/yd) | NeL or Lea | Nm | NeC or Ne | NeK or NeW | NeS | metric or imperial | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tex | tex | dtex ÷ 10 | den ÷ 9 | (gr/yd) × 70.86 | 1,653.5 ÷ NeL | 1,000 ÷ Nm | 590.5 ÷ NeC | 885.5 ÷ NeK | 1,937.7 ÷ NeS | grams per 1 km |
| dtex | tex × 10 | dtex | den ÷ 0.9 | (gr/yd) × 708.6 | 16,535 ÷ NeL | 10,000 ÷ Nm | 5,905.4 ÷ NeC | 8,855.8 ÷ NeK | 19,377 ÷ NeS | grams per 10 km |
| den | tex × 9 | dtex × 0.9 | den | (gr/yd) × 637.7 | 14,882 ÷ NeL | 9,000 ÷ Nm | 5,314.9 ÷ NeC | 7,972.3 ÷ NeK | 17,439 ÷ NeS | grams per 9,000 m |
| gr/yd | tex ÷ 70.86 | dted ÷ 708.6 | den ÷ 673.7 | gr/yd | 23.33 ÷ NeL | 14.1 ÷ Nm | 8.33 ÷ NeC | 12.5 ÷ NeK | 27.34 ÷ NeS | grains per yard |
| NeL | 1,653.5 ÷ tex | 16,535 ÷ dtex | 14,882 ÷ den | 23.33 ÷ (gr/yd) | NeL | Nm × 1.6535 | NeC × 2.8 | NeK × 1.87 | NeS × 0.8533 | 300 yards per lb |
| Nm | 1,000 ÷ tex | 10,000 ÷ dtex | 9,000 ÷ den | 14.1 ÷ (gr/yd) | NeL ÷ 1.6535 | Nm | NeC × 1.6934 | NeK × 1.13 | NeS × 0.516 | 1,000 m per kg |
| NeC | 590.5 ÷ tex | 5,905.4 ÷ dtex | 5,314.9 ÷ den | 8.33 ÷ (gr/yd) | NeL ÷ 2.8 | Nm ÷ 1.6934 | NeC | NeK ÷ 1.5 | NeS ÷ 3.28 | 840 yards per lb |
| NeK | 885.8 ÷ tex | 8,858 ÷ dtex | 7,972.3 ÷ den | 12.5 ÷ (gr/yd) | NeL ÷ 1.87 | Nm ÷ 1.13 | NeC × 1.5 | NeK | NeS ÷ 2.187 | 560 yards per lb |
| NeS | 1,937.7 ÷ tex | 19,377 ÷ dtex | 17,439 ÷ den | 27.34 ÷ (gr/yd) | NeL ÷ 0.8533 | Nm ÷ 0.516 | NeC × 3.28 | NeK × 2.187 | NeS | 256 yards per lb |
Denier
editDenier(/ˈdɛniər/) orden(abbreviatedD), a unit of measure for thelinear mass densityoffibers,is themassingramsper 9,000metresof the fiber.[6]The denier is based on a natural reference: a single strand ofsilkis approximately one denier; a 9,000-metre strand of silk weighs about one gram. The termdeniercomes from theFrench denier,a coin of small value (worth1⁄12sou). Applied toyarn,a denier was held to be equal in weight to1⁄24ounce (1.2 g).
There is a difference betweenfilamentandtotalmeasurements in deniers. Both are defined as above, but the first relates to a single filament of fiber (commonly calleddenier per filament(DPF)), whereas the second relates to a yarn.
Broader terms, such asfinemay be applied, either because the overall yarn is fine or because fibers within this yarn are thin. A 75-denier yarn is considered fine even if it contains only a few fibers, such as thirty 2.5-denier fibers; but a heavier yarn, such as 150 denier, is considered fine only if its fibers are individually as thin as one denier.[6]
The following relationship applies to straight, uniform filaments:
- DPF = total denier / quantity of uniform filaments
The denier system of measurement is used on two- and single-filament fibers. Some common calculations are as follows:[7]
| 1 denier | = 1 g / 9,000 m |
| = 0.11 mg/m |
In practice, measuring 9,000 m (30,000 ft) is both time-consuming and unrealistic. Generally a sample of 900 metres is weighed, and the result is multiplied by ten to obtain the denier weight.
- A fiber is generally considered amicrofiberif it is one denier or less.
- A one-denierpolyesterfiber has adiameter[8]of about ten micrometres.
- Intightsandpantyhose,the linear density of yarn used in the manufacturing process determines the opacity of the article in the following categories of commerce: ultra sheer (below 10 denier), sheer (10 to 30 denier), semi-opaque (30 to 40 denier), opaque (40 to 70 denier) and thick opaque (70 denier or higher).[9]
For single fibers, instead of weighing, a machine called avibroscopeis used. A known length of the fiber (usually 20 mm) is set to vibrate, and its fundamental frequency measured, allowing the calculation of the mass and thus thelinear density.
Yarn length
editGiven the linear density and weight the yarn length can be calculated; for example:
l/m = 1693 ×lm/Nec ×m/kg,wherel/mis the yarn length in metres,lm/Necis the English cotton count andm/kgis the yarn weight in kilograms.
The following length units are defined.
- Bundle:usually 10 lb (4.5 kg)
- Thread:a length of 54 in (1.4 m)—the circumference of a warp beam
- Lea:120 yd (110 m)
- Hank:a length of 7 leas or 840 yd (770 m)
- Spyndle:14,400 yd (13,200 m)—used in the English rope industry
Fabrics
editGrams per square metre (GSM)
editFabric weightis measured in grams per square metre or g/m2(also abbreviated as GSM). GSM is the metric measurement of the weight of a fabric—it is a criticalparameterfor any textile product. The weight may affect density, thickness and many physical properties of the fabric, such as strength. GSM is accountable for the linear metres and specific use of the fabric. The fabric weight is measured in grams. In themetric system,the mass per unit area of all types of textiles is expressed in grams per square metre (g/m2).
Thegram(alternative spelling:gramme;SIunit symbol:g) is ametric systemunitofmass.A gram is defined as one thousandth of theSIbase unit, thekilogram,or1×10−3kg.Square metre (alternative spelling: square meter; SI unit symbol: m2) is a superficial area equal to that of a square whose sides' lengths are each one metre.
Typically a cheap T-shirt fabric is approximately 150 g/m2.GSM of fabric helps in determining the consumption, cost and application. The more the gsm transposes to thicker and heavy construction.[10][11]
Mommes
editMommes(mm), traditionally used to measuresilkfabrics, the weight inpoundsof a piece of fabricifit were sized 45inchesby 100yards(1.2 m by 90 m). One momme = 4.340 g/m2;8 mommes is approximately 1 ounce per square yard or 35 g/m2.
The momme is based on the standard width of silk of 45 inches (1.1 m) wide (though silk is regularly produced in 55-inch (1.4 m) widths and uncommonly in larger widths).
The usual range of momme weight for different weaves of silk are:
- Habutai—5 to 16 mm
- Chiffon—6 to 8 mm (can be made in double thickness, i.e. 12 to 16 mm)
- Crepe de Chine—12 to 16 mm
- Gauze—3 to 5 mm
- Raw silk—35 to 40 mm (heavier silks appear more "wooly" )
- Organza—4 to 6 mm
- Charmeuse—12 to 30 mm
The higher the weight in mommes, the more durable the weave and the more suitable it is for heavy-duty use. Also, the heavier the silk, the more opaque it becomes. This can vary even within the same weave of silk: for example, lightweight charmeuse is translucent when used in clothing, but 30-momme charmeuse is opaque.
Thread count
editThread count,also calledthreadcountorthreads per inch(TPI),[12]is a measure of the coarseness or fineness of fabric. It is measured by counting the number of threads contained in one square inch of fabric or one square centimetre, including both the length (warp) and width (weft) threads. The thread count is the number of threads counted along two sides (up and across) of the square inch, added together. It is used especially with cottonlinenssuch asbed sheets,and has been known to be used in the classification of towels.
There is a common misconception that thread count is an important consideration when purchasing bedding. However, linen experts claim that beyond a thread count of 400, there is no difference in quality. They further highlight that sheet material is of greater importance than thread count.[13]The amount of thread that can fit into a square inch of fabric is limited, suggesting that bedding beyond 400 count is likely a marketing strategy.[14]Inflated thread counts are usually the result of including the number of strands in a twisted yarn in the claimed thread count.[15]
Industry standard
editThread count is often used as a measure of fabric quality, thus "standard" cotton thread counts are around 150 while "good-quality" sheets start at 180 and a count of 200 or higher is considered "percale".Some (but not all) extremely high thread counts (typically over 500) mislead as they usually count the individual threads in"plied"yarns (a yarn that is made by twisting together multiple finer threads). For marketing purposes, a fabric with 250 two-ply yarns in both the vertical and horizontal direction could have the component threads counted to a 1,000 thread count although according to theNational Textile Association(NTA),[16]which cites the international standards group ASTM International, accepted industry practice is to count each thread as one, even threads spun as two- or three-ply yarn. TheFederal Trade Commissionin an August 2005 letter to the NTA agreed that consumers "could be deceived or misled" by inflated thread counts.[17]
In 2002, ASTM proposed a definition for "thread count"[18]that has been called "the industry's first formal definition for thread count".[19]A small number of the ASTM committee argued for the higher yarn count number obtained by counting each single yarn in a plied yarn and cited as authority the provision relating to woven fabric in theHarmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States,which states each ply should be counted as one using the "average yarn number."[19]In 2017, the Federal Trade Commission issued a General Exclusion Order barring entry of woven textile fabrics and products marked with inflated thread counts. The inflated thread counts were deemed false advertising under section 43 of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1125(a)(1)(B).[20]
In tartans
editIn the context oftartans,thread counts are used not for determining coarseness, but rather for recording and reliably repeating the cross-striped pattern of the cloth. Such a thread count (which for the typicalworsted woollencloth used for a kilt must in total be divisible by 4) is given as a series of colour-code and thread-count pairs. Sometimes, with typical symmetrical (reflective) tartans, slash (/ ) markup at the ends is used to indicate whether (and how much of) a "pivot" colour is to be repeated when the design is mirrored and repeated backwards. For example,B/24 W4 B24 R2 K24 G24 W/2calls for a pattern of (left to right) blue, white, blue, red, black, green, and white, and indicates that when mirrored the two white threads (going one direction) or 24 blue threads (going the other) are repeated after mirroring, resulting in a total of 4 white going rightward and 48 blue heading left. This is known as ahalf-count at pivotthread count. The samesett(technically a half-sett) could also be represented/B48 W4 B24 R2 K24 G24 W4/,in afull-count at pivotthread count; this indicates that after the four white threads, the pattern resumes backwards with 24 green without repetition of any of the white count.[21]The old style, without slash markup—B48 W4 B24 R2 K24 G24 W4—is considered ambiguous, but is most often interpreted as a full count. The comparatively rare non-symmetrical tartans are given in full setts and are simply repeated without mirroring.
Ends per inch
editEnds per inch(EPI or e.p.i.) is the number ofwarpthreads per inch of woven fabric.[12][22]In general, the higher the ends per inch, the finer the fabric is.
Ends per inch is very commonly used by weavers who must use the number of ends per inch in order to pick the rightreedtoweavewith. The number of ends per inch varies on the pattern to be woven and the thickness of the thread. The number of times the thread can be wrapped around a ruler in adjacent turns over an inch is called thewraps per inch.Plain weavesgenerally use half the number of wraps per inch for the number of ends per inch, whereas denser weaves like a twill weave will use a higher ratio like two-thirds of the number of wraps per inch. Finer threads require more threads per inch than thick ones and thus result in a higher number of ends per inch.
The number of ends per inch in a piece of woven cloth varies depending on the stage of manufacture. Before the cloth is woven, the warp has a certain number of ends per inch, which is directly related to the sizereedbeing used. After weaving, the number of ends per inch will increase, and it will increase again after being washed. This increase in the number of ends per inch (and picks per inch) andshrinkagein the size of the fabric is known as thetake-up.The take-up depends on many factors, including the material and how tightly the cloth is woven. Tightly woven fabric shrinks more (and thus the number of ends per inch increases more) than loosely woven fabric, as do more elastic yarns and fibers.
Picks per inch
editPicks per inch(or p.p.i.) is the number ofweftthreads per inch of woven fabric.[22]A pick is a single weft thread,[23]hence the term. In general, the higher the picks per inch, the finer is the fabric.
Courses and wales
editLoops are the building blocks ofknitted fabrics,and courses and wales in knitted fabrics are importantly similar to ends and pick in woven fabrics. The knitting structure is formed by intermeshing[24]the loops in consecutive rows.
- Coursesare the total number of horizontal rows measured in per inch or per centimetre. The course is a horizontal row of loops formed by all the adjacent needles during one revolution. Course length is obtained by multiplying loop length with the number of needles involved in the production of the course.
- Walesare the number of vertical columns measured in per inch or per centimetre.
- Because the number of courses and wales per inch or per centimetre infers (more or less) the tight and loose knitting.Stitch or loop densityis the total number of loops in a unit area such as per square centimetre or per square inch.[25]
- Stitch/loop lengthis a major factor in a knitted fabric's overall quality, affecting dimensional stability, drape and appearance, etc. Loop length is the length of yarn contained to form a loop.[26]
Air permeability
editAir permeabilityis a measure of the ability ofairto pass through a fabric.[27]Air permeability is defined as "the volume of air in cubic centimetres (cm3) which is passed through in one second through 100 cm2of the fabric at a pressure difference of 10 cm head of water ",[28]also known as theGurley unit.It is standardized by, among others, normASTM D737-18and normISO 9237-1995.
Factors that affect air permeability includeporosity,fabric thickness and construction, yarn density, twist,crimp,layering, and moisture within the fabric.
The concept of air permeability is important for the design ofactive wear[27]andinsect netting.[28]
References
edit- ^"Fiber Properties".cottoninc.com.Cotton Incorporated.Retrieved2018-05-23.
- ^"Cotton value addition – The impact of cotton fibre properties on textile".CottonGuide.org.International Trade Centre.Retrieved2018-05-21.
- ^"U.S. Cotton Bale Dimensions".cotton.org.Retrieved2020-09-19.
- ^"Measurements - The Farm Hub - Textile Exchange".farmhub.textileexchange.org.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-05-14.Retrieved2020-09-19.
- ^abcdefghGohl, Erhard; Vilensky, Leo (1990). "26: Sundry Facts about Yarns".Textiles For Modern Living.Melbourne:Longman Cheshire.p. 190,191.ISBN0582874149.
- ^abHaynes, Williams (1946). "XVII: New Fibres: New Fabrics".This Chemical Age.London:Secker and Warburg.p.217.
- ^"ASTM D1907 / D1907M – 12 Standard Test Method for Linear Density of Yarn (Yarn Number) by the Skein Method".ASTM.org.ASTM International.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-11-13.Retrieved2016-12-18.
- ^Jaouadi, Mounir; Msehli, Slah; Sakli, Faouzi (September 2007)."Evaluation of real yarn diameter".The Indian Textile Journal.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-10-03.Retrieved2016-02-18.
- ^"UK Tights & My Tights Is Earth's Largest Hosiery Store".uktights.com.Archived fromthe originalon 2015-03-18.Retrieved2016-12-18.
- ^Gandhi, Kim (2019).Woven Textiles: Principles, Technologies and Applications.Elsevier Science. p. 309.ISBN9780081024980.
- ^"What is GSM in Fabrics?".Gentelle.Retrieved2021-07-13.
- ^ab"Fahrradreifen – Schwalbe Fahrradreifen und Rollstuhlreifen".Schwalbe.de.Retrieved2016-12-18.
- ^"What is Thread Count?".doublejersey.be.25 March 2021.
- ^Louie, Elaine (14 May 2018)."High Thread Counts May Not Lead to Sweet Dreams".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on 16 November 2017.
- ^"Busting the thread count myth".dipanddoze.com.2018-10-25.Retrieved2019-02-13.
- ^"ケータリング tình báo quán".Nationaltextile.org.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-12-19.Retrieved2016-12-18.
- ^"Federal Trade Commission Letter"(PDF).nationaltextile.org.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2009-02-27.
- ^"ASTM Fabric Count Tech News".ASTM.org.ASTM International.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-08-10.Retrieved2016-12-18.
- ^abFelgner, Brent (2004-10-25)."Down For the (Thread) Count".Home Textiles Today.Archived fromthe originalon 2008-04-11.Retrieved2008-01-21.
- ^International Trade Registry (2017-03-24).Certain Woven Textile Fabrics and Products Containing Same; Issuance of a General Exclusion Order; Termination of the Investigation.Federal Register(Report). National Archive.Retrieved2019-02-12.
- ^"Guidance – Threadcount".Scottish Register of Tartans.2019.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2019.Retrieved14 March2020.
- ^abCurtis 1921
- ^"Pick".The Oxford English Dictionary.2nd ed. 1989.
- ^"Intermeshing".Merriam-Webster Thesaurus.Retrieved2020-09-19.
- ^Wellington Sears Handbook of Industrial Textiles.CRC Press. 6 October 1995. p. 127.ISBN9781566763400.
- ^Knitting Technology.Elsevier. 20 May 2014. p. 245.ISBN9781483182230.
- ^abStevens, K; Fuller, M (2015). "Thermoregulation and clothing comfort".Textile-Led Design for the Active Ageing Population.p. 117.doi:10.1016/B978-0-85709-538-1.00009-2.ISBN9780857095381.
- ^ab"What Is Air Permeability?".Acadian Industrial Textiles. 19 September 2017.Retrieved2018-05-23.
Bibliography
edit- Collier, Ann M (1970).A Handbook of Textiles.Pergamon Press. p. 258.ISBN0-08-018057-4.
- Curtis, H P (1921).Glossary of Textile Terms.Arthur Roberts Black Book. Manchester: Marsden & Company, Ltd.Retrieved2009-01-11.