Understand Yarn Count

The aim of these pages is to attempt to unravel the mystery surounding those numbers.
What does 2/32's mean? Is it thicker or thinner than 30 tex? and what is 60/2 Nm?

The section begins with a general overview,
then looks in more detail at the various count systems,
continues with some conversion and comparison charts
and ends with a look at machine sewing threads.

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Most handknitters are used to thinking in terms of ply when considering the thickness of yarn and thread.

However the word ply only describes the number of single ends of yarn
that have been twisted together to form a useable yarn.

Ply does not accurately describe the thickness or thinness of yarn.
It must be appreciated that one brand of 4ply yarn can be vastly different in thickness to that of another brand of 4ply.

The thickness or size of a specific yarn or thread, is known as it's Linear Density.

This describes the relationship of yarn or thread length to it's weight
In order to calculate linear density a given length of yarn is measured and weighed.

Each yarn is then labeled with a numerical value.

Sounds simple, but unfortunately that is not the case.
Over the years several different methods of making these calculations have evolved
leading to confusion and misunderstanding,
making it difficult to compare yarn and thread sizes from one source, with those of another.

However all these different methods can be said to fall into
one of two basic, but distinctly different classifications.

either the fixed weight system or the fixed length system

Fixed weight system

Fixed length system

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In 1956, The International Organisation for Standardisation ,
decided that it would make more sense if there was only one universal system.
It was suggested that the TEX system,
which is a fixed length, direct system, should be adopted world wide.
Many spinners and manufactures have adopted this method as their standard
but large sections of the industry have not, and still continue to use the traditional methods.

However, over the last few years support for the idea has grown,
and the Standardisation Organisation is confident that in the not too distant future,
the Tex system will be accepted as the world wide standard.

THE FIXED WEIGHT SYSTEM

The fixed weight or indirect system is divided into 2 sub-systems
yarn count and metric yarn count.

yarn count

metric count (Nm)

For all fixed weight systems
the lower the number the thicker the yarn.

But what do the numbers mean?

The indirect count numbers are written as two numbers separated by a forward slash, for example 2/30's

For most counts the first number states the number of single ends that have been plyed together,
so in the case of the example 2/30's count, we are looking at a 2ply yarn.

The second number is the number of hanks of single ends that weigh one pound,

our 2/30's yarn would mean that 2 single ends of 30's yarn plyed together weigh one pound,
to a produce a final yarn of 15's (remember lower number, thicker yarn).
A 4/60's yarn would be 4 ends of 60's plyed together, which would also produce a final yarn of 15's.
Therefore 4/60's and 2/30's yarn are the same thickness

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Why did you say most counts?

Because for some odd reason in the cotton count system and the metric (Nm) system,
the numbers are written the other way round.
The same number in cotton count would be written as 30/2(Ne C) and in metric count would be 30/2(Nm).

THE FIXED LENGTH SYSTEM

The fixed length or direct system is very straight forward
there are 3 values,Tex, dtex and Denier

Tex

dTex

Denier

for all direct counts
the higher the number the thicker the yarn

But what do the numbers mean?

The direct count numbers are usually written as one whole number,
for example 30 Tex or, dtex 303 or 15 denier.

Sometimes the number will be followed by the number of plys contained in brackets,
for example dtex 300(3).

Unlike the indirect count, the Tex or dtex number describes the final yarn.
In other words dtex 300(3) means
that after the 3 ends have been plyed together to make a yarn,
10,000 metres of the finished yarn weighs 300 grams.

The Tex system is a logical and direct number system,
a TEX 30 yarn is twice as thick as a Tex 15 yarn

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