Textile Yarns and Threads

Textile Yarns and Threads

Yarn is a long continuous length of interlocked fibres, suitable for use in the production

of textiles, sewing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, embroidery, and rope making.

Thread is a type of yarn intended for sewing by hand or machine.

Yarns can be described as single or one-ply; ply, plied, or folded; or as cord, including

cable and hawser types.

Single yarns

Single, or one-ply, yarns are single strands composed of fibers held together by at

least a small amount of twist; or of filaments grouped together either with or without

twist; or of narrow strips of material

Single yarns of the spun type, composed of many short fibres, require twist to hold

them together and may be made with either S-twist or Z-twist. Single yarns are used

to make the greatest variety of fabrics.

Ply yarns:

Ply, plied, or folded, yarns are composed of two or more single yarns twisted together.

Two-ply yarn, for example, is composed of two single strands; three-ply yarn is 

composed of three single strands. 

In making ply yarns from spun strands, the individual strands are usually each twisted

in one direction and are then combined and twisted in the opposite direction. When 

both the single strands and the final ply yarns are twisted in the same direction, the

fibre is firmer, producing harder texture and reducing flexibility. Ply yarns provide

strength for heavy industrial fabrics and are also used for delicate-looking sheer 

fabrics.

Cord yarns:

Cord yarns are produced by twisting ply yarns together, with the final twist usually

applied in the opposite direction of the ply twist. 

Cable cords may follow an SZS form, with S-twisted singles made into Z-twisted plies

that are then combined with an S-twist, or may follow a ZSZ form. Hawser cord may 

follow an SSZ or a ZZS pattern. Cord yarns may be used as rope or twine, may be

made into very heavy industrial fabrics, or may be composed of extremely fine fibres 

that are made up into sheer dress fabrics.

Novelty yarns:

Novelty yarns include a wide variety of yarns made with such special effects as slubs,

produced by intentionally including small lumps in the yarn structure, and man-made 

yarns with varying thickness introduced during production.