Chapter 2

Sewing Thread

Sewing Thread: Sewing thread are special kind of yarn that are engineered and design to pass through a sewing machine at high
speed while forming a stitch. Sewing thread are the main trims of the garments. Sewing threads are expected to maintain the
aesthetics and performance standards for stitching and seams during the life of product.

According to the definition given by ASTM, sewing thread is a flexible, small diameter yarn or strand usually treated with a
surface coating, lubricant or both, intended to be used to stitch one or more pieces of material or an object to a material. It may be
defined as smooth, evenly spun, hard-twisted ply yarn, treated by a special finishing process to make it resistant to stresses in its
passage through the eye of a needle and through material involved in seaming and stitching operations.

Sewing thread
A thread and yarn are similar but not the same .This article helps you to highlight the differences between thread and yarn.

Serial No. Thread Yarn

Thread is a long fiber Yarn is a continuous interlocked

made of different thread.
01 materials mostly used in
sewing.
Threads are used in Yarns are used to make fabric sheet.
02 joining ply of fabric
during making
garments.
Threads are stronger Yarns are less strong than thread.
03 than yarn.

Generally, the thread is Generally, the yarn is heavy in

04 lighter in weight than weight than thread.
yarn.
Threads are used for Yarns are used for weaving fabrics,
1

05 stitching products. Knitting fabrics, and making the

Page

thread.

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 1
 Thread is thicker than Yarn is thinner than thread.
06 yarn.

Generally, threads are Yarns are sold in bigger package

07 sold in a small package.

What are the factors that affect functions of a sewing thread?

Factors affecting aesthetics

Colour, lustre and fineness / thickness should be considered while selecting a thread for decorative purposes such as top stitching
or embroidery.

Other considerations include:

1. Hue and shade matching
2. Colour fastness
3. Stitch selection
4. Uniformity of stitch formation
Factors affecting performance
Thread used in garments must be durable enough to withstand the abrasion and needle heat that occur while sewing, garment
finishing, stretching and recovery during wear.
Thread performance in garments can be evaluated from its
1. Seam strength
2. Abrasion resistance
3. Elasticity
4. Chemical resistance
5. Flammability
6. Colour fastness

What is “Sew ability”?

'Sew ability' of thread is a term used to describe a sewing thread’s performance. A thread with good sew ability is uniform in
diameter with a good surface finish. Longitudinal uniformity of thread contributes to uniform strength and reduced friction, as it
passes through the stitch forming mechanisms. It also minimizes thread breakages and the associated costs incurred from
rethreading machines, repairing stitches and producing inferior quality products.

Sew ability parameters:

The parameters that define the superior sew ability of thread are:

1. No breakages in high-speed sewing

2. Consistent stitch formation
3. No skipped stitches
4. Evenness, to prevent changes in tension during sewing
5. A high level of abrasion resistance
6. Sufficient surface smoothness, to pass easily through the machine guide

Essential properties required for sewing threads:

Industrial sewing techniques make specific and often very exacting demands on the threads involved in the sewing process. The
sewability of sewing threads is of major importance, having a very profound effect on seam quality and production costs. The
sewing and the seam performance of a sewing thread are largely influenced by the material to be sewn, the sewing technique and
the end-use for which the sewn material is intended. These requirements can be defined as:
1. The ability of the sewing thread to meet the functional requirements of producing the desired seam effectively.
2. The ability of the sewing thread to provide the desired aesthetics and serviceability in the seam.
2

3. The cost of sewing thread and that associated with producing the desired seam.
Page

Thread classification:

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 2
 Thread can be classified in different ways. Some common classifications are those based on:

1. Substrate
2. Construction
3. Finish

1. Classification based on substrate

Natural
The usage of thread made from natural substrates is now minimal in industry applications. However, the most commonly used
natural thread is cotton thread.
1. Linen
2. Silk thread
3. Cotton thread
a) Soft cotton thread
b) Mercerized cotton thread
c) Glaced cotton thread
4. Viscose thread

Synthetic

Due to the limitations of natural fibres, thread users have turned to threads made from synthetic fibres as they have desirable
properties of exceptionally high tenacity, high resistance to abrasion and good resistance to chemicals. They are also not
significantly affected by moisture, rot, mildew, insects or bacteria.
1. Polyester thread
2. Nylon thread
3. Aramid thread
4. PTFE thread

2. Classification based on construction thread structure

Spun thread

Spun thread is made using natural or synthetic fibres. Spun polyester is one of the most
widely used threads. It is stronger than cotton threads of a comparable size, and is available in a wide variety of sizes and colours.
3
Page

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 3
 Core spun thread
Core spun thread is a combination of staple fibres and filaments. The most commonly used core spun thread has multiple-ply
construction, with each ply consisting of a polyester filament core with cotton or polyester fibres wrapped around the core.

This thread structure influences the strength of filament polyester and the sewability of cotton or polyester fibre wrap. Corespun
thread is generally used for the high-speed sewing of many garment types, especially those requiring high seam strength.

Filament threads
Filament threads are stronger than spun threads of the same fibre and size. Three types of filament threads are commonly used:

Monofilament thread is made from a single continuous fibre with a specified thickness.
Though monofilament is strong, uniform and inexpensive to make, it lacks flexibility and is stiff and scratchy in feel. As a result,
usage is normally restricted to hems, draperies, and upholstered furniture.

Smooth multifilament thread is usually made from nylon or polyester and is used where
high strength is a primary requirement. It consists of two or more continuous filaments twisted together. It is commonly used to
4

sew shoes, leather garments, and industrial products

Page

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 4
 Textured filament thread is usually made from polyester and is used primarily as the looper thread for cover stitches. Texturing
filaments gives the yarn more cover and high extensibility, but makes the thread more subject to snagging.

3. Classification based on thread finish

Finishes are given to a thread for two purposes

To improve sewability
Some finishes involve increasing strength, abrasion resistance and lubrication of the thread.

To achieve a specific functional requirement

Some finishes include bonding, non wick, anti-fungal, fire retardant, water repellent and anti-static finishes.
Different Types of Sewing Threads:

Usually, sewing threads are manufactured from either natural or manmade fibres in either staple or filament form. A broad
classification of different types of sewing threads is given below:

Further, Seam pucker can be determined by measuring the differences in fabric and seam thickness under a constant compressive
load. The seam-thickness strain is calculated by using the formula:

Thickness strain (%) = (seam thickness – 2 x fabric thickness) x 100 / 2x fabric thickness
Properties of sewing Thread:

[Link] Strength

2. Tenacity

[Link] strength

[Link] strength ratio

[Link] Loop Strength

[Link] at break
5

[Link]-Strength curve
Page

8. Elasticity

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 5
 9. Shrinkage

[Link] resistance

11. Color fastness

Basic requirements for good quality sewing thread?

Good tensile strength

Good tensile strength holds the stitched seam securely during wash and wear.

Smooth surface and absence of faults

Smooth surface and absence of faults ensures less friction between the needle and the material during high-speed sewing. The
thread must be well lubricated to increase its sew ability and resistance to abrasion.

Uniform thickness / diameter

Uniform thickness / diameter results in an even sewing thread, which moves smoothly and quickly through the needle eye and the
fabric. It also affects the thread’s tensile strength, resistance to abrasion and its twist construction. An uneven thread may twist
into short knots and jam at the eye of the needle.

Good elasticity
Good elasticity enables thread to recover its original length immediately after the tension has been released. The elasticity of
sewing thread affects the strength and the finished quality of a stitched seam.

Good colour fastness

Good colour fastness provides immunity to the different agents the thread is exposed to during manufacture and washing. The
thread must hence be uniformly dyed.

Low shrinkage
Low shrinkage of the thread being used on the fabric material with higher shrinkage reduces the chances of seam puckering.
6

Good resistanceto chemical attack

Page

Good resistanceto chemical attack is a desirable property for thread used in garments which may undergo washing, bleaching or
dry-cleaning

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 6
 Good abrasion resistance
Good abrasion resistance ensures a good sewing performance and makes the thread more durable.

The following figures show the results of thread-to-thread abrasion tests and give an indication of their respective resistance to
abrasion:

If Linen, Rayon Continuous Filament (CF) has resistance of 1, then:

Cotton = 3
Spun Silk = 4
Spun Polyester = 12
CF Polyester = 30
Spun Nylon = 40
CF Nylon = 150

Good colour fastness

Good colour fastness will retain the thread’s original colour without running or fading when subjected to wash and light
exposure. The thread colour should be resistant to different agents to which it is exposed during manufacture and use.

Colour fastness can be measured against:

Chlorinated water
Perspiration
Cold water staining
Dry cleaning
Pressing - wet and dry
Bleaching

Minimal metamerism
Minimal metamerism can be achieved by assessing colour with colour matching cabinets. Metamerism is an inherent property of
a thread when the same thread colour appears to be different under different lighting conditions. Standard illuminants are often
used to counter the effects of metamerism

Different Types of Sewing Threads:

Usually, sewing threads are manufactured from either natural or manmade fibres in either staple or filament form. A broad
classification of different types of sewing threads is given below:
7
Page

©MUBASHWIR MOSHWAN 7