Characteristics of Sewing Thread:

There are different key properties of sewing thread which are mentioned in the
following:

1. Tensile strength:

The minimum load which is needed to break the sewing thread is termed as tensile
strength of that thread. It is expressed by gm, kg or lbs which may vary according
to the temperature and humidity. It is used to determine the difference of tensile
strength of sewing threads of same size or ticket number.

2. Tenacity:

The ratio of tensile strength and thickness or count of sewing thread is known as
tenacity. Strength and quality of various count thread are verifies by tenacity.
Tenacity is denoted by gm per tex or gm per denier.

3. Loop strength:

Thread has minimum strength in its loop position and the minimum load needed to
break the loop is termed as loop strength. It is deeply related with stitch strength of
a thread.

4. Loop strength ratio:

The ratio of sewing thread tenacity and loop strength of that thread is termed as
loop strength ratio. It should be noted here that, the maximum value of loop
strength ratio may be 2. Loop strength ratio is used to find out the efficiency of
sewing thread in the stitch.

5. Minimum loop strength:

The loop strength of weaker loop is termed as minimum loop strength. It is used to
determine the performance of sewing thread in the stitch.

6. Elongation at break:
Elongation at break is the extension of sewing thread at breaking point. It is
expressed in percentage. It is too much important for extensibility of seam.

7. Stress strain curve:

Stress strain curve is the drawing curve of tenacity which opposes the elongation of
sewing thread. It has great importance to compare the values of two threads.

8. Elasticity:

Elasticity is the property by means of which the sewing thread returns back to its
original position when deforming force is released. It should be noted here that
when sewing thread back to its original position after extension is calked plastic.
But if dont back to its original position is called plastic. Most of the sewing
threads are lies in the middle position of the elastic and plastic.

9. Shrinkage:

The dimensional change of sewing thread after washing with water or heat is
called shrinkage. Shrinkage is expressed as percentage. Due to the shrinkage of
threads, seam pucker is occurred.

10. Abrasion resistance:

Abrasion resistance is the frictional resistance of one sewing thread to another. It

has great importance to determine the sewing performance of thread which is
measured by using special machine and method.
11. Color fastness:

Color fastness is very important factor for the sewing thread. The color durability
of sewing thread against sunlight and wash must be as like as garments.

Fabric Ounces Per Thread Size Leather Ounces Thread Size Range
Yard Range Per Yard
2 to 6 15 to 1 to 8 46 to 207
Ounces 33 Ounces
6 to 8 33 to 8 to 12 138 to 277
Ounces 46 Ounces
8 to 10 46 to 12 to 16 207 to 346
Ounces 69 Ounces
10 to 12 69 to Multiple 207 to 346
Ounces 92 Layers
12 to 14 92 to
Ounces 207

Sewing Application Recommendation

Machine sewing lightweight Lightweight thread sizes generate little needle heat
thread sizes 15 to 46 and are unlikely to fray. Bonded and soft thread work
 equally well.

Machine sewing thread sizes Bonded thread is strongly recommended

69 and higher

Hand sewing It does not matter if you use bonded or soft

thread.

Wrapping and gluing Soft thread is preferred because bonded thread

often
repels glues and adhesives. You can soak a
bonded
thread in alcohol to remove the bonding.

Other non-sewing applications Finish does not matter in most cases. Bonded
such as hanging and reinforcing thread
is better if it is going through a narrow tube.

These requirements can be defined as:

The ability of the sewing thread to meet the functional requirements of

producing the desired seam effectively.

The ability of the sewing thread to provide the desired aesthetics and
serviceability in the seam.
 The cost of sewing thread and that associated with producing the desired seam.

The different important properties required by a sewing thread are discussed

below:

1. Needle thread must pass freely through the small eye of the needle;
consequently they must be uniform, knot-free, non-torque and fault free.

2. Tensile strength/breaking strength is one of the essential properties of the thread.

It must be capable of withstanding several kinetic/lateral movements during
sewing. The strength of the sewing thread must be higher than that of the fabric so
that the thread does not rupture during use. During sewing at high speeds, the
needle thread is subjected to repeated tensile stresses at very high rates. The thread
also comes under the influence of heat, bending, pressures, torsion and wearing.
The value of these stresses depends on the sewing speed, machine settings and the
thread used. The stresses created within the thread have a negative effect on the
processing and functional characteristics of the thread, and there is significant
reduction in the thread strength after sewing.

This is a function of the dynamic and thermal loading of the thread and is
influenced by the thread frictional properties, thread tensioning during sewing,
needle size, stitch length and number of fabric layers in the seam. The thread
should therefore possess adequate strength and elongation in order to perform
satisfactorily during sewing and in seam 7.

3. For good performance in a sewing machine moderate to low extension-at-break

of the thread is usually preferred. Needle thread with different elongation-at-break
has been found to behave quite differently during stitch formation. The
determinants of success of sewing a thread with certain elongation per cent without
any problem are the machine setting and special properties of the sewing thread
itself 6.

4. The elasticity of the sewing thread must be uniform along its length in order to
enable equal length stitches to be formed, and it must closely match the elasticity
of the fabric being sewn; otherwise either seam thread fracture, or tearing of the
adjacent fabric may arise during garment use. Clearly, the requirements of woven
and knitted fabrics will be different.

5. The forces that are developed in the sewing thread are mostly due to the friction
between the thread and machine parts, the most severe action taking place
between:

The thread and the needle.

The thread and the fabric being sewn.

A controlled level of both static and dynamic friction is required; this must not be
too high, which could cause lack of thread control. High static friction values are
necessary to allow the stitches to lock and prevent "run-back" of seams. Spun
threads are particularly good in this respect when compared with filament thread.
The worst is the monofilament threads. The frictional properties are affected by
lubrication. The factors that influence the frictional properties are:

Uniform application of lubricating agents.

Adhesion of the finishing agent on the thread.

The quantity and quality of finishes are very important. Special finishes like
silicone compounds have been found to exhibit clear advantage over standard
paraffin wax.

6. Good abrasion resistance is essential for good sewing performance. The thread is
under tension condition, especially when the stitch is being set. The thread must be
resilient enough to return to shape after the distortions, and then must maintain its
physical properties to provide good performance in the seam after the sewing
process is complete. Nylon and polyester offer the best resistance to abrasion.

7. Good resistance to heat is a very important requirement of a sewing thread. The

temperature reached by the sewing needle during sewing very much depends on:

The nature of the fabric to be sewn (density, thickness, finish)

The speed of the sewing machine

The type of needle used (size, shape, surface finish)

Size and finish of the sewing thread.

The needle temperature is especially critical for fabrics and sewing threads of
thermoplastic fibres, where it may exceed their melting temperature. Needle
heating causes sewing thread breakage, cross-thread, skipped stitches, seam
damage and physical damage to the needle.

Various studies show that the sewing thread influences the needle temperature
significantly. Its movement through the needle reduces the needle temperature by
an average of 21- 45%, the amount of reduction depends on the sewing condition
and the structure, fineness and composition of sewing thread.

Lubrication of sewing thread with a mixture of wax, emulsions with synthetic

resins, and silicon based products may minimise heat generation, and the fibres
surface of spun yarns may be an advantage in that a thin layer of the surrounding
air will move with the thread and promote needle cooling.

8. The hairiness of sewing thread also affects the appearance of the seam. Sewing
threads for decorative seams are singed, squeezed and gloss-brushed.

9. The final direction of twist insertion may be important to enable the stitch
forming mechanism of the sewing machine to perform correctly; most sewing
machine require Z twist, but there are a few where performance is better with S
twist.

10. Colour fastness is a general requirement for sewing thread. It is important that
the selected shade retain its colour throughout the life of the garment. Two aspects
of fastness are important:

The thread must not change colour.

The thread must not stain any material adjacent to the seam.

11. Low shrinkage during washing and ironing is required. Shrinkage due to fibre
swelling causes seams to pucker, especially if the fabric exhibits less shrinkage
than threads. Synthetic threads suffer less from this problem than cotton threads
owing to their much lower moisture absorbency; however they are liable to
residual shrinkage problems if unsuitable manufacturing processes are employed.
Synthetic threads can suffer from the problem of thermal shrinkage during ironing
but this difficulty can be solved by the use of high temperature setting, which
stabilises the thread at temperature above those normally encountered during the
ironing process.
The sewing threads should possess better evenness and should contain minimal
number of knots, faults and neps, etc. Thread should have very low level of
imperfections and classimat faults.

12. Good lustre in the thread improves appearance of the seam.

13. Threads must be uniformly dyed in a good match to the materials being sewn
and also the dyed thread should have properties like colourfastness to washing,
light, perspiration, and sublimation.

14. The ability of the thread to perform efficiently in the sewing machine is defined
sewability. It can be assessed by the number of breaks that occur during the sewing
of a certain number of stitches. However, owing to the generation of needle heat in
high-speed sewing, the threads could be damaged without breaking. The long knot-
free evenner yarns in case of rotor and air-jet can give better sewability.

15. The characteristics of properly constructed seam are strength, elasticity,

durability, stability and appearance. The relative importance of these qualities is
determined by the end-use of the sewn product. The factors that govern these
properties are seam and stitch type, thread strength and elasticity, stitches per unit
length of seam, thread tension, seam efficiency of the material. The hairiness of
sewing thread is important to decide seam appearance. The shrinkage potential of
the thread and hence the seam is also major importance for proper seam
appearance. The serviceability of a garment depends not only on the quality of the
fabric but also on that of the seam. The seam quality is measured by stitching
parameters of the threads and seam parameters such as size, slippage and strength.

The failure of seam produced by traverse loading can generally be classified as:
Type I: the failure due to thread breakage, Type II: the failure due to fabric
breakage, Seam breakage: the failure due to the slippage of cloth yarns at right
angle to the seam.

Seam slippage is the most probable cause for seam failure that leads to garment
rejection in wear. The durability of a seam depends largely on its strength and its
relationship with elasticity of the material. It is measured in terms of seam
efficiency, where Seam Efficiency = (Seam tensile strength/fabric tensile strength)
x 100, generally ranges between 85 to 90%. The minimum loop strength correlates
well with the stitch breaking strength. Further resistance to abrasion and wear of
the seam during everyday use, including laundering is also essential for the longer
 seam.

16. Seam pucker can be defined as a differential shrinkage occurring along the line
of a seam and is mainly caused due to seam instability, due to high tension
imposed during sewing. Though currently available threads have a certain amount
of controlled elasticity and elongation they get over-stretched when the sewing
tensions are high. During relaxation the thread recovers its original length, thus
gathering up the seam. Threads for use in apparel are also required to have good
stability to laundering, ironing and other treatments since differential shrinkage
between the sewing thread and the fabric of a garment can cause puckering.

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 {ref}

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

Factors affecting aesthetics

Color, luster and fineness / thickness should be considered while selecting a thread for
decorative purposes such as top stitching or embroidery.
Other considerations include;

Hue (sc mu m nht) and shade matching

Color fastness
Stitch selection
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;

seam strength
 abrasion resistance
elasticity
chemical resistance
flammability
color 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;

No breakages in high-speed sewing

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

Thread classification
Thread can be classified in different ways. Some common classifications are those based on

1. Substrate
2. Construction
3. Finish

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.

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.

Classification based on construction thread structure

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.
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 sew-ability of cotton or polyester fibre
wrap. Core spun thread is generally used for the high-speed sewing of many garment types,
especially those requiring high seam strength.
Filament threads are stronger than spun threads of the same fibre and size. Three types
of filament threads are commonly used:

1. 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.
2. 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 sew shoes, leather garments, and
industrial products.
3. 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.
Basics of thread construction
All conventional sewing threads begin their production cycle as simple yarns. These basic
yarns are produced by twisting together relatively short fibres or fine continuous filaments.
Some terms used in the context of thread construction are:
Twist The 'twist' of a thread refers to the number of turns per unit length required to hold
the fibres / plies together to give the yarn / thread substance the required strength and
flexibility. A thread with an excessive twist is also likely to give trouble while sewing due to
'twist liveliness', which can cause snarling, loops, knots and possible spillage that prohibit
stitch formation.
Twist direction Direction of twist is identified as 'S' for left twist and 'Z' for right twist.
Most single needle lock stitch and other machines are designed for 'Z' twist threads. 'S' twist
thread untwists during stitch formation. Direction of twist does not affect the strength of the
thread, but it can seriously impair its performance when it is used on a machine for which it
is not suited.
Ply and cord Yarns with many components are twisted together to form ply thread. Most
commonly used are 2, 3 or 4 ply threads. Threads are twisted together to give corded thread.
Most commonly used are 4, 6 or 9 cord threads.
Size The overall thickness of the final thread is referred to as 'Grist', 'Ticket Number',
'Tex' or 'Count'. Thread should be as fine as possible depending on the required strength of
seam. Generally, thicker threads have greater strength, given the same fibre content and
yarn structure. Finer threads tend to blend into the fabric surface and are less subject to
abrasion than seams with heavier threads. Finer threads perform better with finer needles
and produce less fabric distortion than heavier needles.

Classification based on thread finish

Finishes are given to a thread for two purposes

To improve sew ability

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
antistatic finishes.

Package support
Sewing threads are put in different types of packages according to the types of thread,
machines and sewing needs. Package support is important for the thread to perform at its
best during transport and usage in machines. Packages may be color coded according to the
size and type of thread for easy identification.

Thread terminology
With a wide selection of threads to choose from, it is important to know some of the
terminology associated with significant thread properties to judge the differences between
different thread types.
Tensile strength is the tension at which a thread breaks, expressed in grams or kilograms
(force).
Tenacity is the relative strength obtained by dividing the tensile strength by the thickness
of the structure.
Loop strength is the load required to break a length of thread which is looped through
another length of the same thread.
Minimum loop strength is the strength of the weakest loop in a series of loops (tested in
a continuous length of thread).
Elongation at break is the amount by which a thread is extended at its breaking point
expressed as a percentage of its original length.
Modulus is a term used to denote a numerical value which indicates the manner in which
the textile behaves when a tensile force is applied.
Elasticity is a property of the thread which enables it to recover to its original length after
being extended by a set amount.
Shrinkage is the amount by which a thread contracts under the action of washing or
heating.
Moisture regain is the weight of moisture in a fibre or thread expressed as a percentage of
weight of completely dry material.

Requirements of good quality sewing thread

Good tensile strength holds the stitched seam securely during wash and wear.
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 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 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 color 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 of the thread being used on the fabric material with higher shrinkage
reduces the chances of seam puckering.
Good resistance to chemical attack is a desirable property for thread used in garments
which may undergo washing, bleaching or dry-cleaning.
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 color fastness will retain the thread's original color without running or fading
when subjected to wash and light exposure. The thread color should be resistant to different
agents to which it is exposed during manufacture and use. Color fastness can be measured
against:

Chlorinated water
Perspiration
Cold water staining
Dry cleaning
Pressing - wet and dry
Bleaching
Minimal metamerism can be achieved by assessing color with color matching cabinets.
Metamerism is an inherent property of a thread when the same thread color appears to be
different under different lighting conditions. Standard illuminants are often used to counter
the effects of metamerism.