Yarn Twist and Yarn Count

Yarn Twist The amount of twist is an important factor in finished consumers’ goods. It determines the appearance as well as the durability and serviceability of a fabric. Fine yarns require more twist than coarse yarns. Warp yarns, which are used for the lengthwise threads in woven fabrics, are given more twist than are filling yarns, which are used for the crosswise threads. To retain the twist in the yarns and prevent any tendency to untwist or kink, the yarns are given a twist-setting finish with heat or moisture, depending upon the kind of fiber used. The direction of twist may be observed by holding the yarn in a vertical position. If the spirals conform to the direction of the slope of the central part of the letter S, the yarn has an S twist; if they conform to the slope of the letter Z, the yarn has a Z twist.

Yarn Count In the spinning process, there is always a fixed relation between the weight of the original quantity of fiber and the length of the yarn produced from that amount of raw material. This relation indicates the thickness of the yarn. It is determined by the extent of the drawing process and is designated by num­bers, which are called the yarn count. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) fixed relationship between the weight and length of all yarns: one tex equals 1 gram (g) per kilometer. The greater the weight, the thicker the yarn, and consequently the higher the tex number