Yarn Counts

Yarn count is a measure of the fineness or thickness of yarn, and it is typically expressed in terms of the number of hanks, skeins, or leas (a lea is a unit of yarn length) per pound. The most commonly used yarn count systems are the English (also known as the Cotton Count or NeC) and the metric (also known as the International System or Tex) systems.

The English system is based on the number of hanks of yarn per pound, with one hank being equal to 840 yards of yarn. So, for example, a yarn with a count of 20s would be 20 hanks of 840 yards each, or 16,800 yards, per pound. The higher the number, the finer the yarn.

The metric system, on the other hand, is based on the number of 1,000-meter skeins of yarn per kilogram. So, for example, a yarn with a count of 40 Tex would have 40 skeins of 1,000 meters each, or 40,000 meters, per kilogram. Again, the higher the number, the finer the yarn.

It’s worth noting that finer yarns are generally stronger, smoother, and more lustrous than coarser yarns, but they are also more expensive and more difficult to work with. Coarser yarns, on the other hand, are less expensive, easier to work with, and more durable, but they are also less smooth and less lustrous.

Also yarn count system vary based on the material, it is mainly used for cotton, wool, silk and other natural fibres. Synthetic fibre yarn count is measured in Denier (for filament yarn) and Tex(for staple fibre)