Cotton yarn can be finished to add lustre and smoothness. Here is how the main treatments compare.
Regular cotton
Untreated combed or carded cotton — the everyday standard for most knits and wovens. See cotton yarn.
Gassed (singed) yarn
The yarn is passed through a flame to burn off protruding fibres, giving a cleaner, smoother, less hairy surface — valued for fine, crisp fabric.
Mercerised yarn
Treated under tension with caustic soda, mercerisation adds a silky lustre, increases strength and improves dye uptake for richer shades — premium for lustrous knits and fine wovens.
Choosing a finish
Regular for everyday value, gassed for a cleaner surface, mercerised for lustre and vivid colour. We can advise and source the finish your fabric needs.
Want a lustrous, mercerised or gassed cotton? We will source it to spec.
More in our yarn guides.