AA Enterprises · Buyer Tools
CSP (Count Strength Product) Calculator
Gauge cotton yarn quality from its count and lea strength. CSP is a standard indicator of single-yarn strength.
CSP = Count (Ne) × Lea strength (lbs). Higher CSP means stronger yarn for a given count. Typical combed cotton runs roughly 2000–2700+; carded yarn is usually lower.
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CSP stands for Count Strength Product: the yarn count (Ne) multiplied by its lea strength in pounds. It is the standard single-number quality indicator used across Indian spinning mills.
The reason it works is that strength alone is misleading. A coarse yarn is naturally stronger than a fine one, so comparing raw lea strength across counts tells you nothing. Multiplying by count normalises for thickness, so a 20s and a 40s can be judged on the same scale.
How to read your CSP result
These bands are for 100% cotton ring-spun yarn. Open-end yarn typically runs 15 to 20 per cent lower for the same cotton, and blends behave differently again — polyester-rich blends often show higher CSP than pure cotton at the same count.
| CSP | Quality band | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Below 1,800 | Weak | High end breakage in weaving; usually carded or poor cotton mix |
| 1,800 – 2,000 | Below average | Acceptable for coarse weft or low-stress knitting only |
| 2,000 – 2,300 | Average | Standard carded cotton; fine for most weft and hosiery |
| 2,300 – 2,700 | Good | Typical well-spun combed cotton; suits warp and quality knitwear |
| Above 2,700 | Excellent | Combed compact yarn from good cotton; premium warp and fine counts |
How lea strength is measured
A lea is 120 yards of yarn wound on a wrap reel, then broken on a lea strength tester. The breaking load in pounds is the lea strength. Mills usually test several leas per lot and average them.
Because CSP depends on that average, always ask how many tests were run. A single lea reading on a large lot tells you very little about consistency, which is what actually causes trouble on the loom.
Worked example
A 30s combed cotton breaks at an average lea strength of 85 lbs. CSP = 30 × 85 = 2,550, which sits in the good band — comfortably strong enough for weaving warp.
The same cotton spun carded might break at 70 lbs, giving CSP 2,100. Still usable for weft or hosiery, but you would expect more breakages if you used it as warp.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CSP for cotton yarn?
For combed ring-spun cotton, 2,300 to 2,700 is good and above 2,700 is excellent. Carded yarn typically runs 2,000 to 2,300. Below 1,800 you should expect processing problems.
How is CSP calculated?
Multiply the yarn count in Ne by the lea strength in pounds. A 30s yarn breaking at 85 lbs gives a CSP of 2,550.
Is higher CSP always better?
Not always. Very high CSP often comes with higher twist, which makes fabric harsher. For soft knitwear a moderate CSP with good evenness matters more than a high peak figure.
Does CSP differ for open-end yarn?
Yes. Open-end yarn is typically 15 to 20 per cent lower in CSP than ring-spun from the same cotton, because the fibres are less well aligned. Judge it against open-end benchmarks, not ring-spun ones.
Do you supply yarn with test reports?
Yes. Tell us the count, blend and the CSP or strength parameters you need and we will match them from mill and confirm against your spec.