Yarn Glossary
Yarn and textile terms, explained
A plain-English A-to-Z of the yarn and fabric terms buyers meet when sourcing — counts, spins, blends and finishes. Click any term to go deeper.
Request a quoteA-to-Z of yarn terms
The vocabulary of yarn sourcing, in plain language.
Carded cotton
Cotton cleaned and roughly aligned by carding; economical, slightly hairier yarn. Learn more →
Combed cotton
Carded cotton further combed to remove short fibres; smoother, stronger, premium. Learn more →
Compact yarn
Condensed ring-spun yarn with low hairiness and higher strength. Learn more →
Core spun yarn
Fibres wrapped around an elastane core to give fabric stretch. Learn more →
Count (Ne)
English cotton count: 840-yard hanks per pound. Higher Ne is finer. Learn more →
CVC
Chief Value Cotton: a cotton-majority cotton-polyester blend. Learn more →
Denier
Direct count: grams per 9000 metres. Higher is coarser.
Dyed yarn
Yarn dyed before knitting or weaving, for yarn-dyed fabric. Learn more →
Gassed yarn
Singed through a flame to remove surface fuzz for a smooth, lustrous surface. Learn more →
Greige (grey) yarn
Undyed, unfinished yarn as spun, ready for dyeing or processing.
GSM
Grams per square metre: fabric weight. Higher GSM is heavier. Learn more →
Hosiery yarn
Soft, even yarn engineered for knitting. Learn more →
Linen yarn
Yarn spun from flax; cool, strong and textured. Learn more →
Melange
Yarn spun from pre-dyed fibres for a heather, multi-tone look. Learn more →
Mercerized cotton
Caustic-treated under tension for lustre, strength and dye uptake. Learn more →
Modal
A soft, breathable regenerated cellulosic fibre. Learn more →
Nm (metric count)
Metres per gram. Higher Nm is finer. Learn more →
Open-end yarn
Rotor-spun: fast and economical, bulkier, for denim and towels. Learn more →
PC yarn
Poly-cotton: a polyester-majority cotton-polyester blend. Learn more →
Ply / fold
Singles twisted together; 2/40s means two 40s plied to 20s. Learn more →
PV yarn
Polyester-viscose blend, widely used for man-made fabric. Learn more →
Recycled polyester
rPET yarn from post-consumer PET with a lower footprint. Learn more →
Ring-spun yarn
Classic spinning giving fine, strong, soft yarn for quality fabric.
Slub yarn
Yarn with deliberate thick-thin effects for texture. Learn more →
Tex
Direct count: grams per 1000 metres. Higher is coarser.
TPI / twist
Turns per inch; the twist that holds fibres together. Learn more →
Viscose
A soft, drapey regenerated cellulosic fibre (rayon). Learn more →
Weaving yarn
Stronger, higher-twist yarn made for looms, especially warp. Learn more →
Related tools and pages
- Yarn count converter
- Fabric weight converter
- Ply / fold calculator
- Twist multiplier calculator
- Yarn varieties
- Yarn by application
Explore our yarn varieties, yarn tools and guides to go deeper on any of these terms.
FAQs
What is combed cotton yarn?
Carded cotton further combed to remove short fibres, giving smoother, stronger, premium yarn.
What is carded cotton yarn?
Cotton cleaned and aligned by carding - economical, slightly hairier yarn for everyday fabric.
What is CVC yarn?
Chief Value Cotton: a cotton-majority cotton-polyester blend.
What is PC yarn?
Poly-cotton: a polyester-majority cotton-polyester blend.
What is open-end yarn?
Rotor-spun yarn - fast and economical, bulkier, used for denim and towels.
What is yarn count (Ne)?
English cotton count: 840-yard hanks per pound. A higher Ne means a finer yarn.
What is mercerized cotton yarn?
Cotton treated under tension in caustic soda for lasting lustre, strength and dye uptake.
What is GSM?
Grams per square metre - the weight of fabric. Higher GSM means heavier fabric.
Need help choosing the right yarn?
Tell us your fabric and we will translate the jargon into the exact count, blend and finish you need.
Get firm pricing