Textile Unit Calculator
From tex to decitex or from decitex to tex? The Textile Unit Calculator is a unit converter that helps you to convert textile units quickly and accurately.
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Thread numbering systems
Thread thickness is expressed in a wide variety of measurement units and numbering systems. What they all have in common is that they indicate the thread weight over a defined length. The most important systems of thread numbering are:
Thread count in tex
The tex number indicates how many grams a sewing thread of 1000 m length weighs. The unit is expressed in tex. Example: 17 tex means: 1000 m of the yarn weighs 17 g. The smaller the tex number, the finer the thread; the larger the tex number, the thicker the thread.
Thread count in dtex
In addition to the tex number, decimal parts and multiples of this unit are also used. The most important of these is decitex (short: dtex). The dtex number indicates how many grams a sewing thread of 10,000 m length weighs. Example: 150 dtex means: 10,000 m of the thread weigh 150 g.
It therefore applies: Examples:
1 tex = 10 dtex 17 tex = 170 dtex
1 dtex = 0,1 tex 150 dtex = 15 tex
For the numbering of sewing threads, the tex system is recommended, but not mandatory. Therefore, there are several other numbering methods as a basis for the specification of the fineness.
Ticket number – No. / Tkt.
The ticket number is used as an industry-specific indication of strength and is determined by the abbreviation No., Tkt. or No./Tkt. The smaller the ticket number, the thicker the thread; the larger the ticket number, the finer the thread. Although the ticket number results from the Nm, it does not inform about the plying of the yarn. Example: Mara 120 = No./Ticket. 120
The metric numbering with the symbol Nm indicates how many meters of a single yarn weigh 1 gram. It is the ratio of length in m to mass in g.
Example:
Nm 40 means that 40 m of yarn weigh 1 g.
Nm 100 means that 100 m of yarn weigh 1 g.
In the case of twisted yarns, the single yarn count is usually followed by the plying number behind a slash. Example: Nm 120/2 means a twisted yarn of 2 yarns with a yarn count of Nm 120 each, i.e. 120 m of the yarns weigh 1 g.
Cotton threads are classified according to the English cotton numbering system with the abbreviation NeB. The NeB indicates how many hanks, each of 840 yards (768,08 m) weigh 1 lb (English pound = 451,59 g).
Formula: NeB = number of hanks à 840 yds / 1b
Example: 60 hanks of cotton yarn weighing 1 English pound make NeB 60.
The cotton numbering system is also used for embroidery threads, regardless of the raw material. The reason? In the past, embroidery threads were made of cotton.
Beyond these, there are still more numbering systems which are not considered here as they are of minor importance in the designation of the thickness of sewing threads.
Conversion formulas for yarn counts*
| Known value | Desired value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tex | Nm | NeB | ||
| tex | tex | – | 1.000/tex | 590/tex |
| Metric count | Nm | 1.000/Nm | – | 0,59 x Nm |
| English cotton count | NeB | 590/NeB | 1.693 x NeB | – |
*For simplicity, individual values have been rounded up or down.