---
title: Can You Identify Industrial Yarns & Fiber Threads?
description: We’re sharing tests to help you identify common types of industrial yarns like polyester thread and other types of industrial sewing threads and yarns.
image: https://www.servicethread.com/hubfs/Servicethread/images/130306ServiceThread00746c.jpg
---

![image-png](https://www.servicethread.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png.png?width=157&name=image-png.png)

## [ISO 9001:2015 Standard Registered](https://www.servicethread.com/hubfs/ISO%209001%20Certificate%20effective%20September%202025.pdf)

## [![Blog Header](https://www.servicethread.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Servicethread/bg_blog_header.png?width=594&name=bg_blog_header.png) We never stop learning, or sharing what we’ve learned!](https://www.servicethread.com/blog)

# [Can You Identify Industrial Yarns & Fiber Threads?](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/article/best-way-to-identify-yarn-fiber-type)

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

- By [Eric Shippee](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/eric-shippee)
- 08/24/12
- [Wire and Cable](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/wire-and-cable), [Hose Reinforcement](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/hose-reinforcement), [Military Specifications](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/military-specifications)
- [0 Comments](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/article/best-way-to-identify-yarn-fiber-type#comments-listing)

![Identifying Industrial Yarns & Fiber Threads](https://www.servicethread.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Servicethread/images/130306ServiceThread00746c.jpg?width=350&name=130306ServiceThread00746c.jpg)

Have you ever needed more of a specific material, but weren’t sure what it was made of? There is a very simple test that anyone can perform to identify which fibers are in a material in mere seconds. All it takes is a sample of yarn…and a little fire.

Unless you need to know the exact chemical makeup of a fiber (most industrial users do not), a burn test is a simple and effective way to identify yarn. For the sake of brevity, I’ll discuss only the most common types of industrial yarn.

## Natural Plant-Based Fibers

Expose natural fibers like [cotton](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton) and [rayon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayon) to a flame, and they won’t shrink back. These materials will burn rapidly with a yellowish flame and leave behind a soft ash.  As they burn, they give off a smell like burning paper or leaves.

## Synthetic Fibers

These fibers have a tendency to shrink back and melt when exposed to flame. They will drip melted polymer when burning, so be careful not to burn yourself!

[Polyester](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyester), once ignited, will give off a heavy black smoke that has a sweet, chemical-like odor. Once the flame is removed or extinguished, a very hard black bead will remain on the unburnt material.

[Nylon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon) will give off a white smoke that has a strong, almost celery-like smell. When the flame is removed from burning nylon, it will typically leave a hard yellowish, gray bead.

For more information, here is a great [video](http://youtu.be/kb4tCcnA6jo) that gives you more information about these and other fibers, and shows how they burn.

I know you’re curious, so go ahead and burn something! Take a video and share it with us too!

[![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/538017/33751bba-711f-4ac2-9af4-90523be51c20.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/538017/33751bba-711f-4ac2-9af4-90523be51c20)

### Share This Post

- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)

[*previous* Previous Post](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/article/top-tips-for-trouble-free-bag-sewing) [Next Post *next*](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/article/why-sewing-thread-is-lubricated-finished-reasons)

### AUTHOR

![Eric Shippee](https://www.servicethread.com/hubfs/Servicethread/ServiceThread_EricShippee.jpg)

## Eric Shippee

Product Process Engineer

[Contact & Bio](https://www.servicethread.com/company/bio/eric-shippee)

### POSTS BY TOPIC

- [Industrial Yarn (43)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/industrial-yarn)
- [Industrial Thread (28)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/industrial-thread)
- [Wire and Cable (26)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/wire-and-cable)
- [Hose Reinforcement (20)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/hose-reinforcement)
- [Industrial Sewing (16)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/industrial-sewing)
- [Flat Web & Web Slings (15)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/flat-web-web-slings)
- [Fabrics & Tarps (14)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/fabrics-tarps)
- [Polyester (14)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/polyester)
- [Specifications (13)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/topic/specifications)

### CONTRIBUTORS

- [Eric Shippee (39)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/eric-shippee)
- [Steve Zande (35)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/steve-zande)
- [Service Thread (24)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/service-thread)
- [Dane Hatcher (20)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/dane-hatcher)
- [Jay Todd (19)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/jay-todd)
- [Torry Losch (4)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/torry-losch)
- [Neal Fournier (3)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/neal-fournier)
- [Ken Massie (2)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/ken-massie)
- [Instron, Guest Contributor (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/instron-guest-contributor)
- [Ryne Bullock (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/ryne-bullock)
- [Saurer, Guest Contributor (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/saurer-guest-contributor)
- [Christine Domer (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/christine-domer)
- [Chip Butler (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/chip-butler)
- [Ascend Performance Materials, Guest Contributor (1)](https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/ascend-performance-materials-guest-contributor)

### GET OUR RSS FEED

- [*rss* RSS 2.0](https://servicethread.hs-sites.com/blog/rss.xml)

Service Thread designs, develops and delivers engineered yarns and sewing threads specifically to solve product and processing problems and add value through longer running times or faster processing speeds. Our customers manufacture thermoplastic and rubber hoses, FIBC and multiwall bags, slings, tie-downs, tarps and wire and cable products using thread or yarn for reinforcement or sewing applications.

 

[Learn About Our Process](https://www.servicethread.com/process)

- [** Let's get LinkedIn ](http://www.linkedin.com/company/service-thread)
- [** Like us on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/ServiceThread)
- [** Follow us on Twitter ](https://twitter.com/ServiceThread)
- [** 
  
   Find us on YouTube ](https://www.youtube.com/user/ServiceThread)
- [![](https://www.servicethread.com/hubfs/news-icons-01.png) News ](https://www.servicethread.com/news)

[ Copyright  & Privacy](https://www.servicethread.com/privacy)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "Eric Shippee",
    "url" : "https://www.servicethread.com/blog/author/eric-shippee"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2019-09-30T14:40:25.691Z",
  "datePublished" : "2012-08-24T05:59:00.000Z",
  "headline" : "Can You Identify Industrial Yarns & Fiber Threads?",
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.servicethread.com/blog/article/best-way-to-identify-yarn-fiber-type",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://www.servicethread.com/hubfs/logo-serviceThread-rgb-1.png"
    },
    "name" : "Service Thread"
  }
}
```