Denier is a measurement of linear density expressed in terms of grams per 9000 meters and is one of the most common units of measure for industrial yarn and thread. Denier is the weight of yarn mass in grams and is measured by weighing 9,000 meters of yarn. Yarn with a higher denier has more mass per unit length than one with a lower denier. Providing two yarns are made of the same kind of material, the higher denier size, the larger the thread or yarn size. Denier is one of the many size designations for thread and yarn.
Testing Denier Size
In this video, the ASTM D1907 denier test by the Skein Method is demonstrated. Using a 9000 meter reeling is impractical in a lab setting, therefore, the best way to measure is in smaller multiples as demonstrated in the video. For this example, a nine-meter sample was used with the results multiplied by 1000.
One full revolution of the denier reel is equal to one meter. The results for this yarn show:
2.048 grams = 2048 denier
Denier is simply a measurement of weight of material and we use the same test method whether it’s a flat raw material, a cabled construction, twisted material or a treated product. Denier testing is performed on incoming raw material, on in-processed material and finished goods to make sure the material meets specifications throughout the entire manufacturing process.
For each test, 9 samples are tested on the denier reel to get an average weight of the material. The purpose of testing 9 samples is because the raw material segments will never be exactly precise. Usually there is a plus or minus 3% on the nominal denier range, up to plus or minus 5% on the high denier range. Testing multiple samples provides a more accurate final measurement.
Do you have questions about ASTM testing for industrial yarn and thread or need assistance determining the best yarn for your application? Service Thread’s experienced materials specialists can help you improve the performance of your product.