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nylon thread information | Nylon Thread Information
Return To Nylon Thread | | | | | | | | Nylon Thread - Nylon was developed in the 1930's. Almost eighty years later it is still one the most widely used synthetic threads in the world. Nylon's high strength-to-size ratio, abrasion resistance, ease of sewing, and relatively low cost are the key reasons for this success. Nylon customers consistently get strong durable seams that last "forever'. | | Lets put nylon thread's strength in perspective. A middleweight (Size 92) nylon has a tensile strength of about 15 pounds. At that strength there are very few people who can break it just by pulling. Commonly used threads such as polypropylene, spun polyester, acrylic thread, and cotton have tensile strengths ranging from 4 to 10 pounds. Kevlar is the exception with a 35 pound tensile strength. But, it costs $130.00 a pound compared to $19.00 to $22.00 a pound for nylon | |  | | | Nylon thread stands up to heat but is not fire retardant. It yellows at 300°F, sticks at 445°F, and melts at 500°F. Use our fire retardant sewing thread, Kevlar™, or Nomex™ when there is a critical need to protect against heat and fire. Remember, fire retardant thread will not help if the fabric is not equally fire retardant | | You can use nylon thread with most bleaches, organic solvents, most mineral acids, and alkalis. Do not use it with concentrated hydrochloric, sulfuric, and nitric acids. | | Nylon thread has excellent resistance to mildew, aging, and abrasion. But, it will deteriorate with prolonged exposure to sunlight (UV). Use our polyester thread when you are sewing outdoor items such as tents, awnings, lawn furniture, and sails. Polyester thread looks just like nylon, has about the same strength, and resists deterioration from sunlight. | | Nylon thread stretches about 26%. This means that 12 inches of nylon will stretch to 15 inches over time. This is usually good because it lets your seams adjust to movement and changes in temperature. Because nylon stretches, it may not a good choice for projects involving webbing or hanging things. Kevlar and waxed thread are better choices. | | Nylon Thread Terminology - Our product pages use technical terms to describe our thread. Here is a description of these terms and how they should affect your buying decisions. | | Bonded | When thread passes through a sewing machine needle the friction creates heat and may cause the thread to fray. A bonded thread has a coating that reduces friction. Bonding is helpful if you are doing high speed sewing with thread size 46 and higher. It does not matter if you are doing hand sewing. | | Soft | A soft thread does not have a coating that reduces sewing machine friction. This is desirable if you are using thread with glue (e.g. fly-tying) because bonding interferes with some adhesives. | | Monocord | Most of our thread is made by twisting two or more plies to achieve the desired size. A monocord thread has a single ply that is extruded to the desired size. Monocord thread has a smooth, shiny look and feel that is similar to monofilament fishing line. The smoothness reduces friction just like bonding does | | Right Twist | Sewing machines designed for the U.S. assume that thread has a left twist. If you use a right twist thread in these machines it will unravel. Right twist thread is just fine for hand sewing, reinforcing, or any project that does not require machine sewing. Also, there are some dual-head machines that require right twist thread. | | Mil Spec | The military buys lots of nylon thread and has established a specifications(VT-295E) for its thread. When we designate a thread as Mil Spec it means that the thread is made in the U.S. and that the manufacturer has certified that the thread meets the government's specifications. This certification is important to customers who are using the thread to fulfill military contracts. Its significance to others is doubtful. | | Putup | Putup refers to the way thread is spooled. Unless we say otherwise, our nylon thread comes on spools like the ones at the top of this page. We do have some thread that comes on tubes (cylinders) or cones that narrow towards the top. Most commercial sewing machines can handle all of these putups. Some home machines may require a thread cone holder to feed the thread into the sewing mechanism. | | | Our Brands - Linhanyl (pronounced lee-han-kneel) is our flagship brand. This is an exceptionally high quality thread that is made in Brazil. We sell twenty popular colors in Sizes 46 through 138 and white, black, and brown in Sizes 207 through 346. We also have a great selection of thread from leading U.S. manufacturers. Here is a list of the major brands on our site with links to their web sites. | | Brand | Link to Web Site | | Linhanyl | Linhanyl USA | | A&E | American and Efird - This site has great thread information | | Eddington | Eddington Thread Manufacturing | | Coats | Coats and Clark | | Synthetic | Synthetic Thread Company (now part of American and Efird) | | | Nylon Thread Sizes - Size refers to a thread's thickness--not the amount of thread on the spool. As thread size increases it affects the thread's strength, diameter, sewing machine used, yards per pound, visibility. Here are specifications for four sizes that illustrate this point. | | | |
Size 33 |
Size 69 |
Size 138 |
Size 346 | | | |
Tensile strength increases |
5 Lbs |
8 Lbs |
22 Lbs |
53 Lbs | | | |
Thread diameter increases |
0.0080 In |
0.0115 In |
0.0163 In |
0.0258 | | | |
Yards per pound decrease |
13,800 Yards |
6,000 Yards |
3,000 Yards |
1,200 Yards | | | |
Sewing machine requirements increase |
Home |
Home |
Commercial |
Heavy Duty | | | | Needle size increases | 12 to 14 | 16 to 18 | 20 to 22 | 26 to 28 | | | | Visibility increases | Low | Unobtrusive | Noticeable | Stands Out | | | | Fabric and leather cost much more than thread. This means that you should usually select a thread size that is weaker that the material that you are sewing. Otherwise, you will be left with a great looking seam on a shredded fabric. There are two exceptions: (1) If safety is an issue both the thread and fabric should have the same strength; and (2) If you want stitching to be a focal point (e.g. sports car interiors) use a thread that is heavier than the material. | | Here is a brief description of typical uses for each of our sizes | | Sizes |
Uses | | Size 15 | Ultra-lightweight thread typically used for sewing garments and as bobbin thread. It is stronger than comparable spun polyester and cotton threads. | | Size 33 | Lightweight thread typically used for sewing garments. It is stronger than comparable polyester and cotton threads. | | Size 46 | Lightweight thread typically used for sewing leather, lightweight upholstery fabric and drapes, canvas, and vinyl. It is sometimes used for sewing heavy duty garments because it is stronger than comparable spun polyester and cotton threads. | | Size 69 | Middleweight thread typically used for sewing leather, lightweight upholstery fabric, canvas, and vinyl. This is the largest size that most home sewing machines can handle. | | Size 92 | Middleweight thread typically used for sewing leather, upholstery fabric, canvas, and vinyl. This size normally requires a commercial sewing machine. | | Size 138 | Middleweight thread typically used for sewing leather, heavy upholstery fabric, drapes, canvas, and auto interiors. | | Size 207 | Heavyweight thread typically used for sewing heavy-duty leather, upholstery fabric, canvas, and auto interiors. Stitching in this size and higher stands out and becomes a focal point | | Size 277 | Heavyweight thread typically used for sewing heavy-duty leather, upholstery fabric, canvas, and auto interiors. | | Size 346 | Heavyweight thread typically used for sewing very thick leather, upholstery fabric, canvas, and auto interiors. This size usually requires a heavy duty commercial sewing machine. | | Size 415 | Ultra heavyweight thread typically used for sewing heavy-duty leather, shoe repair, canvas, and auto interiors. | | Size 554 | Ultra heavyweight thread typically used for sewing heavy-duty leather, shoe repair, canvas, and auto interiors. | | | We use U.S. commercial sizes to specify thread sizes on our site which are roughly the thread's denier divided by ten. We also show the thread's Tex size and the thread's government or military sizes. In all cases a higher number means a thicker thread. Here is a handy conversion chart | | |
Commercial |
Tex |
Government | |
Commercial |
Tex |
Government | | | |
15 |
16 |
00 | |
207 |
210 |
3 Cord | | | |
33 |
30 |
AA | |
277 |
270 |
4 Cord | | | |
46 |
45 |
B | |
346 |
350 |
5 Cord | | | |
69 |
70 |
E | |
415 |
410 |
6 Cord | | | |
92 |
90 |
F | |
554 |
600 |
8 Cord | | | |
138 |
135 |
FF | | | | | | | | Nylon Thread Size Specifications - Here is a chart that gives specifications for each size in U.S. and metric units of measure. It is based on the government Mil Spec VT-295 | | | U.S. | Metric | | | Strength | Yards / Pound | Diameter | Strength | Meters / Pound | Diameter | | Size 15 | 2 Lbs | 28,000 Yards | 0.0059 In | 0.9 Kilo | 25,592 M | 0.1499 Mm | | Size 33 | 5 Lbs | 13,800 Yards | 0.0080 In | 2.3 Kilo | 12,613 M | 0.2032 Mm | | Size 46 | 8 Lbs | 10,000 Yards | 0.0094 In | 3.6 Kilo | 9,140 M | 0.2388 Mm | | Size 69 | 11 Lbs | 6,000 Yards | 0.0115 In | 5.0 Kilo | 5,484 M | 0.2921 Mm | | Size 92 | 15 Lbs | 4,200 Yards | 0.0133 In | 6.8 Kilo | 3,839 M | 0.3378 Mm | | Size 138 | 22 Lbs | 3,000 Yards | 0.0163 In | 10.0 Kilo | 2,742 M | 0.4140 Mm | | Size 207 | 32 Lbs | 2,000 Yards | 0.0200 In | 14.5 Kilo | 1,828 M | 0.5080 Mm | | Size 277 | 45 Lbs | 1,500 Yards | 0.0231 In | 20.4 Kilo | 1,371 M | 0.5867 Mm | | Size 346 | 53 Lbs | 1,200 Yards | 0.0258 In | 24.0 Kilo | 1,097 M | 0.6553 Mm | | Size 415 | 72 Lbs | 1,050 Yards | 0.0283 In | 32.7 Kilo | 960 M | 0.7188 Mm | | Size 554 | 83 Lbs | 655 Yards | 0.0408 In | 37.6 Kilo | 599 M | 1.0358 Mm | | | Return To Nylon Thread | | | |
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