Fundamentals of Textile Design 3(2+1)

Lesson 6: Yarn Size And Twist

Yarn twist

As seen in the earlier lesson, fibers are twisted to form into yarns. Twist is defined as the spiral arrangement of the fibers around the axis of the yarn. Twist is produced by revolving one end of a fiber strand on the other end which is held stationary. The way one fiber is revolved over other and the number of rotations is a decision factor in the character of the yarn and its affect in the fabric. The number of twists is referred to as turns per inch (tpi) and the way they are rotated indicates direction of twist. They have a direct bearing on the cost of the yarn as higher twist results in lower productivity.

Direction of twist

Amount of twist

Low twist &Average twist

Hard twist (voile twist)

Crepe yarns