Yarn and Thread are not the same things functionally and technically, so it is different by name as well, but both are manufactured in different textile industry for different purposes. Yarn is for the fabric manufacturing process but the thread is for the fabric sewing process. Both are important for the Textile and apparel industry manufacturing process. Here we are about the differences between Yarn and Thread below.
Yarn
Yarn is an assemblage of fibers twisted or laid together to form a continuous strand of suitable thread. Yarn can consist of staple fibers, filaments, or a combination of the two. Filaments merely need grouping in order to produce the thickness of the yarn. Grouping of filaments is achieved by twisting them together. Staple fibers have to be twisted to make them adhere to a continuous length of yarn. With the action of twisting forces, the fiber surfaces into contact with each other setting up friction between them which enables them to withstand tension. Different types of yarn are filament yarn, staple yarn, etc.
Thread
A thread is three or more yarns tightly twisted, dyed, and finished to fit into the eye of the needle or to be hand-knotted, crocheted, etc. So it is called sewing thread, mostly used in the apparel industry and anywhere is sewing process required. Different types of sewing thread are Spun thread, core-spun thread, filament thread, multi-filament thread, etc.
Difference between Yarn and Thread
| Yarn | Thread |
| Yarn is used for making fabric sheets, fabric layers,s or any type of fabric. | Thread is used for two or more fabrics joining together by stitching |
| Yarn is less strong than thread | Thread is stronger than yarn |
| Generally, yarn weight is more than thread. | Thread is usually lighter weight than yarn |
| Yarn is used in weaving, knitting, and thread manufacturing. | Thread is used for fabric ply stitching. |
| Yarn is thinner than thread. | Thread is thicker than yarn. |
| Yarn winding is done in a bigger package. Yarn packages are pirn, cop, and Flanged bobbin. | Thread winding is done in a comparatively smaller package. Thread packages are Spool, Cop, Cone, Vice, Container, Cocoon, Pre wound bobbin. |
| Yarn is needed for the fabric manufacturing industry. | Thread is needed for the clothing industry |
| The yarn Manufacturing factory is called a spinning mill. | The thread manufacturing factory is called thread manufacturer/Textile thread manufacturing. |
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Thread has a reverse twist compared with yarn