Choosing the Right Thread

Thread is an integral part of many items that we use daily. Certainly
the various components of our apparel are joined with thread but what
about the string that is attached to our tea bags?

What would happen to upholstery, seat belts, and head liner of an
automobile if the thread were removed? What about the seams in our
tents, back packs, sleeping bags, and other camping equipment? How
are the components of baseballs and footballs joined?

Each of these products requires a thread with different physical
properties to achieve optimum performance. If you consider the many
uses of thread, the complexity of designing a thread becomes
apparent. Consideration must be given to: Sewability, loop strength,
linear strength, elongation, shrinkage, abrasion resistance,
colorfastness, and resistance to chemicals, heat, light, etc. Each
can affect the desirability of a thread for a particular end-use. A&E
threads are designed for many general and specific end-uses.

Selecting the proper thread for your product can be simplified if
these basic factors are considered: required seam strength; type of
seam; stitch type and number of stitches per inch; type of material
being sewn; type of sewing machines and related equipment; conditions
under which the product must perform; normal life of the product; and
cost effectiveness.

Analyzing these factors would give an indication of which physical
properties are most important in the thread. Selection then becomes a
matter of choosing a thread with the most desirable properties. Of
course, thorough testing is necessary to confirm that the thread
chosen is indeed the correct one