In a direct system the number is a weight, so bigger means thicker. In an indirect system the number is a length per weight, so bigger means finer. A 40s Ne yarn is finer than a 20s Ne yarn, but 40 tex is twice as thick as 20 tex.
| Ne | Tex | Nm | Denier | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10s | 59.1 | 16.9 | 531 | Heavy fleece, terry |
| 20s | 29.5 | 33.9 | 266 | Heavier jersey |
| 24s | 24.6 | 40.6 | 221 | Mid-weight jersey |
| 30s | 19.7 | 50.8 | 177 | Standard single jersey |
| 40s | 14.8 | 67.7 | 133 | Fine jersey, innerwear |
| 60s | 9.8 | 101.6 | 89 | Very fine, high gauge |
Direct systems (tex, denier) express weight per unit length — a higher number means a thicker yarn. Indirect systems (Ne, Nm) express length per unit weight, so a higher number means a finer yarn. This inversion is the single most common source of confusion on a knitting floor.
Tex = 590.5 ÷ Ne. A 30s Ne cotton yarn is 19.7 tex. The same constant works in reverse: Ne = 590.5 ÷ tex.
Tex is the weight in grams of 1000 metres of yarn. It is the SI-aligned direct count system and the unit most textile formulas expect internally.
Use whichever your yarn supplier quotes, but convert to tex for any calculation. Cotton spinning tends to quote Ne, filament and synthetic yarn quote denier, European mills often use Nm, and technical specifications increasingly use tex.
Denier is the weight in grams of 9000 metres of yarn. It is used mainly for filament yarns such as polyester, nylon and elastane. Denier = tex × 9.
Cone mix-ups and count variation produce barré and shade bands that are invisible on the machine and obvious in the finished garment. Cone-I checks counts at the creel; Knit-I catches what still reaches the fabric.
See Cone-I →