What are the different types of sewing thread?

Posted on 31 March, 2022 by Micheal Alexander

Selecting the best sewing thread for your project can depend on many things.

It could depend on the weight, fabric type, brand, versatility, thickness, sheen, durability, and others. So how do you select which one is suitable?

Like with any other product you first need to understand the details. What is the composition? What is it good for? What is the variety? In this post, I will tackle the different fibre types of sewing thread. High Quality Fabrics

In another post I will dive deep into the different thread weights and explain why you should use different weights for different projects.

Thread fiber

The thread fiber sets the texture and appearance of your project. Below are the types of fiber you may encounter:

Cotton thread

Cotton thread will be soft to the touch and will have a flat appearance. However, it is a strong and versatile fiber. You can see this in most cotton garments because it can adjust to fabric changes like coloring or shrinkage. There are subtypes of cotton thread as well.

Gutermann Cotton Thread

Soft cotton – which is common on home projects. It tends to shrink when washed

Mercerized cotton – tends to be in bright color and stronger composition because it is finished with a specific water solution

Glazed cotton – regular cotton thread with extra coating to make it stiff and resistant

Polyester thread

Polyester thread is a synthetic fiber alternate to cotton.

It has a strong stretch and tends to have more sheen. The reason why it is a common alternative to cotton is that it does not shrink nor fade no matter how often it gets washed. It also does not cost too much.

Silk thread

Silk thread is naturally very strong, so it usually is widely used in the clothing industry. It tends to be more on the expensive side, however it will last much longer than other threads, so sometimes spending the extra money upfront is definitely worth it.

Nylon thread

Nylon thread is a stronger material than polyester. However, it melts when exposed to direct heat. So ironing clothes will not yield a good result.

This synthetic thread is ideal when transparency is needed. It can stretch extensively and is mostly sewn with knitted fabrics.

Linen thread

Linen thread is one of the earliest threads used in the industry. For a time, linen thread was the primary thread seen on the market and used for garment sewing.

Compared to other threads, linen thread may not have enough strength to last. However, you can still sometimes see linen thread used in bedsheets and lace. Fabric Bundles for Sale

Viscose thread

Viscose thread is usually seen in bright colors and is an absolute all-rounder.

It probably falls into the mid range when it comes to strength. And because of its flexibility and color tone, it can work well with intricate designs but is also much better suited to dense fabrics than polyester thread.

Sewing machines can easily process viscose threads because it does not cause much friction and does not leave residues.