What is yarn count (Ne)?
Yarn count Ne is the English cotton count: how many 840-yard hanks weigh a pound. A higher number means a finer, thinner yarn.
Reading a yarn count
Ne, the English cotton count, is an indirect system: the finer the yarn, the higher the number. Ne 40 is finer than Ne 20, because more length of it is needed to make up one pound.
Counts are often written with a ply number:
- Ne 30/1: a single yarn of count 30.
- Ne 20/2: two yarns of count 20 twisted together, which behaves roughly like a single Ne 10 in thickness, but stronger and more even.
Synthetic yarns such as polyamide and elastane are measured in denier or dtex instead, where a higher number means a thicker yarn.
Matching count to the machine
The yarn has to suit the needle count and gauge. Fine 200-needle socks need finer yarns to avoid a stiff, overfilled fabric, while coarser machines take heavier yarns for cushioning.
For dress socks, expect finer counts, often in combed or mercerized cotton. For athletic socks and cushioned crews, heavier counts and terry yarns add bulk. The factory will propose counts during quoting.