Textile Glossary

dtex (decitex)

Definition

"Tex" is a weight-based system used to determine the linear density of a yarn. It is internationally standardized. Dtex is one-tenth of the tex value and allows finer gradations to be expressed. The unit indicates the weight in grams per 10,000 m of yarn. It is calculated as follows: tex = weight in grams x 10,000 / length in meters.

Use in the textile industry

Dtex is used in the textile industry primarily to designate man-made fibers and synthetic yarns, because this unit allows finer gradations than tex and is therefore better suited to the low linear densities of modern filament yarns. Dtex is widely used as a yarn fineness designation especially in the production of technical textiles, microfiber fabrics, and knitted fabrics. The unit allows a direct comparison of yarns made from different fiber materials and by different production processes.

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Frequently asked question

Dtex and den (denier) are both linear density designations for yarns, but they are based on different reference lengths: dtex indicates the weight in grams per 10,000 meters, while denier indicates the weight in grams per 9,000 meters. Dtex is the internationally standardized system and has replaced denier in many fields; however, denier remains in use in some countries and industries, such as the hosiery industry.

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