Yarn count tells you the thickness and weight of knitwear. Lower Ne means thicker yarn (chunky 2-7 Ne, mid 10-20 Ne, fine 30+ Ne). Always specify Ne, ply, GSM target and gauge on tech packs to avoid sample disputes.
- Chunky knit
- 2-7 Ne
- Mid weight
- 10-20 Ne
- Fine knit
- 30+ Ne
- Gauge range
- 5-14 gg
- Min GSM control
- +-5%
What yarn count means
Yarn count expresses the thickness of yarn. The English Cotton system (Ne) is most common: it measures length per unit weight. A higher Ne means a finer, thinner yarn; a lower Ne means a thicker, heavier yarn.
Metric (Nm) is used for wool and worsted yarn. As a rule of thumb, Nm divided by 1.69 gives approximate Ne for cotton-equivalent comparison.
Categories by yarn count
Chunky cardigans and oversized sweaters use 2-7 Ne in single or double ply. Mid-weight everyday sweaters use 10-20 Ne. Fine merino and luxury knit start at 28 Ne and go to 60+ Ne for ultrafine layering.
Cotton tees use 20-30 Ne single jersey. Polo pique uses 24-30 Ne. Hoodies use heavyweight French terry at 280-360 GSM with 10-16 Ne yarns.
Why GSM is not enough
GSM (grams per square metre) describes the finished fabric weight but not the yarn thickness or hand-feel. Two fabrics at 280 GSM can feel completely different if one uses fine yarn at high density and the other uses thick yarn at low density.
Always specify Ne, ply, gauge AND GSM on tech packs. Top mills will translate this to their yarn specification and yarn count system.
Bursa knitwear gauge benchmarks
Bursa mills run gauges from 5 (chunky) to 14 (fine) on flat-bed machines. Circular knitters operate 18-24 gauge for jersey fabrics. Higher gauge gives finer, smoother surface; lower gauge gives bulk and texture.
For premium brands, 12 gg fully-fashioned knitwear is the gold standard. Italian and Japanese yarn brands are routinely used at Bursa mills, including Cariaggi, Toray and Loro Piana.
Common buyer mistakes
Approving a sample without confirming yarn lot number means bulk yarn may differ subtly. Insist on yarn-lot continuity across the production run.
Mixing Ne and Nm in correspondence creates confusion. Stick to one system and define it explicitly. Always include weight tolerance (e.g. 280 GSM +/-5%) in the contract.
Sustainability and traceability
Recycled cotton, GRS-certified polyester, OEKO-TEX dyed yarn and BCI cotton are widely available at Bursa mills. GOTS-certified yarn for organic programs requires 6-8 week lead time for yarn sourcing.
For circular fashion programs, request mechanically recycled cotton from Aegean spinners (Yunsa, Bornova). Chemically recycled blends are available for poly-cotton programs.