Which Thread Is Best for You? Embroidery Project

For some embroiderers, picking a thread was a very simple process. When they bought their machine, someone told them what thread to use and that’s what they’ve always used. But some embroiderers have strong feelings about the best brand, type, and weight and will defend their choice to the death. Just post a question about the best thread on any e-list and see what happens.

Fortunately, even for a beginner, choosing the best thread for your shop really isn’t complicated. With few exceptions, you need to decide between rayon or polyester in a #30 or #40 weight. According to suppliers, some machines prefer certain types/brands of thread, so one way to choose a thread may be to ask other embroiderers who have the same brand of machine which thread they use.

Otherwise, by learning the differences between thread types and the strengths and weaknesses of each, you can easily make an educated decision. All thread suppliers and distributors offer samples that you can test on your machine.

Whatever your basis for choosing a thread, do not make it price, warns every embroiderer and supplier interviewed. There is a huge gap in prices and henceforth quality, and thinking you’re going to save money with a cheap thread has got to be one of the biggest myths in embroidery. In fact, say many embroidery veterans, it will more likely cost you money.

The difference in cost can range from 50% to 100% more, according to estimates from thread suppliers. Some companies were aware of thread in the same category that sold for as low as $2.50 a cone to as high as $11. So it pays to look at the reputation of the supplier, the country of origin, and to ask other embroiderers who are using the thread. In the end, you get what you pay for.

How To Tell The Good From The Bad

No one can tell a good thread from a bad one by just looking at the cone. Price is one indication, however, to really know, you’ve got to use it. Making this job more difficult is that the problems that poor-quality thread will cause, can also be a result of other factors such as tensioning or poor digitizing. Take the time to identify the true cause of a problem before blaming the thread.

"The key to thread performance is its consistency in strength, elongation, color, and diameter," says Bruce Anton, president, Robison-Anton. "For peak performance, the elongation and strength of the thread must be consistent along the entire length of the spool. The thread should stretch between certain parameters. If the denier (thread thickness) isn’t consistent, the design will not look the same when it’s digitized and sewn out. Also, if the design is not punched to the exact thread you are using, it will not look right."

Consistent dye lots are another sign of good quality. "The cheaper thread is going to have a wider tolerance and be dyed with cheaper chemicals," says Scott Adcock, advertising director and sales manager, Ackermann North America. "So you could see a fairly substantial shift in colors. A red you buy one month could be visually different from another red you buy six months later."

How a thread is wound on the cone is an issue. "If a cone isn’t wrapped right when it comes up through the thread rack, you can have thread fall off. Then it gets snagged under the cone and causes thread breaks," notes Chuck Roembke, Macpherson, an embroidery supplies distributor. Also beware of knots. "If they’re winding and the thread breaks, they just tie them off," he adds.

Also beware of a trick used by some thread suppliers to make thread look like it has a high sheen by spraying a layer of wax on the outside of the cone.

To test a variety of threads as well as other supplies, companies like Gunold + Stickma and others offer a great solution. "We have an introductory kit that has spools of thread, foam, backing, adhesive sprays—a little bit of everything we have. The value of the kit is $65, and we sell it to a new embroiderer for about $35," notes Andy Leonard, purchasing and operations.

Now that you have some idea of how to evaluate thread, here’s a rundown of the most popular types used for commercial embroidery.

Rayon

	Rayon thread has been the most widely used embroidery thread since the inception of computerized embroidery. It has a lustrous sheen, it is soft, and loops better, than polyester thread, according to Bruce Anton, president, Robison-Anton. Photo courtesy of Robison-Anton.

For who knows how long, rayon has been the most popular thread among embroiderers. The biggest plus about rayon is its sheen. It reflects light well, which gives it a rich, lustrous look. It’s also a softer thread than polyester, however, not as strong. It generally tends to cost more than polyester, and it is not as colorfast. It holds up fine under normal household laundering, however, it cannot be bleached. It is ideal for applications where it’s important that the thread be soft, for example, ladies’ lingerie or silk, and where aesthetics are more important than durability. This is not to say rayon is not durable. It’s just not as durable as polyester.

"It lends itself well to better clothing or embroidery with a heavy stitch count," says Colleen Hartigan, sales and customer service manager, Madeira.

According to Anton, rayon also produces a nicer looking stitch, and it loops better than polyester.

Polyester

For the past two years or so, polyester has been gaining ground in popularity on rayon. The two biggest reasons, according to thread manufacturers are, it’s stronger and it costs less. Its greater durability means fewer thread breaks, and it allows your machine to run faster. (Although some manufacturers will claim that their rayon runs just as fast.) On the flip side, it does not have the rich sheen of rayon, and it is a rougher, courser feeling thread. However, it can be bleached, which makes it the thread of choice for applications such as uniforms or anything that will be laundered industrially. And it’s ideal for outdoor applications such as an embroidered boat seat that will be exposed to direct sunlight and salt water. It’s also a better choice for athletic shoes or a chef’s coat, where it holds up better to abrasion than rayon. It takes dye better so it’s easier to maintain consistent dye lots, and it holds color better than rayon.

However, according to Anton, it does have an impact on your machine. Polyester wears the contact parts of the machine much faster, and they have to be polished or replaced, he says.

One of the reasons why polyester thread is increasing in usage is newer formulations have improved some of its disadvantages. Many of today’s polyester threads are tri-lobal, which means that there are three surfaces to reflect light. The result has been a higher sheen and luster than the duller polyester threads of the past.

The stronger the polyester, the sharper the edges of the tri-lobal. The sharper the angles, the stronger the thread. But the sharper angles makes it more abrasive, says Hartigan.

Acrylic

Although not widely used, acrylic is 25% stronger than #40 rayon, according to Lanny Smith, president, YLI Corp., one of the few manufacturers who offers it. It compares in price to polyester, which means it’s cheaper than rayon. It also has the colorfast properties of polyester with the advantage of being a little softer. Essentially, it combines the softness and sheen of rayon with the strength of polyester.

Cotton

Cotton is typically chosen for monogramming or where a matte finish is desired. It also is used for long arm quilting. Some companies offer a cotton/poly blend for the same purpose. One example is the Brilliant brand of thread, which has a polyester core wrapped in cotton. It is used extensively by Meistergram owners for monogramming.

Metallics

	Metallics are the most popular specialty embroidery thread. They are made by wrapping a core with a metallic exterior. Yenmet, offered by Ackermann North America, has a nylon core wrapped with a silver exterior, which is then dyed and coated with a polyester film to give it a smooth finish. Photo courtesy of Ackermann North America.

Metallic thread is created by wrapping a core with a metallic exterior. Different companies use various types of materials and processes, which result in different looks and performance characteristics.

The core is usually nylon or polyester. The exterior can be either a true metallic or something else. A true metallic holds its color. Metallic substitutes can actually rust over time or the color may wear away.

In addition to solid-color metallics, some thread makers have variations. One example, is Ackermann North America, which offers Twilight, a two-color metallic thread consisting of a colored strand randomly speckled with silver or gold metallic flakes. The random effect produces interesting textures.

Some metallic threads, imported from Japan, feature a core covered with rice paper and a metallic exterior. Two companies carrying different brands of this type of metallic are YLI Corp. and The Embroidery Store. The benefit is better bonding and stability that results in a smoother thread that runs through the needle better.

"Because of the way it is made, it can be run faster," says Bill Fenimore, president, The Embroidery Store, an embroidery supplies distributor. "It comes off the spool faster and down through the tensioners smoother, which allows you to sew at higher speeds."

According to Smith, metallics have the greatest fluctuation in quality. "Someone can find what looks like a great deal on metallic, but it becomes very expensive when that machine is down because someone is always fixing a thread break. Years ago, I heard a statistic that the average thread break costs $125. It doesn’t take many thread breaks to make a cheap thread not much of a bargain."

Although metallics are available from some makers in up to 200 colors, most report that 95% of all sales are in silver and gold.

Other specialty threads

Other than metallics, which are the most popular, widely used type of specialty thread, most manufacturers also offer their own versions of special effect threads such as variegated, glow in the dark, and other shiny, reflective, and textured looks that a creative embroiderer can use to add texture and variety to designs.

Here’s a run-down of just a few of the threads out there.

• Pearlessence is an iridescent thread, offered by Ackermann North America with a unique mother-of-pearl look. Robison-Anton offers two specialty threads: Moon Glow, which is a polyester thread that glows in the dark and Twister Tweed, which is rayon that consists of two colors twisted together.
• Madeira also offers a glow in the dark, Firefly, and a finely spun wool-like embroidery thread, called Burmilana, which is designed for creating a soft, textured look on garments as well as for chenille and chain stitch embroidery attachments.
• YLI’s newest thread is called Variations. It is a tri-lobel polyester that features five 1-inch color variations per thread. There are 25 color combinations. The company also offers Monét, made of 40% wool / 60% acrylic, which is used to produce a soft, warm, fuzzy look. Its matte finish makes it ideal for animals, trees and nature scenes. It can also be used to imitate crewel embroidery, says Smith.