Thread Size Converter
Tex, denier, Nm, ticket.
Tex, denier, Nm, ticket.
How to use Thread Size Converter
- Enter a thread value in any system like Tex or denier
- Read the equivalent Nm, Ne, ticket, and embroidery weight
- Check the label showing which systems run finer with higher numbers
About Thread Size Converter
Textile thread is sized by half a dozen incompatible numbering systems, and this converter puts them side by side. Enter a value in Tex, denier, dtex, metric count (Nm), cotton count (Ne), ticket number or embroidery weight, and it shows the equivalent in every other system at the same time — so you can match a spec sheet, compare two spools, or translate an old cotton-count label into modern Tex without hunting through a printed chart.
The tricky part is that these systems don't all move the same direction. Tex, denier and dtex are weight-per-length, so a bigger number means a thicker thread. Metric count, cotton count, ticket and embroidery weight are the opposite — they get bigger as the thread gets finer, which is exactly where a careless conversion flips. Every field is labelled with which way it runs, so a 40wt embroidery thread and a Tex 25 never get mixed up.
It handles the conversions people actually reach for: Tex to denier, denier back to Tex, Tex to Nm, embroidery weight to Tex, and ticket to count. Whether you're a machine embroiderer decoding wt numbers, a sewer reading an industrial thread cone, or sourcing yarn against a supplier's count, the answer is one entry away.
It's completely free, needs no sign-up, and runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded anywhere.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I convert Tex to denier?
- Multiply Tex by 9, because denier is grams per 9,000 m while Tex is grams per 1,000 m. So Tex 30 equals denier 270. Enter either value and the tool fills in every other system at once.
- How do I convert denier back to Tex?
- Divide denier by 9. Denier 270 comes back to Tex 30, and denier 135 to Tex 15. Both are weight-per-length systems, so the bigger number is always the thicker thread.
- How do I convert Tex to metric count (Nm)?
- Nm is 1,000 divided by Tex, so Tex 30 is roughly Nm 33 and Tex 20 is Nm 50. Note they run in opposite directions: as Tex goes up the thread thickens, but as Nm goes up it gets finer.
- What does 40wt embroidery thread mean?
- It's a fixed-weight number where a higher weight is a finer thread, so 40wt is roughly Tex 25 / Nm 40, and 60wt is finer still. The weight figure is nominal and varies a little between brands. Type a wt value in to see its Tex and count equivalents.
- What is a thread ticket number?
- Ticket is a commercial size roughly equal to the metric count multiplied by three, so it also runs backwards — a higher ticket number is a finer thread. Cotton ticket is worked out differently from metric ticket, so the same ticket label can mean two different threads depending on the fibre.
- What is Tex and how is thread measured?
- Tex is a direct weight system: the weight in grams of 1,000 metres of thread. Because it measures weight per length, a higher Tex simply means a heavier, thicker thread. It's the most common way to size industrial sewing thread.
- What's the difference between dtex and Tex?
- Dtex (decitex) is grams per 10,000 m, so it's just Tex multiplied by ten — dtex 300 equals Tex 30. It gives finer resolution for lightweight filaments, which is why you'll see it on synthetic yarns.
- Which thread systems run backwards?
- Tex, denier and dtex get bigger as the thread gets thicker. Metric count (Nm), cotton count (Ne), ticket and embroidery weight get bigger as the thread gets finer. The tool flags which direction each field runs so you don't invert a conversion by accident.
- What's the difference between Nm and Ne?
- Both are count systems where a higher number is finer, but Nm is the general metric count based on length per gram, and Ne is the cotton count based on 840-yard hanks per pound. Because the reference lengths differ, the same thread gets two different count numbers.
- Does this convert bolt or screw thread sizes?
- No. This tool is for sewing, embroidery and industrial textile thread — Tex, denier, count, ticket and weight. Fastener threads like M10x1.5 or 1/4-20 are measured by diameter and pitch, which is a completely separate system and needs a screw-thread pitch chart instead.
- Is the thread size converter free to use?
- Yes, it's completely free with no sign-up, account or limits. Convert as many values as you like across every supported system.
- Does my data stay private?
- Yes. The whole converter runs in your browser, so the values you enter are calculated on your own device and never uploaded to a server.