How to read a yarn: count, ply and twist

Yarn count is a numeric measure of how thick or fine a yarn is, and in the common Ne (English cotton count) system, a higher number means a finer yarn spun from the same weight of fiber. Count decides how many yarns can be packed into a given width, which in turn drives the fabric's GSM, drape and price. Uniform suiting typically uses yarns in the 20s to 40s Ne range, finer for premium formal fabrics, coarser for heavy-duty industrial cloth. The fiber blend chosen at the yarn stage, usually polyester and viscose in varying ratios for our fabrics, then decides how that yarn takes dye, handles heat in weaving, and behaves in the finished garment.