The lower the denier, the finer the fiber: hygiene spunbond filaments are typically about 1.5 to 2.5 denier, while needlepunch carpet and geotextile fibers run from about 6 to 15 or more. For a given polymer, denier tracks fiber diameter, so it controls softness, coverage, opacity and pore size. North American trade quotes denier, while Europe and most technical literature use dtex.
Drop to 1.5 denier on the topsheet and the hand improves, but the card will need slowing down.
Finer filaments improve softness and coverage, but they cut throughput per spinneret hole and raise filament breaks.
Also heard as
- den
- d
Do not mix it up with
- dtex: dtex is grams per 10,000 meters, so 1 denier equals about 1.11 dtex.
Related terms
dtex
Decitex: fiber fineness unit equal to the mass in grams of 10,000 meters of fiber, the European standard.
Staple fiber
Fibers cut to a fixed, finite length, as opposed to continuous filament, used in carded, airlaid and wetlaid webs.
Filament
A fiber of effectively unlimited length, extruded and laid down without cutting, as in spunbond webs.
Hand
How a fabric feels to the touch: softness, smoothness, stiffness, drape and warmth taken together.