Overview
EN ISO 2060:1995 - Textiles - Yarn from packages - Determination of linear density (mass per unit length) by the skein method (ISO 2060:1994) - specifies a standardized laboratory procedure to determine the linear density (mass per unit length, expressed in tex) of yarn taken from packages. It cancels the 1972 edition and covers single, folded (plied) and cabled yarns using the skein method with seven optional conditioning/measurement procedures. The method is widely used in textile quality control, product specification and commercial verification.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope & limits
- Applies to yarns in package form (single, folded, cabled).
- Not applicable to yarns that stretch >0.5% when tension per unit linear density increases from 0.5 to 1.0 cN/tex, unless agreed by parties.
- Not applicable to yarns >2 000 tex (special conditions may be agreed).
- Seven optional procedures for mass measurement (unscoured and scoured yarns). Options include:
- Mass at equilibrium with the standard test atmosphere.
- Oven‑dry mass (105 °C ± 3 °C) and oven‑dry mass plus commercial moisture regain or commercial allowance.
- NOTE: Options 1, 3 and 7 are recommended where applicable.
- Specimen preparation
- Preconditioning: minimum 4 h in the specified preconditioning atmosphere.
- Conditioning to moisture equilibrium for testing: typically 24 h or until mass change ≤ 0.1% between successive 30 min exposures.
- Skein lengths (typical)
- 200 m for yarns < 12.5 tex
- 100 m for yarns 12.5–100 tex
- 10 m for yarns > 100 tex
- Apparatus & measurement
- Reel with traversing device (recommended perimeter ≈ 1 m).
- Ventilated drying oven (air supply, 105 °C ± 3 °C).
- Balance with sensitivity ≈ 1 part in 1 000 of skein mass.
- Reporting & units
- Linear density expressed in the Tex system and reported to three significant figures.
- Optionally calculate coefficient of variation (CV) - base on ≥20 specimens for statistical reliability.
Applications and users
- Who uses it: textile testing laboratories, yarn manufacturers, spinning mills, quality assurance teams, buyers/suppliers and inspection bodies.
- Practical uses:
- Quality control of yarn production and incoming material inspection.
- Contract and trade verification of commercial mass and linear density.
- Product development and specification (ensuring consistent tex values).
- Combined testing with strength or commercial mass measurements (when agreed lengths/conditions are used).
Related standards
Keywords: EN ISO 2060:1995, skein method, linear density, tex, yarn testing, textile standards, yarn from packages, conditioning, oven-dry mass.
