Nep yarn
Also known as: Nub yarn, Knop yarn
Yarn with spun-in fibre nubs that gives fabric a grainy, three-dimensional structure.
Description
Nep yarn is an effect yarn into which small coloured or plain fibre nubs (neps) are spun during spinning. These nubs can come from the same fibre material as the base yarn or from contrast-coloured fibre flocks. They are introduced via a front roller at the drafting zone or by a special machine (fancy twister) and fixed in place by sufficient twist.
Visually a characteristic speckled pattern emerges: coloured or light dots are unevenly distributed across the fabric giving it a craft, tweed-like character. Classic example is Irish Donegal tweed, where colourful neps in a brown-grey base fabric create the iconic look. Boucle knits, chunky pullovers and handknit-inspired winter goods also use nep yarns.
Manufacture: on classic ring-spinning machines nep flocks are laid into the roving before drafting and spun in together. Alternatively special effect twisters produce fancy yarn with defined nub intervals. Important for garment makers: neps can be noticed during sewing and pressing and must be evenly distributed; quality control via Uster Tester is standard.
Properties
| Process | Nep spinning in the drafting zone |
|---|---|
| Result | Speckled, craft-like surface |
| Colour fastness | High (fibres pre-dyed before spinning) |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Tweed Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tweed_(Stoff)
- Donegal Tweed Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donegal_tweed
