Tensile Strength
Tensile strength is a quality performance measure that indicates the amount of force a textile or yarn can withstand when pulled in a specific direction until it breaks.
Contents6 sections
Definition and Overview
Tensile strength is the strength measured by the maximum force required to evaluate a test specimen until it reaches cutting or breakage. It is affected not only by the textile itself, but also by the fibers, yarn, weave or knit structure, density, and finishing that make it up.
The measured value varies depending on the direction of pull and the test conditions. For woven fabrics, there may be differences between the warp and weft directions, and for knits, it is necessary to check them while taking the knitting direction and stretchability into account.
Features and Relationship to Hand
Textiles with high tensile strength tend to be less likely to break in applications where pulling force is applied. However, a high numerical value alone cannot be used to judge thickness, stiffness, weight, abrasion resistance, or durability uniformly.
Hand is not the same performance as tensile strength. In general, thick yarn and high-density structures tend to contribute to strength, while depending on the material and finish, strength may be provided while maintaining suppleness and lightness. Since it is difficult to judge strength accurately from appearance, check both test data and the actual material.
Main Applications
Tensile strength is an important item to check in garments where force is applied to the textile through putting on and taking off, movement, or load. For pants, jackets, outerwear, uniforms, workwear, bags, and similar items, the required level is set according to the intended use areas and loads.
Even in thin shirts, blouses, dresses, and innerwear, localized force is applied around seams, button attachment areas, pocket openings, and similar parts. For lightweight materials for spring and summer, check the necessary strength while balancing it with lightness and breathability.
Selection and Handling Precautions
When selecting textile, check not only the tensile strength value, but also tear strength, abrasion resistance, burst strength, and seam strength according to the application. For example, the risk of a cut spreading into a tear is more related to tear strength, while resistance to force that pushes and bursts a knit from the inside is more related to burst strength.
The strength of a textile may decrease due to washing, drying, ultraviolet light, chemicals, friction, or aging. Even when straightening the grain or hot-water treating to account for shrinkage, it is important to confirm the dimensional change after washing and the strength before mass production.
In sewing, overly dense needle holes, excessive thread tension, or seam allowances that are too narrow can become starting points for tearing. For thin or stretchy textiles, match the type of needle, thread, and seam to the textile, and use test sewing to check for damage or puckering near the seam.
Differences from Similar Terms
Tear strength is the resistance to force that tries to tear a textile with a cut in it. Even if tensile strength is high, that does not necessarily mean it is strong against tearing from a cut. Abrasion resistance refers to resistance to damage from repeated rubbing, and the load being evaluated is different.
Burst strength is the resistance to force that pushes and spreads a sheet-like textile. In knits, stretch materials, and bag-like or three-dimensional parts, it is practically important to check burst strength in addition to tensile strength.
Frequently Asked Questions
If tensile strength is high, can it be said to be a textile that is hard to tear?
It can be said to be strong against breaking when pulled in a certain direction, but it does not indicate overall tear resistance. It is also necessary to check tear strength for cuts spreading into tears, abrasion resistance for rubbing, and burst strength for the load of a knit being pushed and spread.
Can tensile strength be determined only by the thickness or fabric weight of the textile?
Thickness and fabric weight are factors related to strength, but they alone are not enough to make a judgment. It varies depending on the type of fiber, yarn thickness and twist, density, structure, finishing, and the direction of pulling. The performance required for the application is confirmed through test data and prototypes.
