Lubricant
Lubricant is a treatment agent applied to the surface of sewing thread to reduce friction with the sewing machine needle and thread path, and to prevent thread breakage, heat buildup, and fuzzing during sewing.
Contents5 sections
Definition and Overview
A lubricant is a treatment agent mainly applied during the finishing stage of sewing thread production. It reduces resistance when the thread contacts the needle, take-up lever, thread guides, and hook, and supports stable thread feeding and sewing.
A lubricant is not a name indicating the thread’s fiber material, twist, or thickness. Even for the same polyester thread, the type and amount of lubricant may differ depending on the intended use and the required sewability.
Relationship to Material, Twist, and Structure
Lubricants include silicone-based and wax-based types, but formulations vary by thread maker and intended use. Filament thread and spun thread differ in surface condition and fuzzing, so the required lubricity also changes.
For tightly twisted thread, spun thread with fuzz, or thick stitch thread, it is important to check friction with the thread path and the effect of needle heat. A lubricant is one factor that reduces such friction, but thread strength, twist, fuzz, and sewing conditions also affect sewability.
Difference from Thickness Indications
A lubricant is not an indication of thread thickness, such as count, denier, or nominal count. Counts and similar terms are standards and indications for selecting thread thickness, while a lubricant is a surface treatment that makes the thread easier to sew.
In specifications, sharing the thread type, material, count or nominal count, color, and whether there are difficult-to-sew areas or high-speed sewing requirements makes it easier to select the thread, including lubricant treatment, and to examine sewing conditions.
Main Applications and Sewing Precautions
Sewing thread with lubricant treatment is used in areas where thread breakage and seam shrinkage need to be minimized, from general apparel to heavy-weight products. In particular, for high-speed sewing and multi-layer sections, consider friction-induced needle heat and the load on the thread.
Even if a lubricant is suitable, skipped stitches, thread breakage, and puckering can occur if the needle size, needle point shape, thread tension, stitch density, sewing speed, and thickness of overlapping seams do not match. It is important to conduct sewing tests on actual fabric under conditions close to mass production.
- Check whether the lubricant migrates to the fabric surface and causes stains or changes in hand.
- When heat cutting or heat processing is performed, check the thread’s heat resistance, including the lubricant treatment.
- For resin-coated fabrics, synthetic leather, and light-colored fabrics, evaluate staining and compatibility in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are threads with more lubricant easier to sew?
Not necessarily. If there is too much lubricant, migration to the fabric, seam slippage, and staining may become problems. Select a thread with appropriate lubricity for the thread material, thickness, sewing speed, and fabric surface condition, and judge by trial sewing.
Are silicone lubricant and silicone-based lubricant the same?
In sewing sites and product descriptions, both terms may be used to refer to silicone-based lubricants. However, the actual formulation and performance differ by product. Do not judge by the term alone; check the specifications such as intended use, target material, and migration properties.
