Unified Thread Standard

Two major Unified thread series are in use: UN and UNR. For the UN series, you specify C (coarse), F (fine), or EF (extra fine), as required.

There are two types of threads to be managed in a modern system: User threads and kernel threads. User threads are supported above the kernel, without kernel support. These are the threads that application programmers would put into their programs.

Generally, there are two thread series, namely The ISO Metric Screw Thread (in millimetres) and The Unified Screw Thread (in inches). For both these series, there are two types of threads – fine thread and coarse thread.

Nylon is one of the strongest synthetic threads in use today. It has a high strength-to-size ratio in comparison to polyester thread and is also known for its flexibility and stretch. The high tensile strength of nylon makes it ideal for heavy fabrics used in home décor.

polyester threads

Needles – Firstly, vinyl is thicker than cotton so we need to be mindful of creating too much thickness and too many layers so that the sewing machine might struggle. It’s best to use a needle designed for leather or vinyl and I used these Leather Needles from Schmetz.

Since Vinyl is a heavier weight fabric, you’ll want a needle designed to manage additional thickness without breaking. Before starting your next project, prep your sewing machine with a Leather or Denim needle size 90/14. You could even use a Denim Twin Needle for perfectly symmetrical stitches.

Upholstery Nylon is a heavyweight 100% nylon thread for machine and hand sewing indoor and outdoor heavyweight fabrics. It is a bonded 3-ply nylon thread that is weather abrasion mildew and UV resistant. For best results use a size 18 needle and increase stitch length.

For heavy weight fabrics such as denim, canvas and upholstery you will need a larger needle such as a 100/16, 110/18 or 120/20. The heavier the fabric, the larger the needle sized required. Do I need a larger needle? A larger needle will be required with thicker, heavier weight fabrics.

Heavy Duty Nylon Thread T70 (1000 yards) This thread is unbelievably tough and strong yet thin enough for standard needles and sewing machines. Ideal for use on any heavy duty bag or pack, denim and leather goods.

USE THE RIGHT THREAD: Never use cotton thread when sewing leather, as the tanins in the leather will erode the thread over time. Instead, use polyester or nylon. You may want to use heavy-duty top-stitching thread; it’s not necessary, but leather does look nice when stitched with heavier thread.

Needle and Thread Size Chart

The best threads for hand-stitching leather are the polyester threads, Linen threads, and nylon threads. This is because they have unique qualities that result in durable, fine, and professional stitches. These threads broadly fall within the two major categories of natural and synthetic threads.

Faux leather (also referred to as “leatherette” or “vegan” leather) is often considered as a lower cost alternative to genuine leather. Genuine leather is in high demand and for good reasons. Here, we continue the comparison with two additional types of faux leather: PU faux leather fabric and PVC faux leather fabric.

Synthetic leather material can be good for shoes due to it’s low cost, abrasion-resistance, and water-resistance. They generally don’t “breathe” as well as natural leather, though can be a suitable option for a wide variety of shoes and footwear.

Rather than a harmless byproduct of animal agriculture, leather is a brutal industry all its own. While global leather production is usually outsourced to India, Bangladesh, or China, cows in the U.S. killed for their skins are treated with similar cruelty. Adult cows are not the only victims of the leather industry.

Horses who arrive at these facilities who have been injured so their meat is damaged or too thin to be slaughtered — called ‘skinners’ — are simply killed for their hides and any other body parts that are of use. Shell Cordovan leather is made from the rump area of the horse where the flesh is thickest.

The Source of Leather More than 139 million cows, calves, sheep, lambs, and pigs are killed for food each year, and skin accounts for roughly 50% of the total byproduct value of cattle.

Leather is a material made from the hide or skin of an animal. Of the leather from cows, the majority is taken from those who are slaughtered for their meat or from dairy cows no longer producing enough milk to remain profitable.

It’s already possible and is being done through bio-fabrication which is environmentally responsible, efficient, and humane. This is a great first-step in introducing lab-grown products like Lab-Grown Burgers, and the leather can even be grown to exact shapes, thickness, color, and texture.

The Case Against Real Leather From an animal-rights advocacy perspective, it doesn’t matter how the animals are being raised or how leather is being tanned. Like fur, leather is simply something no one should buy or wear.

Cows Are Killed for Their Skin Only For the most part, cowhide rugs are a by-product of the meat and dairy production farms. Using a chemical process, they create hides that become the rugs we all love. These beautiful hides should be admired for years to come in homes instead of being trashed.