Gutermann thread clarification

[Spaceman]

Depending on where I look, the vendor descriptions on some of the Gutermann threads have been a bit confusing. Some vendors are great at telling you exactly what you are getting (i.e. Mara vs.Tera vs. Sew-All with corresponding Tex sizes) while others are a little vague ("Standard Weight", "Extra Strong", etc.). I thought I'd post a clarification that I received from their national sales manager.

Thank you for your inquiry about the Gütermann products you see in the various markets.

Mara is a MicroCore, Spun Polyester thread, made in many Tex sizes and is typically used for construction and decorative stitching on apparel, leather and accessories. The appearance of Mara is a low luster, matte finish with a 'natural' look of silk thread. The thinner Tex sizes are used for garment construction and the thicker Tex sizes are good for buttonholes, decorative topstitching (denim) and leather accent stitching on handbags, wallets, belts, etc.

Tera is a Continuous Filament polyester thread that is made in a different technique and is known for it silky, shiny surface, and strong resistance to abrasion. Tera is slightly stronger than Mara (pound for pound) in like Tex sizes and Tera is normally used for upholstery, leather stitching, outdoor fabrics (awnings, marine upholstery, umbrellas etc.

Both threads are made of 100% polyester, so they both have similar resistance to UV and chlorine, but normally Tera is more commonly used outside or in high sunlight exposure.

Sometimes, people use names that are confusing and normally, our Gutermann customers use the threads 'proper name as shown on the cone or spool. Some retailers use descriptions of the thread that do not match the thread name and this is a little misleading. The Sew All thread you see in Joanne stores or other retail fabric shops is Mara 100 (Tex 30). The heavy topstitch or heavy duty Mara is normally Mara 30 (Tex 100), typically used for denim. This is also called jeans topstitch thread.
Tera is found in some retail stores under the name "Upholstery thread) and this is Tera 40 (Tex 75).

Most Distributors use the actual thread name like Mara or Tera and use the corresponding Tex size to describe the weight or thickness of the thread.
For hammocks, backpacks or similar applications, the Tera 40 is my recommendation. It is available in most of our Distributors and the color range is fairly wide. The thinner Tera threads are great for ripstop nylon as this fabric has a tendency to pucker - so the thinner the thread, the smaller the needle and the least amount of pucker. In that case, Tera 80 (Tex 35) is perfect. This thread is not as widely distributed as Tera 40, but should be carried by more Distributors in the future.

I hope this helps clear up your questions. If you are using Industrial machines, I suggest you look at the websites for Cleaners Supply, Outdoor Wilderness, RockyWoods, Bergen Tailors Supply or Oshman Brothers.

Thanks again for your interest in Gutermann and let me know if you have further questions.
Best, Kathy


Kathy V. Kierce
National Sales Manager
Gütermann of America, Inc.
[email protected]
Phone/Fax: (828) 966-4799
Blackberry (203) 803-0423
www.guetermann.com

And in a follow up email, Kathy mentioned this. Just an FYI

It is so important that people understand the technical properties of the thread and I would like to see if one of the Distributors would "get on board" and stock more of the Tera for people like yourself. Outdoor Wilderness in ID is the most likely, but if you have other sources that could service this - I am happy to reach out to them as well.
You can call me anytime or email - I am happy to help.
Gutermann has been acquired recently by A&E thread and they have a large base of Distributors that also carry a similar product and we might be able to find a Distributor that can stock both products and offer a good assortment of color. This would be in the future, but it makes sense to have a good source for you to purchase the best products.

[Bushwhacker]

the threads 'proper name as shown on the cone or spool.

Does anyone know where this is? My spool is completely blank.

[Hudsonhawk]

Wow what a fantastic response from a large corporation, don't often get service like that anymore.

[Spaceman]

She said she has actually spoken to quite a few hammock forum members in the past and is always willing to help.

[grannypat]

Thanks for posting this. Very helpful.

[ntxkayakr]

Thanks, that was very helpful my mother was very cheap with thread and cleaning her machines properly (professionally) and killed a few. I am attempting to educate myself and not repeat the family tragedy.
Now if only I can find a 201-2 in good condition for less than an arm and a leg. Saw a good fully refurbished 221 featherweight at local Goodwill bid price was up to $65 but not great for webbing and leather. It is getting a little crazy in certain parts of the county, like house flipping. Also saw an incredible fully functional industrial machine for only $150 in Austin, TX; Wife would kill me if I dragged that home.

I was hopping you could add that email response to a Sticky thread on "threads" in the "Tread Injector" sub-forum but I could not locate it so I just subscribed to this thread of yours. hint hint

[Boston]

I always thought "Sew-all" was the same as Mara, but other's here convinced me it was different. Guess I was right all along!

Thanks for posting this. For the record, I use Tera 80 (Tex 35) on all my projects.

[VictoriaGuy]

Thanks for posting this. Very helpful.

Wow what a fantastic response from a large corporation, don't often get service like that anymore.

+1
Thanks for that post (and for taking the trouble to email Gutermann).

[Wkerber]

I started to keep a cheat sheet. I didn't fill in the needle sizes for the threads I wouldn't use.

(sorry, spreadsheet didn't copy very well)

Mara; Tex; Needle
220; 13;
120; 25;
100; 30; "10-12" (sew-all)
70; 40; "14-16"
30; 100;



TERA; TEX; Needle
80; 35; "10-14"
60; 50; "14-16"
40; 75; "16-18"
30; 100;
20; 150;
15; 200;
10; 290;
8; 375;





This is from another HF member's post and I use it as a guide as well.


Thread/Needle selection by project

OK, here's a simple chart that I use with great success building quilts, packs & tarps:

Quilt seams & hems: M50/M90/1.1 rip (uncoated) - Microtex 70/10 with Gutermann "SewAll" ie Mara 100 (Tex 30)

Tarp & pack seams & hems: 1.3 sil (1.1 coated) - Microtex 80/12 with Guterman Mara 70 (Tex 40)

Tarp tie-outs; pack attach points & buckles (shoulder, sternum & hip straps) - Microtex 90/14 with Gutermann Mar 70 (Tex 40)

[sandmaker]

Thanks for this post. Very helpful. And that's some great customer service.