There is a general opinion that open end spun cotton yarns are more abrasive than their ring spun counterparts. The major "evidence" for the differences between the two yarn types is the greater attrition suffered by machinery parts (such as knitting needles) when processing rotor yarns. While these opinions are founded on the claims from the industry, there is little published data to support these views.

The paper describes an investigation into the role of spinning technique on the abrasiveness of yarns. Open-end yarns produced at different production speeds were compared with the equivalent ring spun yarns using a Lawson-Hemphill CTT tester. The abrasiveness was assessed by running the yarn over a wire and determining the length of yarn needed to break the wire.

The role of fiber type, machine type, production speed, and twist level are assessed and the results from the tests are collated with data obtained from tests on "commercial" yarns, which were obtained from the industry.