What Is Marine Thread?

We have carefully chosen each thread offered to our customers to ensure they offer unmatched sewability, reliability, and longevity.

We test and use every product we bring to you for your sewing needs and know you will be pleased with their performance.

There are 2 basic types of Marine Thread:

UV Bonded Polyester is a heavy duty thread designed to hold up under harsh sun and pollution.
Marine Sewing Thread – PTFE, which stands for Polytetrafluoroethylene, is a lifetime sewing thread. You can count on it to last the full lifetime of your boat canvas or other outdoor textiles.

Although bonded polyester is great for sewing boat canvas and other outdoor projects, it does have a limited lifespan. Depending on where you live in the world, how strong the UV and chemical exposure are in your area, and also depending on the size you are using, you can expect a lifespan range between 2-5 years.

The two most common sizes used on boats are Tex 90 and Tex 135.
Tex 60 is not heavy enough to last very long and we don’t recommend it unless you are sewing on a home sewing machine that is not able to handle the Tex 90.
Tex is proper terminology, but you may also see these threads referred to as V92 and V138.
Nylon is not suitable for outdoor use, so scratch that off your list.

Is polyester the strongest type of sewing thread?

Polyester is strong, but most importantly, it will retain its strength far longer than nylon as it ages.
Tex 135 is stronger and longer lasting than Tex 90, but each manufacturer will have different strength factors.
Our Tex 135 and Tex 90 are UV Bonded Threads
Tex 135 can only be used as a heavy duty sewing machine thread.
The only time we recommend Tex 90 is when you are not using an industrial sewing machine

Are you sewing on an industrial machine?

If you are, consider the extra expense of the PTFE sewing thread and you will never need to restitch in the future. Another bonus of using PTFE thread is that your canvas won’t have unsightly ragged and rotten stitches.

How do you store sewing thread?

Here are recommendations from one of the biggest US thread manufacturers.

“A climate-controlled environment is the best. We recommend leaving the dust bag on the spool or just leaving it in the original box to prevent dust collection (dust can dry out the lubricant). We do not recommend storing in an area that receives direct sunlight as it can speed up the aging process” .

You’d be surprised at the number of people that store their threads in window sills!