20D (or 15D) and 210T (or 190T) are two common tent fabric specifications. Generally speaking, people only know that D roughly represents the thickness of the fabric. The smaller D, the thinner and lighter the fabric, and what T stands for, maybe Few people know about it, and they even think that 210T and 210D are the same, thus making the wrong choice.
This article focuses on the meaning of “D” and “T” and how to choose.
What “D” and “T” mean and how to compare?
One is a unit representing the weight of the yarn, and the other is a unit representing the textile density of the yarn.
The meaning of “D”
The full name of “D” is Denier, and its numerical value indicates the weight of 9000 meters of yarn. For example, 20D means that the weight of a 9,000-meter-long yarn is 20 grams. The higher the D value, the heavier the fabric, the corresponding thickness, and the better wear resistance. Therefore, the seat surfaces of backpacks and chairs are generally 600D. , 1000D. In outdoor equipment, “D” is generally used in nylon fabrics. The lowest nylon fabric can be 7D and the highest 1680D.
The meaning of “T”
“T” represents the total number of horizontal and vertical yarns in one square inch of fabric. For example, 210T represents a total of 210 yarns in one square inch. In outdoor equipment, “T” polyester fabrics are generally used, and 190T and 210T are commonly used.
How to compare “D” and “T”?
After understanding the meaning of “D” and “T”, you will know that “D” and “T” are actually two completely different units, and they cannot be converted or directly compared. However, fabrics can usually use “D” to describe their thickness, or “T” to describe their textile density. For example, on fabric purchasing websites, when fabric manufacturers sell nylon or polyester fabrics, they usually mark both their “T” value and “D” value. Generally speaking, those marked 20D are made of nylon fabrics, and those marked 210T are made of polyester fabrics.
Therefore, since the values cannot be compared, when a product provides two options of 20D and 210T, the key to selection lies in the difference between the two fabrics.
Choose Nylon or Polyester?
Both are widely used in outdoor products, especially tents, tarps, sleeping pads, etc.
Advantages of nylon VS polyester fabrics
Softer – Nylon was originally developed to replace natural fabrics like silk, so it feels softer. This way, both storage and wearing experience are better than polyester fabrics. Polyester fabric will be harder to use.
Stronger – The tear resistance of nylon is about twice as strong as polyester fabric, so tents made of nylon have stronger tear resistance, so that even if it is scratched a little, it can avoid tearing the next large piece fabric.
Lighter – Because nylon is stronger, if achieve the same strength, products made of nylon are lighter and have a smaller storage volume. Generally speaking, for a tent, nylon fabric (20D or 15D style) will be 100~200g lighter than polyester fabric (210T style).
The waterproofness will be better – generally 20D nylon can reach a waterproof index of 4000MM, while 210T polyester can only reach 3000MM.
Disadvantages of nylon VS polyester fabrics
Polyester fabric will not stretch after rain, nylon will – nylon fabric will stretch (get longer) when exposed to water. If it rains, the nylon tent will become more wrinkled the next day, but polyester fabric will not.
Polyester hardly absorbs water, nylon does – polyester hardly absorbs water, while nylon absorbs about 3.5% of its own weight in water, so polyester dries faster than nylon.
Polyester is cheaper – polyester can be recycled and reused. For example, the mineral water bottle used daily (the bottom of the bottle is marked PET) is actually a kind of polyester fiber, which can be recycled to make tent fabrics, while nylon is more difficult to do Recycled and more expensive to produce.
Polyester is more resistant to sunlight – the main cause of aging of tent fabrics comes from UV in the sun, and nylon ages faster than polyester after long-term exposure to sunlight. In addition, nylon generally has a high temperature resistance of no more than 255 degrees, while polyester can reach a maximum temperature of 440 degrees after heat treatment.
Conclusion
1. “D” and “T” are actually two units. “D” represents the thickness of textile yarn, and “T” represents the density of textile yarn. The two cannot be directly compared.
2. In most cases, “D” stands for nylon fabric and “T” stands for polyester fabric. Nylon fabric is lighter, stronger, and softer, while polyester fabric is cheaper, does not absorb water, dries faster, and is more resistant to sunlight.
Therefore, if consider cost and want to buy a cheaper tent, choose polyester fabric, tent made of nylon fabric is more expensive than polyester tent. If do not consider cost, can choose the most suitable fabric based on the usage environment and conditions of the tent.
