plying

Plying is the process of repeatedly twisting together two or more yarns, or strands of yarn made from fibers, to produce a thicker and stronger textile product. A plied structure remains stable because the fibers in the individual yarns, or the yarns within each strand, are twisted in the opposite direction to the twist applied during plying. Depending on their intended use, plied products differ in the number of yarns or strands, as well as in thickness, material, and construction. They include plied yarns, twines, braids, cords, and ropes. In traditional textile production, plying was carried out either without tools (by rolling the fibers between the hands or against the thigh), with simple tools (such as various types of spindles or a twine-twisting crank), or using specialized equipment (including a spinning wheel, a ropewalk trolley, or a rope-making wheel).