Denier - What does it mean? Quick Guide - 20 DEN, 60 DEN? What is it?

Deniers: What does it mean?

When you buy hosiery, you may see 20D or 20 DEN labeled on a package. What does it mean? Why do you need it to know? We have put together a quick guide to help you understand more what denier means and the impact that different deniers will have on your legwear.

„D” or „DEN” stands for denier, which relates to the weight of fabric in your hosiery.

That means, the heavier and thicker the material is the higher denier is. If you are interested in the technical meaning of this unit, you may take a look at Wikipedia’s definition. We will try to explain it most simply. 🙂

Low denier tights and other hosiery

Low denier tights are made from thin and light material. Sheer legwear often has lower, around 5 to 30 denier. Extremely light and sheer tights have under 10 denier and are called ultra sheer. It means it’s hard to see that you are wearing tights at all. Generally, the lower denier means the more fragile the product. Some people prefer to choose a safe option of 15 or 20 deniers and have no worries about the durability of their legwear.

Features of low deniers:

From 5 to 30 denier

They are thinner

They are finer to touch

They are more transparent

Mid Denier tights and other hosiery

Mid-denier tights are between 30 – 40 den and it’s a perfect choice for transitional seasons. Usually labeled as semi-sheer or semi-opaque hosiery and it has more benefits of high deniers like durability and opaqueness. 30 dens may be the perfect choice for day to day wear as semi-sheer tights with higher ladder resistance.

High denier tights and other hosiery

High denier hosiery is over 40 denier and is thicker and heavier. You will be able to feel that the material is thicker, which means that tights will be warmer and more opaque. This kind of hosiery is perfect for cold weather. While many high denier tights are in plain colors, there are also many different patterns of high denier tights to choose from. There are more benefits of high denier legwear. Tights above 80 den have a more opaque appearance, so they can completely cover your skin tone. You can also find that high denier tights are more durable and it’s more difficult to ladder.

Features of high deniers:

From 40 to 200 denier

They can be warmer

They are thicker

They are more opaque

They are more durable

Sometimes, you may see that one pair of 20 dens may be a little different than others. It depends on the quality of yarns and the kind of used yarns. For example, 20 denier lycra sheer tights will be less opaque than 20 den microfiber tights. The same thickness, but a different effect on legs.

We believe this quick guide helped you to understand what is the meaning of denier. But if you have any questions, leave a comment or mail to us, we will be happy to help you.