Mélange yarn

Melange yarn is produced by blending dyed fibre before spinning, so colour is distributed through the yarn structure rather than applied to its surface. The result is the heather and mixed-tone effect that cannot be reproduced by piece dyeing. Ashelby International supplies melange yarn from 10s to 40s Ne.

We supply melange in cotton, polyester and viscose blends. Because the colour effect is created at fibre stage, the depth and character of the heather is set by the blend recipe -- the proportion of dyed to undyed fibre, and the number of shades introduced. Two-tone greys are the highest-volume construction; richer multi-shade melanges are produced to buyer specification.

The practical advantage beyond appearance is colour consistency across the fabric. Because pigment is distributed through the yarn, surface abrasion does not expose undyed fibre in the way it can with some surface-dyed constructions, so garments hold their appearance through wear. Melange also disguises minor soil and irregularity, which is part of why it is so heavily used in sweatshirts and casual knitwear.

Typical applications include fashion t-shirts, knitwear, sweatshirts and casual apparel. Supply a colour reference or physical sample with your enquiry -- melange shades are difficult to communicate by description alone.