What is and Where to Buy Molnlycke Thread?
You need good thread to create some fashion masterpieces. Sometimes, modern thread just won’t cut it as it may not be durable enough for what you want to use it for. There will be those times when you want to use a throwback thread just because it is so good.
What is Molnlycke thread? Molnlycke thread was made in the Swedish town of the same name. It was known for having a lot more available colors than the American thread makers produced. Plus, the thread was 100% poly and very durable. You may only find it in rare places like estate sales or antique stores.
To find out more about this antique thread just continue to read out article. It has the information on this once popular thread brand that doesn’t seem to be made anymore.
What is Molnlycke Thread
As stated, the molnlycke thread was made in Sweden in a town that carried the same name as the thread. It was a pure poly thread that came on plastic spools that were designed to remain stationary on both vertical and horizontal spindles.
In addition to that, the Swedish maker made sure that sewers around the world had access to a variety of colors that their country’s thread makers did not produce. Unfortunately, one of the bigger US thread makers bought the company sometime in the 1980s and excluded the thread from the US market.
There is a rumor that this thread maker decided to study the molnlycke thread in order to improve their product and gain a bigger market share in America. But that is only a rumor. A thread that may be close to the quality that molnlycke thread may be the silk thread varieties.
One thing about the thread is that we cannot find anything negative being said about it. Sewers cherish the stock they have and will pick it up anywhere they can, even at estate sales.
Molnlycke Thread Company
If you are going to do research on this company you need to be careful. There is a modern company called Molnlycke, but it is a medical products and solutions company. As far as we can tell it doesn’t manufacture any thread for fashion.
The problem with finding out any information about the thread company itself is that it had a short international lifespan. The company may have made lots of thread in Europe and been in existence for decades if not generations but that history seems to be lost to the issues that come with time passage.
What we have been able to find out is that the company made a top-rated poly thread that scared a lot of thread making competitors. This was about 1975. The company lasted into the 80s and almost to the 90s until it was bought out.
The records state that Coats n Clarke bought the company before the 90s hit and then proceeded to put the molnlycke company out of business. In other words, they discontinued the brand and the manufacturing of this top-rated and very popular thread.
If you miss the thread, Coats n Clarke may have used the technology to make it in the first place to improve their products. That is the rumor and time may have reversed that thinking as the drive to cut expenses overrule the production of quality products.
Or they used to upgrade in their own thread products to up their price and make more money. The molnlycke thread usually only cost about 19 cents per spool when it was made in Sweden.
Molnlycke 100 Polyester Thread
As far as we can tell, experienced sewers cannot get enough of this thread. It hasn’t been in production for about 40 years, give or take a few years, but its reputation for being a top-quality thread has lived on.
When these experienced sewers get a spool, they hoard it because it is so good. The good thing about this thread that even if left unused for decades, its quality holds up and is one of the favorites to use today.
Cotton thread is subject to dry rot which may or may not ruin that thread style. Molnlycke thread is said to be made from 100% poly and does not damage or dry rot even if you do not use it for 10 years.
The only drawback that we can see from using a 100% poly thread like molnlycke is that the poly will stretch some. The thread may be stretched while being run through the sewing machine due to bad tension or trouble with the bobbin.
If this happens you may get what is called puckery, drawn up seams. This is because after stretching, the thread relaxes and makes the seams look worse than they should be.
Where to Buy Molnlycke Thread
You are going to have to be extremely lucky if you want to buy molnlycke poly thread. Not only has been out of production for decades, not many people who have it are willing to part with it.
One of the best places to look would be in those stores that specialize in sewing, patterns, fabrics, and threads. You never know when they can come across a supply of unused molnlycke thread.
Failing that, your next best place to search will be garage sales, estate sales and even yard sales. You never know when someone has to give up their sewing hobby and needs to part with their fabric and thread supplies.
The final place to look would be the classifieds. When someone is selling their sewing machine, they may be parting with some of their sewing supplies and you may get lucky to find some of this top quality thread among the other brands.
Amazon doe snot stock any and we checked. The closest we got to thread was Molnlycke bandages. You need to prepare yourself for along and hard search in order to get this thread.
Cotton, Polyester, and Polyester Core/Cotton Wrap Threads
Experienced sewers may already know everything about the different thread types available today. That is okay but there may be some new sewers to the hobby who are not sure about the thread types or where they came from.
Here is a brief rundown on those three thread types to familiarize yourself with your new hobby:
100% Cotton - this style has been in use since before time was measured. There have been samples found that used cotton and dated to 7,000 years ago. In 1730, cotton thread was first spun on machines and has been the go to thread for centuries.
Some of the positives that come with using cotton thread is that is is easy to use, does not kink or skip stitches and does not get affected by hot needles very often. The thread increases in strength when wet and is should not melt. Plus, it works well on badly adjusted machines.
Some of the drawbacks to this thread is that it can get mildewy and shrink when wet, it doe snot have a uniform look or feel and can be affected by harsh weather elements.
100% polyester - Two chemists in 1941 invented poly thread. The British chemists were Whinfield and Dickson and they created a superior thread to the cotton version. The process to make polyester is very complicated but you should know that polyester comes from xylene, nitric acid, glycol and heat.
The newly constructed polyester is then extruded. cut into pieces and spun into filaments. This is done after the product is cooled. Manufactures use about 170,000 filaments to create a tow which is then stretched to 10 or 20 times its original size. That is polyester thread.
Polyester thread is good for stretch knits and resists abrasions, mildew, sunlight much better than cotton does. Its drawbacks include melting in high temperatures, kinking and is a lot thicker than cotton thread.
Polyester core, Cotton wrapped - as the name says, this is a hybrid thread that seeks to incorporate the toughness of polyester thread with the look and feel of 100% cotton. In other words, you are getting the best of both worlds when you use this variety.
The cotton contributes to the ease of sewing, heat resistance, while providing the authentic look you want in your sewing projects. Polyester contributes its durability, its stretch capabilities and its resistance to abrasions.
One garment that uses poly core and cotton wrapped thread are jeans. Jeans are made to be used in rough environments and this thread helps them stand up to that rough and tough treatment.
Some Final Words
Molnlycke thread may not be made anymore but if you can find it, you need to grab it as quickly as you can. Very few modern threads compete with the quality that thread brings to your sewing projects.
It comes with a great reputation and very few people are willing to part with it. That is how good it is. Go with the best when you can find it. The only trouble is that it may not cost 19 cents anymore.
