Convert Kilograms per Metre to Metric Count (kg/m to Nm)

Formula

Nm = 0.001 ÷ kg/m

Derivation from SI units:

• The coherent SI unit of linear density: mass in kilograms per metre of length.
• Nm = kilometres of yarn per kilogram, so tex = 1000 ÷ Nm
• Solving for Nm: Nm = 0.001 ÷ kg/m (a higher kg/m means a lower Nm)

Both units are defined exactly, so the factor is exact. Kilogram per Metre definition: kilogram per metre; Metric Count definition: metric count.

Worked examples

1. A reading of 0.00001 kg/m converts to 100 Nm.
   0.001 ÷ 0.00001 = 100 Nm
2. A value of 0.0001 kg/m is 10 Nm.
   0.001 ÷ 0.0001 = 10 Nm

Where it's used

Kilograms per Metre are used for ropes, cables and heavy tows, while metric count appear in wool, linen and spun yarns in continental Europe. Both measure yarn count (linear density of yarns and fibres), but one system is the inverse of the other, so a fixed constant is divided by the value.

Kilogram per Metre to other yarn count units

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
• ASTM D2260, Standard Tables of Conversion Factors and Equivalent Yarn Numbers Measured in Various Numbering Systems, ASTM International , Metric count (Nm).
• Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI), NIST Special Publication 811, 2008 Edition, National Institute of Standards and Technology , Appendix B.8, "yard" and "pound".

Last reviewed: 2026-10-15. Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.