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Why is combing used when producing fine yarns?

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Diagram titled Spinning jenny showing an operator using a hand wheel to rotate a cord-driven roller, drawing and twisting fibers from multiple clamped rovings onto tilted spindles; numbered callouts trace the process from roving to thread. — textile An annotated diagram showing how an operator uses a hand wheel, rollers, and spindles on a spinning jenny to draw and twist unspun fiber into thread.

Combing is used in the production of fine yarns to enhance the quality and uniformity of the final product. While carding initially separates fibers and removes most impurities, combing serves as an additional, more precise step for high-quality requirements.12

The process provides several key benefits:
* Removal of short fibers: Combing eliminates shorter fibers, leaving a sliver composed entirely of long fibers.12
* Alignment: It ensures that all remaining fibers are laid parallel to one another, further straightening the staple.13
* Improved aesthetics: The resulting yarn is significantly smoother and more lustrous than yarns that have only been carded.12

By removing unwanted short lengths—often referred to as noils—and refining the fiber arrangement, combing allows manufacturers to produce the fine, high-quality yarns required for premium fabrics and hosiery.3