9 Threads for Bookbinding Compared: Linen & Craft Cord

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For a first sewn journal, start by comparing linen thread made for bookbinding. FANDOL’s natural waxed linen and Books by Hand’s small linen set are two options below. Choose the size your binding instructions call for before choosing a color or a large spool.

A cord that works well for a leather wallet may be a poor fit for folded paper. This guide separates linen options, craft cords and listings that need more clarification. The nine products are not interchangeable, and a thicker thread is not automatically a better choice.

This comparison uses supplier guidance and retail listings checked on October 8–9, 2026. It is based on specifications, rather than hands-on sewing tests. Make a small sample with your own paper before committing to a thread.

Choose thread for the book you are making

Keep your binding tutorial beside you while shopping. Note the recommended thread, the paper, the number of folded sections and whether the sewing remains visible. Buying a familiar material in the wrong size can still leave you with a poor match.

Material and construction

Linen comes from flax. Ramie is a different fiber, so a ramie cord should not be sold to you as linen. Nylon and polyester are synthetic options. Fiber names alone do not settle the choice: compare the actual size, twist or braid, coating and intended use.

Specialist suppliers offer more than a single generic linen. For example, Colophon’s Londonderry range has several weights and colors, comes unwaxed, and is described as softer than its other linen ranges. The supplier links that softness with greater compression during sewing. Two threads with similar size labels can therefore behave differently.

Thickness, ply and size numbers

Ply describes strands combined into a thread. A five-ply product is not automatically preferable to a three-ply product. Ask for the actual size and follow the thread recommendation for your binding, rather than buying by strand count alone.

Numbers such as 18/3 are not millimeter measurements. In the linen notation used in Karen Hanmer’s paper-binding guidance, a higher first number indicates a finer yarn, and the second number records the strands. This convention should not be applied blindly to Tex, denier or every retail listing.

A useful supplier-specific comparison is Hewit’s waxed linen spool range: 18/3 is listed at approximately 0.59 mm, 25/3 at 0.42 mm and 35/3 at 0.29 mm. Those figures describe that range; they are not a universal conversion chart for another brand’s thread.

Check whether a cord is round or flat. A flat cord’s advertised width and a round thread’s diameter are different measurements. Several listings below use “thick” or “wide” loosely, so do not infer an exact cross-section from a single number.

Wax and spine bulk

Hanmer’s guidance explains that excessive thread bulk inside folded sections can create a wedge-shaped book. It also notes that lightly waxing an unwaxed thread can ease sewing, while heavily waxed craft thread may transfer wax to nearby paper or collect debris. Wax is a sewing aid, not a guarantee that a book will resist water or last indefinitely.

Choose the amount of wax as carefully as the color. Colophon’s Best linen is supplied unwaxed and is often paired with beeswax; Hewit’s reviewed spool range is beeswax-coated. An unlabeled “waxed” cord does not establish which wax was used.

Make a small sample before buying in bulk

Use scraps of the paper and the same folded-section arrangement as your project. Follow the tutorial’s sewing pattern, then open and close the sample. Look at the folds, holes, knot and how the sewing sits. If the thread does not fit the needle comfortably or requires forcing through the holes, pause and check the specified materials.

A sample is especially useful before ordering hundreds of yards or a multicolor set. Record the thread’s exact product name and size, the paper and the tutorial you used. That gives you something concrete to compare on your next project.

Compare the nine listings

The table keeps the original nine products for comparison, but does not rank them from best to worst. Start with the linen options for a linen-based tutorial. Buy a different craft cord only when its specifications suit your own binding instructions.

Linen and other craft options

FANDOL natural waxed linen

The natural FANDOL listing specifies flax linen, three plies, a wax coating, 0.55 mm diameter and 130 meters. It is one of the more clearly identified linen options in this comparison.

Compare it when your instructions call for waxed linen of a similar size. The listing does not establish the wax formulation or independent durability, and three plies alone do not prove that it fits every binding.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

CNBTR waxed ramie

The exact CNBTR listing identifies this cord as natural ramie, not linen. It lists a round waxed cord at 0.55 mm diameter and 100 meters. Ramie and flax linen are different fibers.

Consider it as a separate ramie craft option. If your course or tutorial specifically asks for flax linen, buy that material rather than assuming the two are equivalent. The listing’s general leathercraft uses do not validate a conservation application.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

Books by Hand waxed linen set

The Books by Hand set lists lightly waxed five-ply linen, with one 20-yard roll each in orange, lavender and black. It offers a smaller amount of colored linen than a large single cone.

The reviewed listing does not specify a diameter. Ask the seller about thickness before buying for a size-sensitive project; a five-ply label cannot supply that missing measurement.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

Mandala bonded nylon

The reviewed Mandala listing identifies beige bonded nylon as size 207, 630D, Tex 210 and 800 yards. Check these labels when comparing variants; another spool from the same brand may have different dimensions.

This is a heavy-duty upholstery and leather thread listing. Its bonded coating is not evidence of beeswax. This particular variant is not an all-purpose bookbinding thread. If an instructor specifies nylon, match their exact size instead of ordering this cone by brand alone.

New Bedford Thread Silamide

The New Bedford Thread Silamide listing describes two-ply waxed nylon, Tex 23, in a black 675-yard skein. It is presented for hand sewing as a silk replacement; it is not silk.

The listing does not specify a diameter. If your binding calls for nylon, confirm the required thread size before buying. Neither the wax coating nor the two-ply construction establishes how long a binding will last.

Tenn Well flat waxed thread

The Tenn Well black spool is listed as polyester, 150D, 1 mm wide flat waxed cord, with 328 yards and a large-eye needle. Its advertised bookbinding use is a seller claim, rather than an independent sewing test.

Compare it for a craft project that explicitly calls for a flat cord of this width. Do not treat 1 mm width as the diameter of a round linen thread. Check that the supplied needle is appropriate for your paper and instructions.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

BUTUZE waxed thread

The BUTUZE title says 0.8 mm, while its details panel says 1 mm. The material field says “leather,” which does not clearly identify the fiber in the thread. The title lists 284 yards.

Ask the seller to confirm the fiber and precise dimensions before ordering. These conflicting fields do not give you a reliable specification for a size-sensitive project.

Mandala flat waxed color set

This Mandala listing is a 24-color set of braided polyester flat waxed thread, labeled 150D and 0.8 mm. The size label does not establish that it has the same cross-section as a 0.8 mm round cord.

The listing uses inconsistent length formats across its fields, so confirm the number of rolls and the length of each roll before comparing value. A color set is useful only if its cord also fits the project; do not buy it solely for the range of shades.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

Mandala round waxed thread

The linked brown Mandala round cord is listed as waxed polyester at 0.45 mm and 219 yards. Its manufacturer also describes the round range as braided polyester used for leathercraft and journal binding.

Compare this exact round variant when a colored polyester craft cord matches your instructions. Other colors and bundled sizes on the maker’s page are separate options. Do not transfer their lengths or dimensions to this ASIN.

The manufacturer’s round-thread page confirms the material and range; check the selected retail variant for the actual pack you intend to order.

Check the current Amazon listing (paid link).

Questions before you order

Do I need waxed thread for every binding?

Follow the tutorial’s specification. Some suppliers sell unwaxed linen, and some sell it already coated. If the tutorial calls for light waxing, apply only the amount it describes. A heavily coated cord is not automatically an upgrade.

Can I use ordinary sewing thread?

The answer depends on the binding. Hewit’s single-section binding factsheet uses sewing thread for its particular pamphlet project. That does not establish that the same thread suits a many-section journal or another sewing method. Use the instructions for the book you are actually making.

Should an exposed spine always use thick cord?

Choose the size specified for that structure. Visible sewing is also part of the appearance, so consider the color and stitch pattern after you have settled the material and size. A bold-looking cord is not evidence of greater suitability.

How much thread should I buy?

Use the length calculation in your binding instructions, including their allowance for tails and knots. There is no reliable one-length-fits-every-book rule. Compare usable length per roll, not just the number of spools or the size of the package.

Which option should I start with?

For a tutorial that specifies linen, compare FANDOL’s clearly labeled natural spool with the Books by Hand colored set, and confirm the required size. If you need a named linen weight that these listings do not specify, check a specialist bookbinding supplier. A matching thread matters more than a large quantity or an attractive color assortment.

Other materials for your book

Plan the cover and paper at the same time as the sewing. Our guides to bookbinding boards, book cloth, bookbinding glues and paper cutters for bookbinding cover the other material choices.