Technical guide with sources · ROLL Lab

Paper tubes and cores for textiles, yarn and nonwovens

ROLL Lab · updated 24 October 2026 · sources at the end of the page

Surface and cleanliness

Yarn and fabric touch the tube directly: the outer ply must be smooth or carry the grooves needed for the yarn to catch, with no dust or loose fibres. For nonwovens and technical textiles, 3" and 6" cores with thicker walls are also used, because the rolls are wide and heavy.

What to specify

• Inside diameter and tolerance for the machine shaft.
• Surface type (smooth, grooved, colour of the outer ply).
• Minimum flat crush for heavy rolls.
• Moisture: in conditioned textile halls, the tube follows the air of the hall.

Straightness and speed

In spinning and texturing, tubes spin very fast. A bent or eccentric tube vibrates, breaks the yarn and spoils the shape of the package. For these uses, ask for a straightness and concentric rotation limit (ISO 11093-5) as well as the diameter tolerances.

Smooth, grooved or ground surface

Some yarns and thin films use ground tubes: the outer surface is sanded to remove seams and irregularities that would print through onto the first layers. They cost more, but they cut waste at the start of the roll.

All applications

Sources

1. ISO 11093 (parts 6, 7, 8, 9)
2. ISO 13542
3. CCTI T-158, T-159
4. ROLL Lab calculation