Glass Yarn & Glass Fabric for Composites, Electronics & Industrial Manufacturing

Continuous-filament glass yarn and woven glass fabric engineered for PCB laminates, copper clad laminate, composite reinforcement and electrical insulation - supplied with technical guidance from Tricel Composites.

What Are Glass Yarn & Glass Fabric?

Glass yarn consists of continuous glass fibre filaments wound into packages for weaving, braiding, knitting and reinforcement applications. Glass fabric is produced by weaving glass yarns into engineered textiles that provide mechanical strength, dimensional stability, electrical insulation and thermal performance – together forming the foundation of many composite materials, PCB laminates, electrical insulation systems and industrial products.

Glass Yarn Grades: Electronic & Reinforcement

Whether you’re weaving fine electronic fabrics or reinforcing structural composites, Tricel supplies continuous-filament glass yarn matched to the demands of the finished part.

Electronic Grade Glass Yarn

Manufactured for applications requiring excellent electrical insulation, dimensional stability and compatibility with copper clad laminate and PCB production.

PROPERTY	DESCRIPTION
Filament diameter	5–9 µm
Electrical performance	Excellent dielectric properties
Surface finish	Special sizing for weaving & resin compatibility
Dimensional stability	High
End uses	PCB laminates, electrical insulation, electronics

Reinforcement Glass Yarn

Engineered for composite reinforcement applications where high tensile strength and low weight are critical.

PROPERTY	DESCRIPTION
Strength	High tensile strength
Resin compatibility	Excellent
Processability	Weaving, braiding & roving
Applications	Composites, transport, construction, marine, industrial

Woven Glass Fabric Constructions

From balanced plain weaves for PCB laminates to high-Tg fabrics for demanding electronics, Tricel’s glass fabric range is built for consistent lamination performance.

Plain Weave Glass Fabric

The most common glass fabric construction, providing balanced properties in both warp and weft directions.

PCB laminates · Composite panels · Electrical insulation · Lightweight structures · Industrial laminates

Fast Wet-Out Glass Fabric

Designed to improve resin penetration and laminate manufacturing efficiency.

High-volume manufacturing · Vacuum infusion · Hand lay-up · Resin transfer moulding

High Heat Resistant Glass Fabric

Developed for applications exposed to elevated operating temperatures while maintaining dimensional stability and electrical performance.

Electronic assemblies · Industrial insulation · Heat shields · High-temperature laminates

High Tg Glass Fabric

Designed for use within high glass transition temperature laminate systems.

High-performance PCBs · Telecoms infrastructure · Automotive electronics · Aerospace electronics

Where Our Reinforcements Perform

Glass yarn and glass fabric distributed by Tricel Composites are specified across electronics, transportation, aerospace, telecommunications and renewable energy manufacturing.

Electronics & PCB

Copper clad laminates (CCL)

Printed circuit boards

Electrical insulation substrates

Aerospace & Defence

Lightweight structural components

Interior panels

Composite reinforcement systems

Automotive

Battery housing components

Electronic assemblies

Insulation systems

Telecommunications

Antenna systems

Communication equipment

High-frequency circuit boards

Renewable Energy

Wind energy components

Electrical insulation systems

Composite structural parts

Composite Manufacturing

Woven reinforcement fabrics

Pultrusion & filament winding

Structural composite components

Typical Product Specifications

Reference data across our core glass yarn designations and glass fabric styles. Full technical datasheets are available on request.

Glass Yarn Specifications

DESIGNATION	DIAMETER (µm)	TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
D450	5	Fine woven fabrics
D900	5	Electronic fabrics
DE75	6	PCB substrates
DE300	6	Electrical components
E110	7	Electronic fabrics
E225	7	PCB laminates
G37	9	General industrial use
G67	9	Reinforcement fabrics
G75	9	Composite applications

Glass Fabric Specifications

FABRIC STYLE	TYPICAL USE
1037	Electronic laminates
106	PCB laminates
1078	Circuit board applications
2116	Electronic laminates
7628	Composite laminates & PCB substrates

Fabric styles commonly associated with electronic-grade woven glass fabric applications.

Why Specify Tricel Glass Fibre Reinforcement

High Strength-to-Weight

Excellent mechanical strength while keeping finished components lightweight.

Electrical Insulation

Low conductivity and excellent dielectric properties suit electronics.

Thermal Stability

Retains performance under elevated temperatures, resisting degradation.

Dimensional Stability

Maintains dimensional accuracy across varying environmental conditions.

Chemical Resistance

Resistant to many oils, solvents and industrial chemicals.

Moisture Resistance

Minimal moisture absorption helps maintain long-term performance.

Resin Compatibility

Works with polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy and other resin systems.

Cost-Effective

Strong balance of performance and affordability versus alternatives.

Glass Yarn vs Glass Fabric, and E-Glass vs S-Glass

Glass Yarn vs Glass Fabric

FEATURE	GLASS YARN	GLASS FABRIC
Form	Continuous yarn package	Woven textile
Manufacturing use	Weaving, braiding, knitting	Lamination & reinforcement
Primary function	Raw reinforcement material	Finished reinforcement structure
Typical industries	Textile, composite mfg	Electronics, composites, industrial
Resin reinforcement	Indirect	Direct

E-Glass vs S-Glass

FEATURE	E-GLASS	S-GLASS
Cost	Lower	Higher
Electrical insulation	Excellent	Good
Mechanical strength	High	Higher
Composite applications	Most common	High-performance aerospace & defence
Availability	Widely available	Specialist

E-glass remains the most common reinforcement fibre for its balance of strength, electrical performance and cost.

Get a Custom Quote for Glass Yarn & Glass Fabric

Tell us your yarn designation or fabric style, volumes and application, and our technical team will come back with pricing and lead times.

Submit the Form. Provide as much detail as you can in relation to your glass yarn/fabric requirements.

Tricel Technical Team Review. We’ll review your submission and we may call/email to gather additional information to ensure you get the best quote.

Custom Quote & Technical Team Support. We will send you the quote, and our team will be on hand to support you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is glass yarn?

Glass yarn is a continuous strand made from hundreds of very fine glass filaments, typically 5–9 µm in diameter, gathered together and lightly twisted. It is supplied on bobbins or packages for weaving, braiding and knitting into glass fibre fabrics and technical textiles. Yarns are identified by a designation such as G75 or E225. The letter indicates filament diameter (D = 5 µm, E = 7 µm, G = 9 µm), and the number reflects the yarn’s length per unit weight. Finer yarns are used to weave lightweight electronic fabrics; coarser yarns suit heavier reinforcement cloths.

What's the difference between glass yarn and glass fabric?

Glass yarn is the raw material: a continuous strand of glass filaments supplied on packages. Glass fabric is the finished textile, made by weaving those yarns into a structured cloth with defined weight, thickness and weave pattern. Weavers and textile manufacturers buy glass yarn. Laminators, PCB manufacturers and composite fabricators generally buy glass fabric, which goes straight into the laminate as reinforcement.

Is glass fibre fabric the same as fibreglass cloth?

Yes. Glass fibre fabric, fibreglass cloth, woven glass cloth and glass fabric all describe the same material: a textile woven from continuous glass filament yarns. The terms are used interchangeably across the UK composites and electronics industries, with “fibreglass cloth” more common in boatbuilding and repair, and “glass fabric” more common in electronics. Tricel Composites supplies woven glass fabric for applications ranging from PCB laminates to structural composite parts.

What is E-glass fabric, and what are its advantages?

E-glass fabric is woven from E-glass, a low-alkali alumino-borosilicate glass. It was originally developed for electrical applications, which is where the “E” comes from. Its key advantages are:

excellent electrical insulation
high tensile strength
good thermal stability
very low moisture absorption
a much lower cost than specialist fibres such as S-glass, aramid or carbon

This balance of performance and price makes E-glass by far the most widely used glass fibre in composite reinforcement and PCB manufacture. Specialist glasses are generally only specified where their extra strength, stiffness or electrical properties justify the higher cost.

What are the advantages of E-glass?

Woven glass cloth is made from fine, twisted glass yarns, giving a tight, consistent weave with a smooth surface finish. Woven roving is woven from thick, untwisted rovings, producing a much heavier, coarser fabric that builds laminate thickness quickly but leaves a pronounced texture. Choose woven glass cloth where surface quality, thin laminates or dimensional precision matter, such as PCB substrates, cosmetic surfaces and lightweight panels. Woven roving is better suited to thick structural laminates where speed of build-up matters more than finish.

Should I use fibreglass cloth or chopped strand mat?

Fibreglass cloth gives higher strength for a given thickness, better drape and a controlled fibre orientation, so you can place strength exactly where the part needs it. Chopped strand mat (CSM) is a non-woven mat of randomly oriented short fibres held together with a binder. It is usually used with polyester resin for fast, economical build-up. Standard CSM binders are designed to dissolve in styrene, so most CSM is not suitable for epoxy resin. Woven glass cloth works with epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester systems. Many laminates combine both, using CSM for bulk and fibreglass cloth for strength and surface finish.

Which weave is best: plain, twill or satin?

It depends on the shape of your part and the process you use:

Plain weave is the most stable and easiest to handle, which is why it dominates PCB and flat-panel applications.
Twill weave drapes more easily over curves and gives a slightly smoother finish.
Satin weave offers the best drape and surface finish for complex moulded shapes, but is less stable to handle and cut.

Our technical team can recommend the right woven glass cloth construction for your process, whether hand lay-up, vacuum infusion, RTM or press lamination.

What resin systems are compatible with glass fabric?

Glass fabric is compatible with epoxy, polyester and vinyl ester resins, as well as phenolic and other specialist systems. How well the fabric bonds to the resin depends largely on its surface finish, a chemical treatment (usually silane-based) applied during manufacture to promote adhesion. Matching the finish to your resin system improves wet-out, interlaminar strength and long-term durability. Tell us which resin you’re using and we’ll recommend a suitably finished fabric.

How much heat can E-glass fabric withstand?

The glass fibres themselves tolerate temperatures of several hundred degrees Celsius. In a finished laminate, however, the resin system is usually the limiting factor, because the resin softens well before the glass is affected. For high-temperature electronics, pair a high Tg glass fabric with a high Tg resin system to maintain dimensional stability during soldering and in service. For thermal insulation applications such as heat shields and industrial insulation, specialist heat-resistant E-glass fabric is available. Speak to our team about the operating temperature of your part.

Is glass fibre resistant to moisture?

Yes. Glass fibres absorb very little moisture and do not rot, swell or degrade in damp conditions, unlike natural fibres. In a laminate, long-term moisture resistance also depends on the resin system and the quality of the fibre-to-resin bond. A good fabric finish and thorough wet-out help keep moisture out. For prolonged exposure to acidic or highly corrosive environments, corrosion-resistant glass types are sometimes specified instead of standard E-glass.

Why is glass fibre used in PCBs?

Woven glass fabric forms the reinforcing backbone of most rigid circuit boards. FR-4, the most common PCB material, is woven E-glass fabric impregnated with epoxy resin. The glass provides electrical insulation between copper layers and mechanical strength. Crucially, it provides dimensional stability, keeping the board flat and accurate through etching, drilling, lamination and soldering. Different fabric styles let manufacturers control dielectric thickness precisely, layer by layer.

Is glass fabric suitable for composite manufacturing?

Yes. Glass fabric is one of the most widely used reinforcement materials in composites, thanks to its strength, versatility and cost. It suits most moulding processes, including hand lay-up, vacuum bagging, vacuum infusion, resin transfer moulding (RTM), prepreg and compression moulding. Glass yarn is also used in braiding, and glass fibre in filament winding and pultrusion. Fabric choice (weight, weave and finish) should be matched to your process: fast wet-out fabrics, for example, can significantly speed up infusion and hand lay-up.