Mechanical Origin
Small perforations or surface disruptions located along the selvedge of an interlaced fabric. Visible temple pin marks occur when the spiked rollers of the loom grip the cloth to maintain consistent width under tension. While these marks are expected in the waste margin of a linen bolt, excessive penetration can damage the structural integrity of the outer edges.
Selvedge Impact
Temples are essential components that prevent the fabric from narrowing as the weft is beaten into the fell of the cloth. A mill technician adjusts the temple height to find the balance between firm grip, minimal fiber damage and fewer temple pin marks on the linen. If the pins are too long or the angle of the roller is too aggressive, the flax yarns are torn rather than held.
Inspection Standard
Quality controllers examine the selvedge to ensure that the temple pin marks do not extend into the main body of the fabric where they would interfere with garment construction. Any damage that bleeds into the usable width typically triggers a quality claim or a price reduction. Because linen is prone to fraying, deep pin marks can lead to tearing during the high-tension environment of a continuous scouring range.
Modern looms use rubber-coated or fine-pin temples to reduce the severity of these impressions on delicate or low-density linen patterns.