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Span (Cloth)

A span is an old unit of length based on the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger of a fully extended hand. Traditionally, it measures about 9 inches or 22.86 centimeters.

In the context of cloth and textiles, the span was used as a convenient, informal measure to estimate small lengths of fabric before standardized rulers became widespread. It was helpful for tailors and traders to quickly gauge lengths during measuring and cutting.

While the span is largely obsolete as a formal unit today, it reflects historical measurement practices tied closely to the human body, similar to the cubit or hand.

Summary:

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  1 span ≈ 9 inches (22.86 cm)

  
  
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  Based on the hand’s spread

  
  
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  Used historically in cloth measurement and tailoring

  
  
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  Now mostly of historical and cultural interest

Millimeter

A millimeter (mm) is a very small unit of length in the metric system. It is commonly used to measure tiny objects or precise dimensions. One millimeter is equal to one-thousandth of a meter (1 mm = 0.001 m), and 10 millimeters make 1 centimeter. Millimeters are often used in fields like engineering, machining, and science where exact measurements are important. For example, the thickness of a credit card is about 1 mm. The symbol for millimeter is "mm", and you can find it on most rulers or measuring tools. Since it allows for high accuracy, the millimeter is ideal for measuring small parts, gaps, or details.