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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

Yard

A yard is a unit of length used mainly in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some other countries. One yard equals 3 feet or 36 inches, which is about 0.91 meters. Yards are often used to measure things like fabric, sports fields, or short distances. For example, an American football field is 100 yards long. The abbreviation for yard is "yd". While the metric system is widely used worldwide, yards are still common in everyday life and certain industries in countries that use the imperial system.