Researchers at the South India Textile Research Association investigated the relationship between the tendency of cotton to form neps and fiber properties, identified the size of neps in sliver that needed to be controlled to produce yarns of desired nep level, and examined the effects of selected carding and combing process parameters on the neps in corresponding slivers. An experiment subjected 18 different Indian cotton varieties to high volume instrument and Advanced Fiber Information System testing, spun five carded counts and seven combed counts into yarns of different counts, and tested the yarn samples on an Uster evenness tester. The level of neps in Indian cottons varied from 80-320 per gram. Neps below 650 microns constituted 65 percent of the total nep content in carded and combed sliver. Process parameters did not affect critical nep size for a given count, which was the same for carded and combed yarns. Sliver hank, doffer speed, and feed plate to lickerin setting exerted a direct influence on neps in carded sliver. 5 refs.