This article presents research into draw ratio influence on the structure-properties relationship of drawn PET filament threads. Structural modification influence due to the drawing conditions, i.e., the birefringence and filament crystallinity, on the mechanical properties was investigated, as well as the shrinkage and dynamic mechanical properties of the drawn threads. Increasing draw ratio causes a linear increase in the birefringence, degree of crystallinity, filament shrinkage, and a decrease in the loss modulus. In addition, loss tangent and glass transition temperature, determined at the loss modulus peak, were increased by drawing. The observed structural changes influence the thread's mechanical properties, i.e., the breaking tenacity, elasticity modulus, and tension at the yield point increase, while breaking extension decreases by a higher draw ratio. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 110: 26412648, 2008