| Fabrics |
| Super 100, Super 150, high twist, worsted, Egyptian Cotton, Sea Island Cotton, 2 ply 80, 2 ply 120 – What does it all mean? An endless list of jargon that will confuse and astound. Sales people in the industry will spout these terms to impress and amaze. What should be important to you is what performance properties each of these terms imply. The effective Custom Clothier will find out what you demand from your garments then suggest a fabric that will match your needs. If a sales person ever rattles out these terms s/he needs to tell you how the performance of this “jargon” term will serve your needs. After all, that’s what it is all about. You! |
| Shirt Fabric |
| Maybe a bit of an oversimplification but shirt fabrics can be broken down into two basic weaves. What is commonly known as “the clean crisp” shirt is usually a broadclothweave. It is a very smooth silky finish that wears fairly light. It irons up very crisp, but will wrinkle somewhat with wear – higher thread count shirts will wrinkle less than lower thread count. Gentleman who like crisp, cool, lightweight fabric will love broadcloth.
The other category of shirt fabrics could be summed up by the term textured weaves. This includes Herringbone, Twills, Houndstooth, Box weaves and many other interesting weaves. These shirts in general feel heavier and slightly thicker. They don’t iron up as “crisp” but often wrinkle less. They have a rich textured appearance and feel soft. |
| Suit Fabric |
| It used to be that a gentleman would have a spring/summer wardrobe consisting of light weight basics and tropical weight fabrics and a fall/winter wardrobe made up of heavier weight wool and flannels. In general lighter weight wool wrinkles more and needs longer recovery time between wears. Modern climate control and temperature controlled modes of travel as well as the development of what are called Super 100 and higher wool designations have changed this somewhat. Many gentleman now prefer “year around” weight wool for their suits.
The new Super 100, 120, 140 etc, wool has been created by breeding sheep for finer wool strands. When these super fine wool strands are carded, spun and twisted they create very fine thread that can be woven into suit fabric that drapes beautifully and holds it shape. Lighter weight suits made from these fabrics will resist wrinkling and move on the body easier than the old stiff wool suits. Comfort, movement and flow are now the standard.
There are many elements that contribute to the success of a well made suit. The chest piece, the workmanship, the linings, the actual pattern or cut of the suit are all important elements. Fabric, however, dictates the over all feel, flow and richness of appearance.
No one ever regrets choosing Quality. |
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| Suit Fabric |
| Suit fabric varies in weight (tropical, year round and winter). The fabric can be as smooth and sexy as silk or woven with fun and interesting textures, patterns and colours. You have a great opportunity to tell the world a little about yourself with your suit. Are you straight to business, playful, creative? With thousand of fabrics to choose from and a custom fit it’s up to you! |
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| Colours and Patterns |
| Go ahead, mix it up. You can mix patterns and checks in a tasteful manner. There are some obvious do’s and don’ts but it’s not that hard. Make sure the size of the patterns are not too close. A bold pattern can be complimented by a subtle pattern. – still unsure? We can help. |
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| Cotton Shirts |
Thickness, weight and texture are not attributes of quality, rather they affect performance and appearance.
Some clients feel that a heavier shirts is of a higher quality. The reality is that finer lighter, high thread count cottons are more expensive to produce. One is not necessarily better “quality”. It comes down to how you want your shirt to perform. Our goal is to make sure we choose a fabric that suits you. |
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