Fabric – The Heart of a Good Suit
There’s nothing quite like a nice suit. A nice suit conveys an aura of authority, professionalism and success. Whether at the office, a wedding, a baptism, or a formal night out, people take notice of a good suit. The cut of a suit is a good indicator of quality, but at the heart of any quality suit, is the fabric. It all starts with knowing the different suit fabrics and when the appropriate time to wear them is; for instance, it’s harder to wear a heavy wool suit in a heatwave during the middle of summer. The fabric you choose plays a pivotal role in the way you wear your suit, so it’s important to consider getting a suit made of high-quality fabric, as it can make or break the way it looks on you. Let’s take a look at different suite fabrics.
Wool is the most popular suit fabric choice due to its versatility and refined aesthetic. Wool is a fantastic choice as it breathes well, and can be worn in both slightly hot and cooler temperatures. It is a softer fabric and tends to be wrinkle free. The two main wool yarns produce worsted in which the fibers are combined before spinning and woolen where they are not. These two yarns can be woven in a number of ways to produce flannel, tweed, cashmere, and merino — to name a few.
Super wool fabrics are sometimes classified as Super 100s, 140s, 160s and so on. The numbers refer to the number of times that the worsted wool has been twisted as it was being made. As a general rule, the higher the number, the finer and lighter the cloth will be, as well as the more expensive it’s likely to be. The more lightweight it is (the higher the number), the better the suit is for the warmer months of the year. The only drawback to super wools is that they don’t keep their shape very well and require extra care, and they won’t last very long if worn regularly.
Cotton is the second most popular suit fabric, as it breathes very well and is soft. However, it tends to crease very easily. Cotton suits are a cheaper option, best to wear during the transitional and warmer months of the year, and are great for all body types. Look for heavy cotton or wool/cotton blend as it allows the suit to retain its silhouette better. It’s best to wear a cotton suit if you’re going to a semi-formal event as it’s just a bit more on the casual side.
Polyester is made of synthetic materials that are of lower quality fabric. Polyester suits usually come blended with another fiber, such as wool, in order to keep the price of it low. A polyester wool blend suit doesn’t tend to wrinkle, but unfortunately the fabric doesn’t breathe very well. On the negative side, polyester blended suits tend to shine a little more and can make garments look cheap. Polyester suits should only be worn during the spring and fall to avoid subjecting it to extreme temperatures. Wool blends are preferable for increased quality and wearability. This fabric suits most body types.
Linen suits are super lightweight and help you to remain cool as the temperatures rise. The fabric is extremely breathable and tends to be far more porous, in comparison to conventional wool. Unfortunately, linen tends to wrinkle easily, stain easily, and needs to be frequently dry-cleaned in order to maintain the fresh, crisp look of the fabric and the overall suit. It also tends to lose its shape very quickly. Linen suits should only be worn in the summer and are best suited for casual events.
We’re also happy to announce that our new Laval store is officially open. Stop by and take a look at our huge fabric collection and say hi.