Suit Fabrics Explained
Your suits are probably the most expensive pieces in your wardrobe and there’s a reason for this. Suits are works of art, their structure is complex and their tailoring requires skill and experience. When it comes to purchasing a new suit, knowledge is power. Fit, design and colour are important but so is fabric composition.
To help you decide, we’ve put together a brief guide of the most popular suit fabrics and their characteristics.
What material are suits made of?
1. Wool
A popular choice for suit makers. Wool is breathable, soft and wrinkle-resistant. However, 100% wool suits are also warm, somewhat bulky and tend to age badly. Worsted, tweed, merino and cashmere are all types of wool.
2. Viscose
A semi-synthetic fibre, made from processed cellulose. Soft and breathable, it’s easy to blend with other fibres and to dye producing a range of patterns and colours. On the other hand, viscose creases easily and doesn’t absorb humidity.
3. Cotton
Another plant-based material. Cotton is breathable and flexible so it will actually move along with your body. On the downside, cotton suits aren’t really suitable for winter and you may find them a bit too casual. They also wrinkle more than wool ones.
4. Linen
Nothing says Italian Riviera quite like a linen suit and this probably gives you all the info you need. Derived from the flax plant, linen is natural, breathable and lightweight. On the other hand, it stains and wrinkles easily and it’s only really suitable for warm weather.
5. Velvet
Velvet is a type of weave, rather than a material, and it can be produced from all sorts of fibres, e.g. silk, cotton, polyester. It feels soft and luxurious and, if made from natural fibres, it’s also breathable. Perfect for smoking jackets and special occasions but not for everyday use as it wears quickly.
6. Silk
Silk is an animal protein fibre woven into a textile. It’s breathable and temperature-regulating, so suitable for any weather. On the other hand, it’s shiny and expensive so you may want to reserve your silk suit for a very special occasion.
7. Polyester
Polyester’s main advantage is its low price. It’s a synthetic fibre that’s lightweight, durable and safe from moths. On the other hand, it doesn’t really breathe, it has a slightly unnatural shine to it and it’s better suited to mild temperatures, rather than hot summers and cold winters.
The above descriptions may have left you baffled. Each fabric has advantages and disadvantages and what works well for one season and occasion is completely unsuitable for another. Sooner or later, you’ll build a wardrobe that includes a range of options but what happens if you’re only now buying your first few suits? You don’t really have to choose, thanks to one magic word: blends. Our Aristocracy London men’s suits are made from wool-viscose blends that incorporate the best characteristics of different materials. Our pledge to you is that we’ll always be transparent and our product tags will clearly display the origin and make of our products.
