The LL tweeds, including the Alden gunclub, are tweeds and not worsteds made to look like tweeds. I suspect the confusion stems from the association of tweed with the hairy, woolly, loosely woven variants from Harris or Shetland. The other style of tweed, known as "border" or "sporting" is equally tweed, a woolen spun Cheviot with a high twist finish that gives it a less hairy look. Examples of these "estate" tweeds can be seen in many border weavers' works and in the once available tweeds from Hunters of Brora.
Worsteds made to look like tweeds do exist. One of the well known examples is the excellent Glorious Twelfth book from Harrisons. This is a merino wool worsted spun cloth ie one in which the short staple length fibers have been combed out to give a flat and lustrous sheen.
Sporting tweeds are normally machine woven and this picture from the londonlounge site attests to the fact.
http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/...hlight=gunclub
Such machines are required to produce the twist sought for by gentlemen that require a solid, long wearing product. Harris tweed cloth is also made on machines but machines operated manually and are they are consequently more loosely woven. These tweeds make up in charm what they lack in staying power.
An experienced bespoke customer is normally alert to the use of the word "handmade" and realizes that this appellation can have value if applied to such acts as stitching, sewing, pressing, or carving, engraving, sculpting etc. Using one's hands to run a sewing machine or a manual loom is another thing entirely.
There are some good Shetland products on the market and the ones from Scabal pictured in this thread deserve particular merit. I too have had my eyes on the gunclub but for the time being I am expecting delivery on a brown herringbone from this book. At the clothclub, we have issued our first Shetland cloth and I had a chance to fit it this week.
http://thelondonlounge.net/gl/forum/...pic.php?t=7902
I think our members will be very pleased.
M Alden
: soft handed and a little fuzzy but good gutsy cloths. (jacketing- too soft for trousers)
