Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[stifler]

I'm looking to have a classic navy peacoat made and can get Loro Piana storm system cashmere. I will probably wear the peacoat once/weekly at the most. How is the fabric? Any recommendations? Price will not be an issue. I want a substantial peacoat for Minnesota winters.

Here is the fabric in question:

Cashmere with a Waterproof Coating

Soft and fine violet cashmere fabric from Loro Piana, the well-known Italian textile company. Exclusive PFC-free Rain System® treatment forms an invisible barrier around each fiber. It makes water droplets slide off the surface, protecting it against dirt, dust, and liquid stains. Loro Piana...

tissura.com

 

[breakaway01]

I'm looking to have a classic navy peacoat made and can get Loro Piana storm system cashmere. I will probably wear the peacoat once/weekly at the most. How is the fabric? Any recommendations? Price will not be an issue. I want a substantial peacoat for Minnesota winters.

Here is the fabric in question:

Cashmere with a Waterproof Coating

Soft and fine violet cashmere fabric from Loro Piana, the well-known Italian textile company. Exclusive PFC-free Rain System® treatment forms an invisible barrier around each fiber. It makes water droplets slide off the surface, protecting it against dirt, dust, and liquid stains. Loro Piana...

tissura.com

325 gsm is far too light for a peacoat. Also 100% cashmere is too soft. It won’t look right as a peacoat, and I doubt the collar would stand up well. Look for something at least 650-700 gsm, at most 10% cashmere if you want some softness. The wool melton used for my vintage peacoat is apparently 32 oz and quite stiff.

 

[Despos]

I'm looking to have a classic navy peacoat made and can get Loro Piana storm system cashmere. I will probably wear the peacoat once/weekly at the most. How is the fabric? Any recommendations? Price will not be an issue. I want a substantial peacoat for Minnesota winters.

Here is the fabric in question:

Cashmere with a Waterproof Coating

Soft and fine violet cashmere fabric from Loro Piana, the well-known Italian textile company. Exclusive PFC-free Rain System® treatment forms an invisible barrier around each fiber. It makes water droplets slide off the surface, protecting it against dirt, dust, and liquid stains. Loro Piana...

tissura.com

LP cloth not worth it. Not sure if this is the same as storm proof but storm proof substantially changes the hand/drape of the cloth. Don't care for the result.
If you want lux and warmer, heavier weight look at topcoat books

 

[FlyingHorker]

I'm looking to have a classic navy peacoat made and can get Loro Piana storm system cashmere. I will probably wear the peacoat once/weekly at the most. How is the fabric? Any recommendations? Price will not be an issue. I want a substantial peacoat for Minnesota winters.

Here is the fabric in question:

Cashmere with a Waterproof Coating

Soft and fine violet cashmere fabric from Loro Piana, the well-known Italian textile company. Exclusive PFC-free Rain System® treatment forms an invisible barrier around each fiber. It makes water droplets slide off the surface, protecting it against dirt, dust, and liquid stains. Loro Piana...

tissura.com

I would look at these. Won't be luxurious though.

https://www.moons.co.uk/product/navy-6/ (Melton)
https://www.moons.co.uk/product/navy-5/ (Hunting Pink)
https://www.moons.co.uk/product/blue-7/ (Duffel)

 

[classicalthunde]

I'm looking to have a classic navy peacoat made and can get Loro Piana storm system cashmere. I will probably wear the peacoat once/weekly at the most. How is the fabric? Any recommendations? Price will not be an issue. I want a substantial peacoat for Minnesota winters.

Here is the fabric in question:

Cashmere with a Waterproof Coating

Soft and fine violet cashmere fabric from Loro Piana, the well-known Italian textile company. Exclusive PFC-free Rain System® treatment forms an invisible barrier around each fiber. It makes water droplets slide off the surface, protecting it against dirt, dust, and liquid stains. Loro Piana...

tissura.com

Traditional pea coats are made of 32oz fabric.

I know that Holland and Sherry have some over coating in the 27oz range and I think Fox Bros has some ‘heritage military’ fabric in the 30oz range

I would start there...

 

[kolecho]

Some cloths these days have nano coating to shed light rain. Some dry cleaners also offer such service. For overcoats, that’s a nice feature.

 

[bdavro23]

Some cloths these days have nano coating to shed light rain. Some dry cleaners also offer such service. For overcoats, that’s a nice feature.

I would avoid any chemical coatings. Wool is an amazing material that will generally absorb about 30% of its weight in water before it starts feeling wet. Putting a chemical on it will have other deleterious effects on the performance of the fabric, and for little purpose. If its really raining, wear a rain coat, or bring an umbrella.

 

[Despos]

I would avoid any chemical coatings. Wool is an amazing material that will generally absorb about 30% of its weight in water before it starts feeling wet. Putting a chemical on it will have other deleterious effects on the performance of the fabric, and for little purpose. If its really raining, wear a rain coat, or bring an umbrella.

@bdavro23
Good advice bro!

 

[dieworkwear]

I would avoid any chemical coatings so when it rains I can say I got that drip.

 

[stifler]

Sounds good. Thank you for the advice gentlemen.

 

[dukeaw]

I'm my eternal search for cloth online, I've done some digging and not sure what I've uncovered. I figured the experts here at UFL would help explain the difference.
(if any of you remember, this is all in my quest to work with a factory in Asia... my fused machine made trial suit with fabric of unknown provenance comes this week)

Basically, I've looked up several well known merchants, and found several merchants/mills I'm not familiar with. Of the known ones there seems to be a very wide price difference for similar fabrics. For example, the Holland and Sherry Target is over twice the price of the Dugdale Merchant Fleece from my sources. On paper they seem to be equivalent. Is there a reason for this I'm not seeing by not having fabrics in front of me?

In addition, I've found that some other sources of English fabric sell suiting fabric for almost 1/2 to 1/3 the price of Dugdale for certain fabrics. These are all woven in Huddersfield. For example, Huddersfield Fine Fabrics, or Harrisons Burleys, or Ulster Weavers.

Is this increased price simply a product of middlemen pumping up price, or merchants upcharging for the prestige of their name? Or is there a distinct difference between multiple english cloth's woven at s120 at 290 grams, or Irish linens, or tweeds? Are all these cloths at different prices coming from the same mills, or is there a difference?

Take me to school please!

 

[Despos]

There are different tiers of quality in the raw wool, weaving, dying, finishing. There are different tiers of mills. Therefore prices vary.
If you want to bring a cloth to life at a certain price point you do what you can at the price you need to make it work.
Over simplified answer

 

[dukeaw]

There are different tiers of quality in the raw wool, weaving, dying, finishing. There different tiers of mills. Therefore prices vary.

That makes sense.

If I stick with reputable sources such as Dugdale, Harrisons, and Holland and Sherry, is there much of a difference between those merchants despite their price difference?

 

[Despos]

That makes sense.

If I stick with reputable sources such as Dugdale, Harrisons, and Holland and Sherry, is there much of a difference between those merchants despite their price difference?

There is to me. There is variation between all those mills and within the same company. One maker may have several qualities within their range of goods to serve different markets and price points. That’s why a brand may have cloth at 100.00 per yard and another at 800.00 per yard.
Like Mercedes has a C range and they make the Maybach.
I work with the cloth; sewing, making, pressing. I judge the cloth differently than you would.

 

[dukeaw]

There is to me. I work with the cloth; sewing, making, pressing. I judge the cloth differently than you would.

I'll be considerate to the tailor I'm working with.

Since you are considered the local expert, do you have an opinion on which merchants fabrics you prefer to work with for everyday suiting? Or is it more book by book, or another metric I'm not aware of?