Unfunded Liabilities: a/k/a The Cloth Thread

[DorianGreen]

I just added a big haul to my (already way too big) stash:


tweed jacketing

I love this cloth.

 

[JHWilliams]

Define 'producing'.

https://www.wellington-today.co.uk/...-revive-derelict-tonedale-woollen-mill-589682 - their once famous mill, abandoned in 2006

Their current 'factory' (Tardis?) -

Have you visited their Instagram page? They own their own mill and are weaving cloth every day. Douglas Cordeaux bought the company and the mill.

 

[DaAlSh]

Have you visited their Instagram page? They own their own mill and are weaving cloth every day. Douglas Cordeaux bought the company and the mill.

I swear I don't know why I bother. Did you actually read what I wrote? Yes, Douglas Cordeaux (and Deborah Meadon) bought the company (which had been renamed Fox Brothers - not its original name and no relation to the original company of 1776) and a mill. I wrote above that they do some weaving - my point was that a lot is now bought in. A picture of a loom at work on their Instagram page proves precisely nothing. And, to go back to the orignal point, my original reply was to the effect that Fox is famous for flannels, not worsted. I'm not personally interested if the flannel suit I have from Fox fabric was made by them or for them.

 

[reidd]

Regardless of how much of their own cloth they produce in house, (my suspicion is that it is likely ALL the flannels and other woolens) Fox's quality and attention to detail are second to none in the market currently. I have had nothing but stellar experience with their cloths and there is a certain extra magic there that they bring to the table. Even the Fox Khaki which they openly advertise as made in Italy is fantastic. They are my first stop when starting any commission. In case I am sounding like a fanboy, I put Standeven right up there with them.

 

[C&A]

Douglas Cordeaux bought the company and the mill.

I heard a rumour that Douglas Cordeaux and Jeremy Hackett are one and the same guy

 

[JHWilliams]

I swear I don't know why I bother. Did you actually read what I wrote? Yes, Douglas Cordeaux (and Deborah Meadon) bought the company (which had been renamed Fox Brothers - not its original name and no relation to the original company of 1776) and a mill. I wrote above that they do some weaving - my point was that a lot is now bought in. A picture of a loom at work on their Instagram page proves precisely nothing. And, to go back to the orignal point, my original reply was to the effect that Fox is famous for flannels, not worsted. I'm not personally interested if the flannel suit I have from Fox fabric was made by them or for them.

I swear I don't know why I bother. Did you actually read what I wrote? Yes, Douglas Cordeaux (and Deborah Meadon) bought the company (which had been renamed Fox Brothers - not its original name and no relation to the original company of 1776) and a mill. I wrote above that they do some weaving - my point was that a lot is now bought in. A picture of a loom at work on their Instagram page proves precisely nothing. And, to go back to the orignal point, my original reply was to the effect that Fox is famous for flannels, not worsted. I'm not personally interested if the flannel suit I have from Fox fabric was made by them or for them.

Yes

I swear I don't know why I bother. Did you actually read what I wrote? Yes, Douglas Cordeaux (and Deborah Meadon) bought the company (which had been renamed Fox Brothers - not its original name and no relation to the original company of 1776) and a mill. I wrote above that they do some weaving - my point was that a lot is now bought in. A picture of a loom at work on their Instagram page proves precisely nothing. And, to go back to the orignal point, my original reply was to the effect that Fox is famous for flannels, not worsted. I'm not personally interested if the flannel suit I have from Fox fabric was made by them or for them.

Yes, I read what you wrote and it is totally false and misleading.

Fox has woven worsted and woollen cloth for years.


Yes, they are famous for their flannels.

Douglas Cordeaux was warned not to buy the mill because it wasn’t making money and needed many upgrades.

He saved Fox Brothers from extinction and put them back on the map. If anything, the cloth has IMPROVED.

Please do your research before making such assumptions

 

[DaAlSh]

Yes

Yes, I read what you wrote and it is totally false and misleading.

Fox has woven worsted and woollen cloth for years.


Yes, they are famous for their flannels.

Douglas Cordeaux was warned not to buy the mill because it wasn’t making money and needed many upgrades.

He saved Fox Brothers from extinction and put them back on the map. If anything, the cloth has IMPROVED.

Please do your research before making such assumptions

Clearly you didn't. I made no assumptions - I told you that all the information is available on the Companies House website and there is nothing I wrote that is either false or misleading. Cordeaux did indeed save 'Fox' in that in the nine years before he bought the company it had not made much money (it had not been a manufacturer at all before that, nor was called Fox, but was a holding company for the original mill, set up by an accountant in 1996). However, the mill currently being used is the same one that he bought, and the company turnover is now more than ten times what is was when he bought it. Since he didn't build another factory, least of all one ten times larger, where has all the exta fabric come from? I've no idea whether the cloth has IMPROVED - the stuff I have is very good (and has survived ten years or so of fairly light wear, but then so has my Harrison's), but with what period are you comparing it with? It wasn't making anything before 2000 (& please look at the accounts at Companies House before you sound off again).

 

[ZRH1]

I don't understand why data obtained via Companies House (a UK government official website) would be false and misleading. However I wonder how the profit analysis came about as Fox Brothers files abrogated data with cumulated retained earnings only.

 

[xizenta]

wh

I just added a big haul to my (already way too big) stash:

arthur harrison 2080 flannel


vintage holland&sherry high twist suiting


tweed jacketing


moon 50/50 wool linen suiting


70/30 wool/mohair blend


wool/cashmere blend flannel suiting


wool/mohair blend suiting

huddersfield vintage wool 2x (smells like hot garbage tho)



moon cotton, wool, cashmere jacketing


moon worsted wool jacketing



will certainly not get everything made up, so, some items will move out sooner or later but the first 5-6 will be made up long term

whats the story on the grey wool/mohair?

 

[camez_]

wh

whats the story on the grey wool/mohair?

not sure, it was either 94% wool/6% mohair or it was 60%/40%

anyway, will be made up next year. I think I'll get the striped mohair done in octobre

 

[Milten]

I am looking for a fabric suitable for sport suit which is meant to be worn in South Africa. Fabric should be durable (for sport activities like horse riding) and quite breathable (I can stand high temperatures better than most people) I thought about lightweight ~340g/m cavalry twill (I haven’t found lighter one for now) or 2 or 4p Fresco, which is more airy for sure and I appreciate crease resistances, but I am not sure if it’s durable enough for highly active days (with some friction etc) What choices would you recommend me to consider? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

 

[aristoi bcn]

Definitely not Fresco or similar high twists which can snag easily. Cavalry twill, whipcord or gabardine would be my choice if wool. Cotton twill if you don’t mind something more casual.

 

[The Chai]

The one pair of pants I have that refuse to die are mt 100% viscose/tencel pants. Helps that they are breathable in the dead heat of Asia...

 

[camez_]

another day, another haul
purchased from a random cloth shop in italy

tweed, 420g

jersey like basketweave, wool&linen blend 300g

cashmere/wool flannel blend 450g

wool gun club, 350g

also some wool flannel at 360g and some linen/cotton blend shirtings:

 

[aristoi bcn]

Here are some pictures of some of the recently discussed grey woollen flannels. Fox (370g) on top, Harrisons (420g) in the middle and Minnis (475g) on the bottom. I don’t know if someone has had made pieces of all three and is thus able to compare them from direct experience but I’ll give you my insight based on my limited and partial experience based on what I’ve had made and the swatches I’ve handled.

Despite the differences in weight the hand of the three is relatively similar: soft but firm. I’ve also handled Holland&Sherry and Drapers woollen flannels and these feel softer and less dense. I guess not bad for an unstructured jacket, overshirt or core choat but they wouldn’t be my first choice for a pair if trousers or suit which I intend to wear often.

Difficult to see in the pictures but noticeable when handling the swatches is the hint of those greys. Minnis and Harrisons are cold greys and would look equally good with black or brown shoes. Fox have subtle warm brown? green? undertones that would look pleasant with brown shoes but I’m not so sure if they’d look equally good with black ones. One could say they’d look “dirty” with black shoes for a lack of better words.

In terms of weight, the Minnis can be a bit overkill in a temperate office. I have trousers made on all three shades of grey and after five years they are still going strong and do no requiere regular pressing. I also have the medium grey 400g from kolecho’s run made as trousers and also three suits of the same 400g discontinued range and despite being 75g lighter tgan the current Minnis offering the hand is the same and the crease resistance almost as good but at a more wearable/reasonable weight in particular if you don’t run particularly cold or if you intend to have made a full suit.

I yet have to have made the Fox and the Harrisons but if I had to chose one to have made nowadays it would be the Harrisons considering that my first choice would ideally be the 400g Minnis which is not available. The current Minnis at 475g is too heavy and the Fox not as versatile given what already mentioned about their colour undertones. So Harrisons it is.