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What's your favorite summer fabric?

What's your favorite summer fabric?

  • Seersucker

  • Fresco

  • Linen

  • Silk


Results are only viewable after voting.

Phileas Fogg

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I cast my vote for linen.

It’s great as an all around fabric (Same fabric, different articles of clothing).
 

porscheguy

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Linen. Just discovered it this year. In 6 weeks I’ve gone from zero linen clothing to 3 shirts from SuSu, one from proper cloth and some linen shorts from jcrew that should arrive tomorrow.
 

rjkabk

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Summer fabric for what? A suit? Then a high twist wool like fresco. While I wouldn't personally choose cotton, it should be on the list. For casual clothes a I prefer linen-cotton blends.
 

robxznyc

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Seersucker and fresco are fabric weaves, while linen and silk are yarns, both can be woven into seersucker or fresco fabrics, and neither is limited to warm weather. Linen flannel and silk twill as an example are versatile enough for all-season wear.

As for summer weaves, besides the aforementioned, lightweight poplin (shirts, pants, jackets), voile (shirts), gauze (shirts, jackets), hopsack (jackets, pants), and mesh (woven or knit) are all breathable and comfortable options.
 
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robxznyc

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If we're going to be technical, my understanding is that Fresco is not a weave, but a brand of tropical wool. Much like Kleenex is a brand of tissue paper and Coca Cola is a brand of soda.

Fresco refers to fabrics with an open weave, woven from twisted yarns.

I'd rather compare apple to apple, fabric to fabric, yarn to yarn. That's what I was trying to say, not being technical.
 
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robxznyc

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I think you're describing tropical wool. Fresco is a brand owned by Minnis/ HFW.

This is written on the Gladson's page: "Fresco is designed with a high twist worsted yarn and porous plain weave". Or as I said it refers to fabrics with an open weave, woven from twisted yarns.
 
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robxznyc

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None of them. I dress exactly the same in summer as in winter. Just less or more from everything.
We are the opposite and I envy you, especially in the next 3 months. Usually I can find enough warm clothes from spring summer collection to wear throughout the year.
 

smittycl

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Linen for casual wear including pants, shirts, shorts, and socks. High twist wool in unlined jackets for CM works for me well here in DC. Cotton is too heavy and hot for me in CM. Linen blends can be okay but the wool carries the day.
 

dieworkwear

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This is written on the Gladson's page: "Fresco is designed with a high twist worsted yarn and porous plain weave". Or as I said it refers to fabrics with an open weave, woven from twisted yarns.

Did you notice that they capitalize the word Fresco on thier page? That's because it's a branded name for tropical wool. Tropical wool is an open-weave material made with yarns that have been given an extra twist. The extra twist gives the yarn a bit more strength and stiffness, which is what allows the weaver to make that open weave. It's called tropical wool because it's breathable in hot environments.

Online, the term has become synonymous with tropical wool. I don't think this is technically correct, but it's also how language works. I've talked with silk printers who think of the word foulard as referring to extra heavyweight silk. Others use it to refer to the small geometric prints characteristic of Macclesfield silks.

Fresco is a brand of tropical wool, much like how Kleenex is a brand of tissue paper. Or Coca Cola is a brand of soda. It's not really a weave, even though it's sometimes colloquially used in this manner.

Put it another way: there are other companies that offer tropical wool, such as Fox Brothers (Fox Air), Smiths (Finmeresco), and Holland & Sherry (Crispaire). You wouldn't say "please give me a length of Fox Air Fresco" or "please give me a length of Crispaire Fresco." Fresco is something that's sold under the Minnis name, just like how Finmeresco is sold through Smiths.
 

robxznyc

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Did you notice that they capitalize the word Fresco on thier page? That's because it's a branded name for tropical wool. Tropical wool is an open-weave material made with yarns that have been given an extra twist. The extra twist gives the yarn a bit more strength and stiffness, which is what allows the weaver to make that open weave. It's called tropical wool because it's breathable in hot environments.

Online, the term has become synonymous with tropical wool. I don't think this is technically correct, but it's also how language works. I've talked with silk printers who think of the word foulard as referring to extra heavyweight silk. Others use it to refer to the small geometric prints characteristic of Macclesfield silks.

Fresco is a brand of tropical wool, much like how Kleenex is a brand of tissue paper. Or Coca Cola is a brand of soda. It's not really a weave, even though it's sometimes colloquially used in this manner.

Put it another way: there are other companies that offer tropical wool, such as Fox Brothers (Fox Air), Smiths (Finmeresco), and Holland & Sherry (Crispaire). You wouldn't say "please give me a length of Fox Air Fresco" or "please give me a length of Crispaire Fresco." Fresco is something that's sold under the Minnis name, just like how Finmeresco is sold through Smiths.

I'm aware of Fresco as a patented term like Velcro. But it's under the context of similarity between seersucker and Fresco I mentioned they are weaves to point out they can't be compared with yarns. Seersucker and Fresco can be made of either linen or silk. Since this is not a thread about Fresco nor do I have an opinion about it I'll refrain from making further comment on this subject. ?
 
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