When you guys say "great fabric"....

[Razeus]

What do you mean? I noticed this in alot of posts. What does this mean (I'm a rookie)

I thought a 100% cotton shirt is 100% cotton fabric.

I know there are blends and such.

 

[Hombre Secreto]

Fabric from Italy.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

The materials used to make fabric are not fungible and their is a premium for the better qualities of wool and cotton.

After that, the care in the spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing of cloth plays a part. Good fabric tends to have a life to it. That said, it's often very hard to tell the grade of a fabric or it's longevity for a variety of reasons. Some things that look like good fabrics can fall apart quickly, there being an industry art to making inferior goods look eye fetching. Generally learning about a fabric involves either personal experience with it over time or trusting a quality brand that takes pride in its reputation.

Also, the way something is made, cared for, used, stored etc.. can play a role in fabric's longevity. Some people only want an item for a short while, others seem to want it to last forever.

That's why cashmere is not always "cashmere". The is the sort of low grade stuff you find made by a no name maker and the sort of high grade carried by the likes of Paul Staurt or Christopher fisher.

 

[HalfCanvas]

Think of it this way: If you have a 1 ct. diamond from Tiffany and a 1 ct. diamond from Kay Jewelers, they will both be diamonds of the same size. But the Tiffany will be clearer, more brilliant, and more artfully cut. To say that they are equivalent simply because each is a 1 ct. diamond obviously is absurd.

Same thing with leathers, cotton, and wool.

 

[Faded501s]

Regarding shirt material, you may want to look here:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...light=treatise

 

[rnoldh]

Originally Posted by Film Noir Buff

The materials used to make fabric are not fungible and their is a premium for the better qualities of wool and cotton.

After that, the care in the spinning, dyeing, weaving and finishing of cloth plays a part. Good fabric tends to have a life to it. That said, it's often very hard to tell the grade of a fabric or it's longevity for a variety of reasons. Some things that look like good fabrics can fall apart quickly, there being an industry art to making inferior goods look eye fetching. Generally learning about a fabric involves either personal experience with it over time or trusting a quality brand that takes pride in its reputation.

Also, the way something is made, cared for, used, stored etc.. can play a role in fabric's longevity. Some people only want an item for a short while, others seem to want it to last forever.

That's why cashmere is not always "cashmere". The is the sort of low grade stuff you find made by a no name maker and the sort of high grade carried by the likes of Paul Staurt or Christopher fisher.

FNB, Your sartorial erudition is impressive!

I recently saw a Sulka coat that said 100% Pashmina on it's label instead of 100% Cashmere!

Other than nomenclature, is there a difference between Pashmina and Cashmere?

 

[odoreater]

Nicer fabric feels better on the body. That's about all I can say about it. Eventually you just get a feel for it (after you have experienced nicer fabric).

 

[ChicagoRon]

Originally Posted by Faded501s

Regarding shirt material, you may want to look here: http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...light=treatise
Thanks for the link. That's a great article....and thanks Alex for taking the time to write it. Can someone please comment on why some fabrics wrinkle naturally more than others? And what is the effect non-iron treatments have on the life of the fabric?

 

[Holstein Bilter]

I actually run my hand across a row of suits..and..the one that feels the softest, and most supple and oftentimes..the thinnest one...ends up being the most expensive
and best suit in the store.

It's funny how senses are. I can literally not look at the row of suits and walk right alongside and brush my hand against the shoulders or sleeve, and I will usually pick out the best fabric.

It is true..as the other poster mentioned. Better fabric just feels better.

 

[epa]

Originally Posted by Holstein Bilter

I actually run my hand across a row of suits..and..the one that feels the softest, and most supple and oftentimes..the thinnest one...ends up being the most expensive
and best suit in the store.

It's funny how senses are. I can literally not look at the row of suits and walk right alongside and brush my hand against the shoulders or sleeve, and I will usually pick out the best fabric.

It is true..as the other poster mentioned. Better fabric just feels better.

I remember when I used to by quite cheap OTR suits. Looking at and touching the fabrics, suddenly you feel that oh, this one is nice... And then you look at the price tag just to find out that someone placed an expensive suit among the cheap suits by mistake...

 

[LabelKing]

This is a very nice summary by the late Marc Grayson:

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...hlight=lisapop

 

[lakewolf]

Originally Posted by epa

I remember when I used to by quite cheap OTR suits. Looking at and touching the fabrics, suddenly you feel that oh, this one is nice... And then you look at the price tag just to find out that someone placed an expensive suit among the cheap suits by mistake...

haha that's right.

I can't understand now, how I could bare the cheap suits before knowing better. harsh fabric feel and stiff fronts...

And now that I can get "great fabric" canvas suits at the price of the cheap, I could never go back inside one of those again.

 

[TheIdler]

Wow, that article by Alex now has a permanent place on my hard drive for future reference. Thanks to the linker and to the author.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Originally Posted by rnoldh

FNB, Your sartorial erudition is impressive!

I recently saw a Sulka coat that said 100% Pashmina on it's label instead of 100% Cashmere!

Other than nomenclature, is there a difference between Pashmina and Cashmere?

I just believe in speaking about quality from a viewpoint of personal experience or gleaned from research from those who have seen many articles made up from the same (and compared to different) materials over time. Few things lend a touch of fraud faster than declarations that fabrics or goods are quality or not quality based on the simple knowledge that no one can challenge one's statement.

Further, there is suitability of purpose. Just because something is the "best" doesn't mean it's right for the occasion, unless you consider thrift the only important factor. You might choose one cashmere over the other because it possesses the practicality of longevity but if that isn't what will achieve the effect you want, then you've allowed a nonfactor to mitigate your purpose. If you are a hipster in SoHo, a Loro Piana sweater or even a Donna Karan one will achieve your purpose better than the "old boy" look of a Smedley sweater.

This is where being a tailor, designer, stylist, or even a customer who has had a lot of different things made up over time or bought a lot of different articles for different purposes can provide valuable insight.

I understand that Pashmina was developed as a marketing tool for women in the same way that Veuve Clicquot was designed as a sine qua non champagne for the arriviste.

As far as I know there isn't much difference except that pashmina might be a cheap single ply in order to give it initial softness. I don't know what cashmere items you are interested in specifically.

 

[Sator]

Originally Posted by Razeus

I thought a 100% cotton shirt is 100% cotton fabric.


It's a bit like saying a painting by da Vinci is no better than any other by virtue of it being made of paint and canvas just like any other.

How the cotton is woven is very important. For a start, I would only ever wear a 2 ply weave. There are many other factors that contribute to the final feel and longevity of the weave. English shirtings are often firmer and durable, whereas the Italians sacrifice longevity for softness and colour.

Also the quality of the cotton depends on where it was grown. Egyptian cotton for example has a reputation for quality. Cottons grown elsewhere are often of a lower grade (I think my shirtmaker said something like it being related to the climate or the soil it is grown in).