Alternatives to Wool

The vast majority of bespoke suits are made from wool. Wool is comfortable, hardwearing and hangs well on the body, which we explored in our feature on sheep last month. However, there are plenty of other cloths worth considering if you’re looking to expand your tailored suit wardrobe.

Here are our four of our favourites:

Cotton - Cotton suits are very popular in America, where office attire tends to be less formal. Cotton is extremely comfortable and lightweight, and hangs in such a way as to create a relaxed, laid back suit. It’s a great cloth as an alternative to a lightweight wool for summer events – especially a country wedding.

Velvet – Velvet has become an extremely popular alternative to the heavy wools used to make traditional formalwear, and the trend has recently moved to blazers as well. Read more in our Style Predictions for 2014.

Mohair – Mohair comes from a goat – and the cloth has a very different look and feel to wool. Mohair has a much ‘dryer handle’ – meaning that the cloth does not feel as soft as wool. However, a good mohair is ideal for a summer-weight suit as it breaths beautifully and maintains a crisp hang even under 10oz.

Flannel – strictly speaking flannel is a process (which can be applied to cotton or wool), but we’ve included it because the effect is so different. Traditionally a winter suit, flannel is now extremely fashionable (it was also mentioned in our Style Predictions for 2014). We now stock lightweight flannels mixes starting at just £549 – and they look and feel fantastic.

Call 0800 0274430 or contact us here for more information. We have fitting locations in London: Liverpool St, Savile Row and Charing Cross; Nottingham; Leeds; Wilmslow and Surbiton. We also have a new store in Amersham