Dear Simon,

Hello and congratulations on your blog’s recent milestone!

I have a question regarding cashmere suits.

I am thinking of buying a suit that is 100% cashmere.  Now I have come across many suits that are wool/cashmere blends, but not many that are 100% cashmere.

Is a suit that is completely cashmere practical? Will there be a lot of pilling, like there is with a cardigan for instance?

Thanks for your help.

Yours,

Farbod 


Hi Farbod,

This touches on a question someone asked about ultra-fine wools on my post about Huddersfield mills last week. The finer a wool becomes, the more it loses body and elasticity; it loses some of the elements that make wool such a great material for clothing.

Cashmere is even worse. It is wonderfully soft, but this means it has very little body and memory. This can be OK in a jacket, which has internal structure in the chest to hold it together. But it is terrible in trousers. They have no chance of retaining a crease, and begin to bag at the knees after a while.

I know because I made that mistake with my first commission from Sartoria Vergallo. The jacket is great, but the trousers have lost shape very quickly. I still occasionally wear it as a suit, but mostly just as a jacket – it has patch pockets and brown horn buttons so works well in that regard.

I would avoid wool/cashmere mixes most of the time as well, at least for suits.

Simon
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Anonymous

Dear Simon,

Why not wool/cashmere mixes? Aren’t they quite good for jackets, at least, or do you think they would stretch too much even then?

Jay

Hi Simon

Thanks for the great blog. I am interested in having a 3 piece suit made for my wedding and I would like to be able to use the suit for a while to come. A tailor here has offered me a S140 1oo% cashmere wool suit for ~US $ 400 (they are having a 50% sale).

I am assuming it will be a cashmere wool blend but after reading your comment I have some concerns. Should I be considering a different fabric like a 100% wool suit without the cashmere? I am living in Africa so the hot climate is also a concern. Thanks!

Kind Regards

J

Anonymous

Hi Simon

Thanks for the quick response and the info, it is very helpful. I only know what I could find online, they make only suits and formal wear for men and women. The fabrics are sourced in thailand and they say:
“Custom Tailored suits are made to your exact specifications, measurements are taken by us and an entirely new pattern is made from these measurements”

This is pretty much all I know at this point, but out of curiosity, when purchasing a tailor made suit, what are the important questions that one should ask of the tailor?

Anonymous

Thanks Simon, this was super helpful! I will definitely try to find something I like in retail first and get more info from the tailors as well. Have a great day!

Anonymous

Dear Simon,

Would a unstructured cashmere jacket have difficulty holding shape? Would you suggest wool instead for unstructured jackets as you have for pants?

Anonymous

Dear Simon,

I am looking to get a tailor made suit form http://www.institchu.com, one of the leading suit tailoring online at the moment. The particular suit I am looking to create is sort of like a dinner suit, black with a satin shawl lapel. As such, I’m worried about the type of material i should use. I’m torn between full wool, wool/cashmere blend, and wool/polyester blend. Should the suit have a slight sheen to it given the tuxedo-esque look I’m after?

Cheers.

Stuart

Hi Simon,
Was looking at a Hunt & Winterbotham cloth with 3% cashmere (97% merino) recently. Would it be safe to say that should be fine for suit trousers? Had a great feel but may have also been the fact it was a super 140 or 150. Thanks.

Martin Tusch

Dear Simon,
I wanted to ask if you know bespoke shirtmakers based in Verona that you would recommend.
Kind regards
Martin Tusch

Chris Kong

I find that the luxuary of CASHMERE in you require durability. SKOPES in the UK have created such a mid-weight fabric for all seasons.

Read the description:
A Suit comfortable no matter when, at a meeting, travelling or sitting at dinner. It is great for separates as well such as a jacket only or trousers. A mid-weight 11.5 oz (330gms) and great for “all season” suit or separates, creates a natural drape and more structure – decreasing wrinkles and making the suit appear cleaner

An new innovative Suiting creating a special fabric that creates a 120’s superfine wool handle blended with 3% Cashmere and uses a small amount of polyester to give extra durability.