NOT ALL SUPER 150s ARE EQUAL
340g versus 240g
the characteristics and consequences
Super 150s: The Story Behind the Fabric
Why a Super 150s suit is not what you think - and how to make the right choice for your professional life
Laurens-Jan's Choice: Two Suits, Two Worlds
Laurens-Jan works at Optiver, one of the world's leading high-frequency trading and market making firms. In his role, everything revolves around client contact - meetings with institutional investors, dinners with traders, moments when millions of euros in decisions are made about futures and options.
In that world, trust is everything. And trust begins in those first three seconds when you enter a room.
"My clients work with the most sophisticated financial instruments. They expect precision, reliability, professionalism at the highest level. If I didn't look like I understand that, why would they trust me with their portfolio?"
But here comes the challenge: in the world of equities and futures trading, everything happens fast. Meetings follow one another. You jump from office to restaurant to client dinner. Your suit must perform without you constantly thinking about it. It must be ready for action, always.
"I can't think every morning about whether my suit is going to hold up today. It just has to work. Think of it like silverware - it should be of such quality that you simply use it, without worry, and it remains perfect for years."
That's why he didn't choose one suit, but two very different Super 150s suits. Luxury that is reliable. Softness and durability. The best of both worlds.
Suit 1: Huddersfield Fine Worsteds QZ - The Classic Reborn
His first suit is from the legendary QZ collection by Huddersfield Fine Worsteds. This is no ordinary Super 150s. With a weight of 340-360 grams (11-12 oz), this fabric has everything that has defined classic European bespoke tailoring for decades: structure, crease resistance, and that unmistakable "body" from which your suit gets its shape.
"When I first wore the suit to a client meeting, it immediately felt serious. It has weight, but not in a way that holds you back. It gives me authority without being stiff. Exactly what you need when you're sitting across from a risk committee."
The QZ collection is famous for a reason. Huddersfield uses specially spun Super 150s yarns that give volume and weight to the fabric. The result? A suit that combines the luxurious softness of Super 150s with the durability and drape of classic British fabrics. The best of both worlds.
And in his daily life?
"I can wear this suit from a 7 AM meeting to a 10 PM dinner. It drapes beautifully, it barely wrinkles, and after a long day it still looks fresh. That gives me confidence. I don't think about my clothing - I know it works."
This is the silverware principle in action. Quality so good that you simply use it, and it keeps performing.
Price: 2-piece suit made in this fabric €1,999
Suit 2: Caccioppoli 240g - Neapolitan Elegance
His second suit tells a very different story. From Caccioppoli, the legendary Neapolitan fabric merchant, in a light 240 gram Super 150s. This is the fabric you see on the elegant streets of Naples - vibrant, supple, with that typical Southern Italian flair.
"This suit is for the moments when I want to strengthen the relationship, not just make the deal. An informal lunch with a long-term client. A drink after a successful day. Moments when I want to be not only reliable, but also approachable. Accessible."
Caccioppoli is known for their sharp eye for color and texture. Their fabrics capture the light of the Mediterranean Sea - those subtle shades of blue, green, brown that you find nowhere else. And at 240 grams, this is a suit for spring, summer, and those perfect autumn days.
"It wears light, but it doesn't feel cheap. It moves with me when I walk, it breathes during a long lunch on a terrace. It's elegant without pretense. People feel at ease with me, and that's just as important in my profession as commanding respect."
In the trading world, it's all about balance - risk versus reward, aggression versus patience. His Caccioppoli suit is that balance in fabric. It's serious enough for business, but personal enough to make real connections.
Price: 2-piece suit made in this fabric €1,999
What This Teaches Us
Two suits. Both Super 150s. But completely different experiences.
One provides structure and reliability for high-stakes negotiations, the other provides movement and personality for relationship building. For Laurens-Jan, it's not either but both. He has discovered both sides of Super 150s, and both have their crucial place in his professional arsenal.
In the world of institutional trading, where one wrong impression can cost a relationship and one good moment can start a partnership of years, clothing is not a luxury - it's a strategic tool. His suits must perform without maintenance, day in and day out, while simultaneously radiating the trust and refinement his clients expect.
"It's like with our trading algorithms. They must be robust enough to perform under pressure, but sensitive enough to feel the nuances of the market. My Huddersfield is robust. My Caccioppoli is sensitive. Together they are complete."
This is bespoke tailoring at the highest level. Not only precisely measured and made, but strategically chosen for the man who wears it and the world in which he operates.
Super 150s: More Than Just A Number
You see it everywhere: Super 100s, Super 120s, Super 150s. But what does that actually mean? And more importantly: what does it really say about your suit?
Let's first clear up the misconception: Super 150s is not a fixed recipe. The number only tells you something about the fineness of the individual wool fibers - approximately 16 microns in diameter for Super 150s. But from that fiber to the final product is still a long journey.
| Aspect | Lightweight (220-260g) | Heavyweight (320-360g) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Spring/summer suits, special occasions, formal events | All-season business suits, daily professional use |
| Ideal wearer | • Professionals with rotating suits • Special occasion wear • Warm climates • Style-focused dressers |
• Financial professionals • Lawyers, consultants • Daily suit wearers • Performance-focused professionals |
| Wearing frequency | 1-2x per week maximum, with rest between wearings | 2-3x per week possible with good rotation |
| Pros | ✓ Extremely soft and luxurious feel ✓ Italian look and feel ✓ Lightweight and breathable ✓ Perfect sheen ✓ Subtle elegance |
✓ Luxurious softness with structure ✓ Crease resistant ✓ Durable for regular use ✓ All-season comfort ✓ Professional appearance ✓ "Carefree luxury" - the silverware principle |
| Cons | ✗ More vulnerable to wear ✗ Wrinkles faster ✗ Requires careful maintenance ✗ Not for daily use ✗ Can feel delicate |
✗ Heavier (can be warm in summer) ✗ Less "Southern Italian" suppleness |
| Perfect for | • Weddings and galas • Summer events • Important presentations • Networking receptions • Creative industries |
• Client meetings & negotiations • Boardroom presentations • Business dinners • Multi-day conferences • Trading floors & corporate |
| Not suitable for | ✗ Daily commute ✗ Long work days (10+ hours) ✗ Frequent travel ✗ Active roles |
✗ Extremely hot climates ✗ Outdoor summer events ✗ Ultra-casual settings |
| Maintenance level | High - frequent steaming, careful wearing | Medium - normal suit maintenance |
| Average cost | €1,999 (all inc.) | €1,999 (all inc.) |
When and Why Do You Choose Which Super 150s Fabric?
Choose Lightweight Super 150s (220-260g) if:
✓ You have multiple suits and can rotate them
✓ You want to accentuate special moments with luxury
✓ You work in a warm climate or need a lot of summer clothing
✓ Style and elegance are more important than daily practicality
✓ You have time for careful maintenance
Choose Heavyweight Super 150s (320-360g) if:
✓ Your suit must perform in high-pressure environments
✓ You work 8-12+ hours per day in a suit
✓ You have little time for constant maintenance
✓ Your clothing must "just work" without worry (silverware principle)
✓ You work in finance, law, consultancy or corporate
✓ You need all-season versatility
Consider NO Super 150s if:
✗ You have one suit that must do everything (choose Super 110-120s)
✗ Budget is a primary factor (better value in Super 100-130s)
✗ You work in extreme conditions (building sites, outdoor, etc.)
✗ You are unfamiliar with the maintenance of (luxury) suits
From Fiber to Fabric: The Journey That Makes the Difference
Here comes the interesting part, and this is where many people - even tailors - get it wrong:
Step 1: The Fiber
Super 150s tells you that the wool fibers are extremely fine - approximately 16 microns in diameter. These fibers come from specially bred merino sheep, usually from Australia or New Zealand. The fineness of 16 microns is rare and valuable.
Step 2: From Fiber to Yarn
Now it gets interesting. Those fine fibers must be spun into yarn. How tightly you twist this yarn, how many fibers you combine, how long the fibers are - all of that determines the strength and character.
A Super 150s yarn can be:
Tightly high-twist (more resilience, crease resistance)
Or softer and more loosely twisted (more suppleness, softer feel)
Step 3: From Yarn to Fabric
And then comes the weaving. How tightly do you weave? What weaving pattern do you use? How many yarns per square centimeter?
A Super 150s can be woven into:
A light, open fabric of 240 grams ➜ Caccioppoli-style
Or a tight, compact fabric of 340-360 grams ➜ Huddersfield QZ-style
Both are Super 150s. But they behave completely differently.
Why This Matters
This is exactly why you don't get a simple choice between "Super 100s or Super 150s?" with us. We talk about:
Weight — A lighter Super 150s (240-260g) feels luxurious and drapes softly, perfect for spring and summer. A heavier variant (270-290g) provides structure and durability, suitable for year-round wear.
Weave density — An open weave lets your skin breathe - think of fresco weaves. A tight weave gives a smoother finish and more sheen, but can feel warmer.
Yarn quality — High-twist yarns are more resilient and crease-resistant. Regular twist provides softness but requires more care.
The Impact on What You Experience
Color — A dense Super 150s fabric gives rich, deep colors with subtle sheen. A lighter weave gives matte, natural tones. Same dye, completely different result.
Comfort — Weight and weave determine whether your fabric 'breathes' or keeps you warm. A light, open Super 150s can be cooler than a heavy Super 100s.
Durability — This is where it gets interesting. A well-woven, heavier weight Super 150s from a top manufacturer like Vitale Barberis Canonico or Huddersfield Fine Worsteds can be at least as durable as a lesser quality Super 120s.
It's not just about the fineness of the fiber - it's about the complete story of spinning, weaving and finishing.
The Secret of Heavyweight Super 150s: Why 340g Makes the Difference
Here comes the real expertise story. In the market, Super 150s is often associated with light, delicate fabrics of 220-260 grams. But that's only half the story.
The Huddersfield QZ collection proves what's possible: 340-360 gram Super 150s. This is what happens when you take fine Super 150s fibers and weave them with the density and structure of classic British suiting.
What wearers share online about heavyweight Super 150s:
"I have a Huddersfield Fine Worsteds Super 150s and it's fantastic. It's not thin and light - it's actually quite heavy. It's not fragile and I see no reason not to wear it regularly." — Forum member about his 12oz Super 150s suit
The experience with the QZ collection specifically? Tailors and connoisseurs are unanimous:
✓ "Excellent tailorability and a tendency to resist creasing" - the fabric works easily and holds its shape
✓ "Superb luxury handle and drape, and performs amazingly" - it feels luxurious but performs like a workhorse
✓ "Made with unique Super 150s yarns specially spun to give volume and weight" - the secret lies in how the yarn is spun
This is why weight is so crucial. At 340-360g you get:
The softness and sheen of Super 150s fibers
The structure and durability of medium-weight suiting
Crease resistance you simply don't get with lighter fabrics
All-season wearability - not too warm, not too light
Another Perspective: The Light Side
At the same time, Caccioppoli's 240g Super 150s has its own charm. Online experiences from wearers describe:
"Spectacularly light while remaining rather structured" — About a Neapolitan suit in Caccioppoli Super 150s/silk blend
"The vivid accent colors and nuanced shades reflecting the approachable spirit of Naples" — Caccioppoli is known for their color palette
"Easy, relaxed feel and atmosphere" — The signature Southern Italian aesthetic
The lighter Super 150s gives you freedom of movement, breathability for warmer days, and that typical Italian suppleness. It's not better or worse - it's different. For different moments.
Beyond Marketing: Real Expertise
In the industry you often see simplistic messages: "Super 150s is too delicate for daily use" or "higher is always better". Both are incorrect.
What you really need to know:
1. Origin Matters
A Super 150s from Loro Piana, Vitale Barberis Canonico, Huddersfield Fine Worsteds or Caccioppoli is a completely different fabric than a Super 150s from an unknown producer. The quality of the raw materials, the spinning process, the weaving technique - that's where the difference lies.
2. Weight is King
A heavy Super 150s (280g+) can be worn daily without problems. A light Super 120s (220g) requires more care. The number alone doesn't tell you enough.
As an experienced wearer shares online:
"You can find a Super 100s from a high-quality English or Italian mill that looks and feels better than many technically higher fabrics from lesser manufacturers."
3. Use Determines the Choice
Laurens-Jan chose both worlds - his Huddersfield suit for the moments that require structure and authority, his Caccioppoli for when he wants to show personality. That's smart. Know your use, know your fabric.
The Heritage Factor: Why These Manufacturers Differ
Huddersfield Fine Worsteds
Based in West Yorkshire, the historic heart of the British wool industry. Their name is literally on the building where for decades the best European tailors bought their fabrics.
The QZ collection represents what British manufacturers do best: reliable, performing fabrics that last for generations. Their specialty? Spinning fine wool in a way that retains volume and weight - giving you Super 150s that doesn't feel delicate.
Characteristic of Huddersfield:
Robustness without roughness
Classic European elegance
Technical perfection in weaving
Performance-oriented
Caccioppoli
Since 1920 the reference point for fabrics in Naples. Not a mill themselves, but a curator - they travel the world, select the best fabrics from the finest mills, and add their Neapolitan taste.
Their superpower? Recognizing colors and textures that other merchants overlook. As a visitor to their headquarters wrote:
"The subtle colors of wool/linen/silk summer jacketings - browns, greens and blues you never see in English bunches."
Characteristic of Caccioppoli:
Unique eye for color
Mediterranean aesthetic
Personal, approachable elegance
Perfect for warm climates
Both approaches are valid. Both create excellent Super 150s. But they speak different languages.
Why This Knowledge Is Useful
If you understand that Super 150s is not a fixed category but a spectrum of possibilities, then you make better choices. You don't fall for marketing talk. You ask the right questions:
What is the weight of this fabric?
How is the weave? Open or tight?
Which mill does it come from?
How is the yarn spun?
These are the questions that make the difference between a suit that fits you perfectly and a disappointing purchase.
The Bigger Picture
A suit is more than its fabric. Fit always comes first. A perfectly fitted Super 100s suit looks better than a poorly fitted Super 180s suit. But when the fit is right? Then the fabric choice makes the difference between good and unforgettable.
For Laurens-Jan, finding his two Super 150s suits was a journey of discovery. The Huddersfield QZ gives him the structure and reliability for professional settings. The Caccioppoli suit gives him the freedom to show personality. Together they form a complete wardrobe for a man who knows what he wants.
As an experienced Super 150s wearer put it:
"Not all Super 150s are created equal. There are more components to a good fabric than just the Super number."
It's about the complete collaboration between fiber, spinning, weaving, and finishing.
The Practical Truth
Modern Super 150s from top manufacturers perform better than ever. Vitale Barberis Canonico's Super 150s scores 20,000 rubs on the Martindale durability test, for example - the same as their Super 110s. The prejudices from the past about "too delicate" are outdated, if you know where to look.
What We See Online: The Questions That Matter
Our research shows that people mainly struggle with:
"Is Super 150s too delicate?"
Answer: Not necessarily. It depends entirely on how it's woven and by whom. Modern Super 150s from top manufacturers perform excellently with regular use. A 340g Super 150s is more durable than a poor 240g Super 120s.
"Is higher always better?"
Answer: Absolutely not. A 130-140s is often the sweet spot for many people. Super 150s+ requires more awareness of when and how you wear it.
As an insider noted:
"Much of the hype around high Super numbers is marketing. The price/value ratio of diminishing returns appears very quickly."
"Why are the prices so different?"
Answer: Because not all Super 150s are equal. A Huddersfield or Caccioppoli Super 150s has decades of expertise, careful sourcing, and perfect finishing. A cheap Super 150s is often just fine yarn in a poor weave.
As someone described it:
"A Super 120s from Holland & Sherry felt fantastic and luxurious, but a Super 150s from a mill I didn't know never felt right and didn't hang well."
"Won't it be too warm?"
Answer: Depends on the weave and weight, not on the Super number. A heavily woven 340g Super 150s (like the QZ) is an all-season fabric. A light 240g version is perfect for spring/summer. The weight and weave determine the temperature, not the fiber thickness.
"Can I wear it daily?"
Answer: With the right fabric: absolutely. Wearers of quality Super 150s report:
"I wear my Loro Piana Australis 150s suits regularly and they hold up well."
The key? Give your suit rest between wearings, rotate your suits, and take good care of them.
