New Holland & Sherry Fabrics: How We Look at Cloth

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New fabric books regularly arrive from mills around the world, each offering different qualities, colours, patterns, and possibilities. In this video, we take a look at several new collections from Holland & Sherry and share some thoughts on how we approach fabric selection within bespoke tailoring.

While most people naturally focus on colour and pattern first, there is often much more to consider when assessing a cloth.

Looking Beyond Colour

A fabric may look beautiful in a swatch book, but that alone does not determine whether it will make a great garment.

How does it drape? How durable is it? Is it suitable for year-round wear or a particular season? Will it work best as a suit, jacket, or pair of trousers? These are often the questions that matter most in practice.

When reviewing new collections, we spend as much time considering these factors as we do examining the visual appearance of the cloth itself.

The Right Fabric Depends on the Person

There is no universally perfect fabric.

Someone looking for their first navy business suit may require something entirely different from a client commissioning a sport coat, a wedding suit, or a highly specific wardrobe piece.

For that reason, we rarely start with the fabric alone. Instead, we look at how the cloth relates to the individual who will be wearing it and the purpose it needs to serve.

Why New Fabric Books Matter

New collections are always interesting because they introduce fresh possibilities.

Sometimes that means new colours and patterns. Sometimes it means different weights, constructions, or fabric qualities that offer practical advantages for everyday wear.

These books allow us to continually refine our offering and help clients discover options they may never have considered otherwise.

The Fabric Is Only Part of the Story

One of the biggest misconceptions about tailoring is that the most expensive or exclusive cloth is automatically the best choice.

In reality, the best fabric is often the one that suits the client's lifestyle, preferences, climate, and intended use.

That is why we enjoy exploring new collections. Every fabric has its own strengths, and understanding those strengths is an important part of creating clothing that will be enjoyed for years.

Understanding Suit Fabric Super Wool Numbers: What They Are and Why They Matter

What Are Super Wool Numbers?

Super numbers refer to the fineness of the wool used in the fabric. The wool is measured in microns—its diameter determines the Super rating. A Super 100 fabric contains wool fibers with a diameter of about 18.5 microns, while a Super 150 fabric uses even finer fibers, around 16 microns. The higher the number, the finer the wool, and thus the softer and smoother the fabric feels.

Note: Super numbers don’t measure the weight of the fabric but the fineness of the wool fibers.

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